Venture Bros are awesome. You should really give a chance at Archer! Hogan's Heroes? Get a fucking life, dude. I hear nothing! I see nothing! Peter Gunn? Is that even a show?
Frasier is the best TV show the US ever made. Star Trek #2. Get Smart is somewhere on the horizon.
24 hour news channels seem like an outdated concept now. It should be fading into complete irrelevancy soon.
I try not to watch too much TV either. It's become more of a chore to do with those commercials so its easier to just watch things online and with being able to return to school in about three and a half weeks, I might not even have time for TV at all.
I watch Peter Gunn and Perry Mason. That's about it. I like Mason because he is imperturbable, even when thugs point pistols at him. Those guys are role models.
I watch a lot of anime on hulu. Subtitled anime. The extra effort of reading the subtitles engages more of my brain. Some of the anime is silly with lots of bouncy bits. Other bits are really serious with the authors asking "what if?" and following it through to a conclusion that is sometimes really grim.
One of the other things I have discovered is how much of the underlying values of a culture will be in the fiction of that culture. For Japan, some is good, some is bad. This has sensitized me to seeing underlying values in American TV and I really can't stand it.
I also really like a lot of the music, I recently found the symphonic version of the music for "Princess Resurrection" and really liked it. I enjoy a lot of the music and since I don't speak Japanese, the vocals are just another instrument.
Anyway, I'm surprised you aren't watching "My Living Doll", Bob Cummings and Julie Newmar.
I highly recommend giving The Prisoner a watch. Sure, it has lots of 60's weirdness, but it is essentially the struggle of a lone, peerless man against an oppressive totalitarian government which wants to break him mentally. I think you'll identify with the hero quite a bit.
Anon is right about Archer. American Dad is pretty awesome too, especially after Season 2 when they get away from being a straight satire to a surrealistic kind of show. Bob's Burgers I just started to watch. All good if you're looking for more animated sitcoms to see.
I also just started watching the revival version of Dr. Who. Absolutely incredible. I'll have to check out Peter Gunn and Hogan's Heroes when I have time.
My kids are now in their early teens, and 5 or 6 years ago, I got them a bunch of sitcom classics, Gilligan's Island, Bonanza, Hogan's Heroes, etc. They've never watched "normal" TV, they've never missed it. We've NEVER had cable, and the TV is on playing one of the above less than 3 hours a WEEK.
My kids look at their peers, what they are in to, what they are watching, and just shake their heads. They're too busy in sports to waste much time on TV anyway. But when they get to watch, it's something worth watching.
When I was stationed in Germany the first time, AFN was broadcasting "Hogan's Heros" all over Europe. I understand more than a few Germans bought NTSC TVs so they could watch it.
Watch "The Americans" it is bad ass with Kerry Russell and Mathew Rhys that show is bad ass takes place in the early 80's so it brings back childhood memories of steel bumpers, members only jackets, hair spray,and the Cold War.
It's amazing how awful TV is if you go without it for a few years and then happen to catch some of it.
As The Great and Powerful Oz said, "One of the other things I have discovered is how much of the underlying values of a culture will be in the fiction of that culture. For Japan, some is good, some is bad. This has sensitized me to seeing underlying values in American TV and I really can't stand it."
This is spot on. Watching a lot of anime really makes you aware of how cultural values carry through in media, just because the values are different from what you are normally exposed to. When you go back to watching stuff made in the US, it's obvious that you're seeing the world through the eyes of left wing idiots.
By the way Oz, how was the Princess Resurrection anime? I've read the manga, and I'm thinking about giving the anime a shot if it's decent.
I noticed that somebody suggested a thriller set in the cold war period. The BBC serial of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, starring Alec Guinness, ian Richardson and Ian Bannen is about six hours (6 x 1hr episodes) but it tells the story much better than the recent film with Gary Newman.
Here in Germany, the television programs are beyond pathetic. If you can, try and watch one episode of "Schwer Verliebt" or "Heavily in Love" with the emphasis on heavy. Any guesses as to what the lucky brides weigh in at ;-)
Venture Bros are awesome.
ReplyDeleteYou should really give a chance at Archer!
Hogan's Heroes? Get a fucking life, dude. I hear nothing! I see nothing!
Peter Gunn? Is that even a show?
Frasier is the best TV show the US ever made. Star Trek #2. Get Smart is somewhere on the horizon.
You are sooooooo not a media critic.
24 hour news channels seem like an outdated concept now. It should be fading into complete irrelevancy soon.
ReplyDeleteI try not to watch too much TV either. It's become more of a chore to do with those commercials so its easier to just watch things online and with being able to return to school in about three and a half weeks, I might not even have time for TV at all.
I love Hogan's
ReplyDeleteI watch Peter Gunn and Perry Mason. That's about it. I like Mason because he is imperturbable, even when thugs point pistols at him. Those guys are role models.
ReplyDeleteOld "Gilligan's Island" episodes!
ReplyDeleteMaryAnn was SOOO HOT !!
-Survivorman
I watch a lot of anime on hulu. Subtitled anime. The extra effort of reading the subtitles engages more of my brain. Some of the anime is silly with lots of bouncy bits. Other bits are really serious with the authors asking "what if?" and following it through to a conclusion that is sometimes really grim.
ReplyDeleteOne of the other things I have discovered is how much of the underlying values of a culture will be in the fiction of that culture. For Japan, some is good, some is bad. This has sensitized me to seeing underlying values in American TV and I really can't stand it.
I also really like a lot of the music, I recently found the symphonic version of the music for "Princess Resurrection" and really liked it. I enjoy a lot of the music and since I don't speak Japanese, the vocals are just another instrument.
Anyway, I'm surprised you aren't watching "My Living Doll", Bob Cummings and Julie Newmar.
I highly recommend giving The Prisoner a watch. Sure, it has lots of 60's weirdness, but it is essentially the struggle of a lone, peerless man against an oppressive totalitarian government which wants to break him mentally. I think you'll identify with the hero quite a bit.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you there on Venture Bros. The woman and I are huge fans of it.
ReplyDeleteDid you catch this article? I believe I ran across it on reddit. I figured it might pique your interests.
http://news.yahoo.com/venture-bros-more-men-mad-men-110600354.html
there's a "you're old" joke in there somewhere. then i realized, i'm older than you.
ReplyDeletefml.
Anon is right about Archer. American Dad is pretty awesome too, especially after Season 2 when they get away from being a straight satire to a surrealistic kind of show. Bob's Burgers I just started to watch. All good if you're looking for more animated sitcoms to see.
ReplyDeleteI also just started watching the revival version of Dr. Who. Absolutely incredible. I'll have to check out Peter Gunn and Hogan's Heroes when I have time.
My kids are now in their early teens, and 5 or 6 years ago, I got them a bunch of sitcom classics, Gilligan's Island, Bonanza, Hogan's Heroes, etc. They've never watched "normal" TV, they've never missed it. We've NEVER had cable, and the TV is on playing one of the above less than 3 hours a WEEK.
ReplyDeleteMy kids look at their peers, what they are in to, what they are watching, and just shake their heads. They're too busy in sports to waste much time on TV anyway. But when they get to watch, it's something worth watching.
When I was stationed in Germany the first time, AFN was broadcasting "Hogan's Heros" all over Europe. I understand more than a few Germans bought NTSC TVs so they could watch it.
ReplyDeleteWatch "The Americans" it is bad ass with Kerry Russell and Mathew Rhys that show is bad ass takes place in the early 80's so it brings back childhood memories of steel bumpers, members only jackets, hair spray,and the Cold War.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how awful TV is if you go without it for a few years and then happen to catch some of it.
ReplyDeleteAs The Great and Powerful Oz said, "One of the other things I have discovered is how much of the underlying values of a culture will be in the fiction of that culture. For Japan, some is good, some is bad. This has sensitized me to seeing underlying values in American TV and I really can't stand it."
This is spot on. Watching a lot of anime really makes you aware of how cultural values carry through in media, just because the values are different from what you are normally exposed to. When you go back to watching stuff made in the US, it's obvious that you're seeing the world through the eyes of left wing idiots.
By the way Oz, how was the Princess Resurrection anime? I've read the manga, and I'm thinking about giving the anime a shot if it's decent.
Blasphemy!
ReplyDeleteF Troop, Addams Family, and Beverly Hillbillies should be in there.
If you can get some classic British TV, then Dad's Army is well worth watching, as is Open All Hours with the late Ronnie Barker and David Jason.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that somebody suggested a thriller set in the cold war period. The BBC serial of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, starring Alec Guinness, ian Richardson and Ian Bannen is about six hours (6 x 1hr episodes) but it tells the story much better than the recent film with Gary Newman.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to recommend Life on Mars (the British series). 3 seasons of good old fashion non-politically correct crime busting.
ReplyDeleteHere in Germany, the television programs are beyond pathetic. If you can, try and watch one episode of "Schwer Verliebt" or "Heavily in Love" with the emphasis on heavy. Any guesses as to what the lucky brides weigh in at ;-)
ReplyDelete