Television Discussion Thread

[iowatreat54]

Whats so good about high school drama and politics mayn?

It's not even good high school drama and politics. It's the most overly cliche high school in the history of anything. None of it is realistic whatsoever. It's really just not that entertaining.

I mean, the writing isn't even that original. It's the first season, and a girl got pregnant. From someone other than her bf. And it's her bf's best friend. Groundbreaking **** right there!

[Brodeur]

Sigh, it's not about storylines most of the time or you people would sure as **** get tired of House very quickly. It's about the writing of the characters, and all of the characters are given dimensions on Glee that makes everything seem somewhat believable in a sense, and gives everyone a human side.

[iowatreat54]

Sigh, it's not about storylines most of the time or you people would sure as **** get tired of House very quickly. It's about the writing of the characters, and all of the characters are given dimensions on Glee that makes everything seem somewhat believable in a sense, and gives everyone a human side.

Maybe it's just me and my high school experience and those that I've heard from most people I know, but the show is nothing like real life whatsoever.

You could be right that the individual characters broken down is well done, such as the kid being in a wheel chair viewing himself as "by himself", the *** kid struggling with telling his dad, etc. However, it just really isn't anything new. It is basically High School Musical with more character depth and targeted at old audiences.

Also, the creator of Glee went to my "rival" high school. And the name of their show choir, New Directions, was the name of my high school's show choir.

[Brodeur]

Maybe it's just me and my high school experience and those that I've heard from most people I know, but the show is nothing like real life whatsoever.

You could be right that the individual characters broken down is well done, such as the kid being in a wheel chair viewing himself as "by himself", the *** kid struggling with telling his dad, etc. However, it just really isn't anything new. It is basically High School Musical with more character depth and targeted at old audiences.

Also, the creator of Glee went to my "rival" high school. And the name of their show choir, New Directions, was the name of my high school's show choir.

Friday Night Lights may be the best high school show that lasted more than one season of all time, and it's not very realistic.

[iowatreat54]

Friday Night Lights may be the best high school show that lasted more than one season of all time, and it's not very realistic.

I've never seen it, so I wouldn't know.

My point was, that Glee is basically just using the overplayed high school stereotype of cheerleaders and jocks doing whatever they want, torturing other kids, while the "losers" hate life and then all of a sudden find something they are awesome at. I mean it's worked before, so it's not a terrible idea, but like I said, not exactly groundbreaking stuff. Also, like I said, while it essentially has an episode dedicated to exploring each of the main characters and their relationships, the writing there isn't exactly original either. *** kid with an overbearing father, star football player doesn't want to play football, crazy overachieving annoying girl no one likes is in love with the star football player, who is going out with the head cheerleader, who is pregnant with his best friend's child. Yes, the show does show you the more human side of these stories, but it's not like they haven't been done before.

I guess I would say Glee really isn't trying to avoid all these overplayed stories/high school cliches, but I guess that's why I don't like it.

Also, like I said earlier, they are moving the plot way too fast with Will and Emma. That's what really bothered me, was that they felt they needed to cram that entire storyline into 13 episodes.

Plus the fact that at least 4-5 of the characters are seniors, and will have to graduate. This means bringing in entirely new characters each season once this happens, which could work but rarely does.

[Brent]

Friday Night Lights may be the best high school show that lasted more than one season of all time, and it's not very realistic.

yeah, right, Texas HS is so, like, difficult, and stuff, you just dont understand!

[Brodeur]

yeah, right, Texas HS is so, like, difficult, and stuff, you just dont understand!

Wait do you not like FNL? Because if you don't, our friendship is in jeopardy.

As for the Glee cliches, I get what you're saying but you are oversimplifying things. The star football player DOES want to play football, the *** kid does NOT have an overbearing father, and the overachiever isn't someone that has a heart of gold while being hated, unlike most. The writing overcomes the simple storylines, which is the case with the quality procedural (Chuck, Psych, I guess House), and if the writing was better with Entourage, I wouldn't ***** about it so much.

One more thing, Norm may be on the last show that Conan does on NBC and that is just amazingness.

[Splat]

I loved Friday Night Lights and never missed it in till they made the move to directv. :(

[Brent]

Wait do you not like FNL? Because if you don't, our friendship is in jeopardy.

One more thing, Norm may be on the last show that Conan does on NBC and that is just amazingness.

1) I think FNL is one of the most underrated shows I've ever seen

2) if you mean Norm MacDonald, then I am pretty effing excited. All the shows this week have been ******* gold.

[Paul]

I really need to check out Friday Night Lights. I've heard nothing but high praise for it whenever it comes up.

[iowatreat54]

Wait do you not like FNL? Because if you don't, our friendship is in jeopardy.

As for the Glee cliches, I get what you're saying but you are oversimplifying things. The star football player DOES want to play football, the *** kid does NOT have an overbearing father, and the overachiever isn't someone that has a heart of gold while being hated, unlike most. The writing overcomes the simple storylines, which is the case with the quality procedural (Chuck, Psych, I guess House), and if the writing was better with Entourage, I wouldn't ***** about it so much.

One more thing, Norm may be on the last show that Conan does on NBC and that is just amazingness.

I guess that I just don't like that Glee does absolutely nothing new. I mean sure, it could be entertaining, but what motivation do I have to watch it instead of pretty much every other high school sitcom/movie? Oh, they sing some sweet songs sometimes. That's really all that differentiates it from most shows of the same circumstances. That's all I'm really getting at.

There's really no deeper meaning to the writing. Unless I'm missing something, in which case could someone please point it out.

Also, the *** kid at first presents his father as overbearing and homophobic, which we later realize he isn't completely, but is just adjusting to having a *** son. The "preacher's daughter" thought to be wholesome gets pregnant. The football player does want to play football, you're right, but chooses singing over it because it makes him feel good about himself. Again, someone point out what I'm missing, but these character types have all been done, many times. That's my main problem.

[Brent]

I really need to check out Friday Night Lights. I've heard nothing but high praise for it whenever it comes up.

it's good, it can be cheesy, but still good

[Brodeur]

I guess that I just don't like that Glee does absolutely nothing new. I mean sure, it could be entertaining, but what motivation do I have to watch it instead of pretty much every other high school sitcom/movie? Oh, they sing some sweet songs sometimes. That's really all that differentiates it from most shows of the same circumstances. That's all I'm really getting at.

There's really no deeper meaning to the writing. Unless I'm missing something, in which case could someone please point it out.

Also, the *** kid at first presents his father as overbearing and homophobic, which we later realize he isn't completely, but is just adjusting to having a *** son. The "preacher's daughter" thought to be wholesome gets pregnant. The football player does want to play football, you're right, but chooses singing over it because it makes him feel good about himself. Again, someone point out what I'm missing, but these character types have all been done, many times. That's my main problem.

Before the finale, I always thought that the writing indicated everyone in the show was living a fully sad life and everything else was just a cover for it. And again, the difference between it and all other crappy high school shows (outside of the singing) is that the characters are fairly well written.

[Whistler6]

With Conan's ratings going up after this whole NBC thing took off, he should stay on a roll and attack David Letterman. Dave is trying to stay on the "in" by making fun of Leno and Conan...He could do something so easy like,

"I might not be #1 in the ratings and losing my job to Leno, but atleast I didn't buy my way into one of my staffer's beds...What I meant was, David Letterman had an affair with a younger woman on his staff, while his wife and child were sitting at home. He's a great comedian isn't he?"

Stupid, but too easy.

[Paul]

From what I've seen David hasn't been attacking Conan at all. He's even invited Conan to be on his show to discuss the whole thing. If anything he's been in Conan's corner, which isn't surprising. He's been pretty merciless in attacking Leno though, so that's good.