Why I hate so many TV programmes

campingcarist · 27-04-2019 10:17pm #1

Maybe it's because I'm getting older but I can't stand any TV programme in which the audience have to shout and whistle instead of the old style applause.

Again, I never watch any TV programme which has so called "celebs" in the title. Most of them are not 'celebs' at all.

looksee · 27-04-2019 10:31pm

I detest all those shouty audience programmes. And especially canned laughter.

Little story. A good few years ago I was in hospital with a heart problem (arrhythmia, which now appears to have been amazingly cured by a procedure, but that's another story) and I was in a bed in a ward, right under the tv. So I am lying there feeling a bit out of sorts and hooked up to all kinds of monitors when suddenly in rushes a group of nurses and medics with the 'crash cart', surround my bed and start hooking me up to even more things. I am a little bemused and ask what is happening. 'Your blood pressure suddenly went sky high' one of them says. I hadn't noticed anything, but then again you can't feel blood pressure! 'Oh' says I 'someone just put the television on and it was some stupid game show with a canned audience'. And that was it, a tv programme had put my blood pressure into orbit! So they switched off the tv and all was well again.

Anyway my tv packed up (the channels moved and I never bothered to retune them) a couple of years ago, and I haven't missed it, I get news from my computer and use the tv for watching netflix.

Steve · 27-04-2019 10:40pm

Agree with all of that but have to make an exception for GOT..

looksee · 27-04-2019 10:42pm

Does GOT have an inbuilt shouty audience?

Steve · 27-04-2019 10:45pm

No, sorry L, the saturday glass (or two) of wine has me confused...

Please delete the silliness...

campingcarist · 27-04-2019 11:15pm

The shouty audience programmes are obviously made for the modern younger generation (so that counts me out) who enjoy making a noise and want to be heard.

Jellybaby1 · 28-04-2019 1:22am

Deeply dislike the celeb stuff too. Also not really interested in all those 'panel' shows which are populated by 'comedians', most of whom are not funny at all. There are few funny comedians on TV these days. Also dislike the ballroom dancing shows and the talent shows.

LimeFruitGum · 28-04-2019 4:22am

I can’t be arsed with most cop shows, they’re so formulaic. I have not watched Coronation st or other soaps in over 10 years. Corrie has just gone batsh1t crazy with various murders & crashes; like, come on.

It pretty much leaves me with QI, documentaries, and cooking shows

I give reality shows a wide berth too.

I skipped Strictly last year as they were making it about the chemistry & affairs instead of the actual dancing.
After all, it isn’t enough to have the reality show itself, you have the supporting shows like Big Brother’s Little Brother, It Takes Two for Stritcly, and whatever they call the ones for The Apprentice, I’m a Celebrity etc. The TV & social content beasts must be fed!

looksee · 28-04-2019 9:46am

Do you think there is really a demand for this kind of guff, or are they just creating a 'demand' by producing it?

Jellybaby1 · 29-04-2019 1:11am

looksee wrote: »

Do you think there is really a demand for this kind of guff, or are they just creating a 'demand' by producing it?

Well there's a saying, 'if you build it, they will come', or some such. Yes, whatever tripe they produce will in due course create a following for it.

campingcarist · 29-04-2019 9:59am

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Well there's a saying, 'if you build it, they will come', or some such. Yes, whatever tripe they produce will in due course create a following for it.

And for very tough tripe try watching Kyle. You'd want to be mad to watch that tripe and even madder to go on as a 'guest'.

But then, there seem to lots of people who have nothing better to do....

OldGoat · 29-04-2019 11:33am

looksee wrote: »

Does GOT have an inbuilt shouty audience?

It does in my house.

RiderOnTheStorm · 29-04-2019 12:25pm

What gets me is the host shouting the name of the next guest. Thank you Davina McCall.....

Jellybaby1 · 29-04-2019 7:31pm

All right, I give up. What the heck is 'GOT'?

looksee · 29-04-2019 9:54pm

Oh Jellybaby, you can't admit that! Its Game of Thrones, of which I have yet to see even a trailer (see above, no tv). And while I have tackled the book several times I have never managed to get past the bit when the dogs are introduced. And I am a fantasy fan!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 29-04-2019 10:24pm

Nothing that involves raucous audiences, voting acts in or out, 'celebrities', or 'reality TV' gets watched here. It's an element of popular culture that I just can't get to grips with. Oh, and Soaps.

Part of the reason I now avoid quiz nights is the preponderance of questions based on these shows.

Steve · 30-04-2019 12:05am

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

All right, I give up. What the heck is 'GOT'?

looksee wrote: »

Oh Jellybaby, you can't admit that! Its Game of Thrones, of which I have yet to see even a trailer (see above, no tv). And while I have tackled the book several times I have never managed to get past the bit when the dogs are introduced. And I am a fantasy fan!

I was once like you two, on a flight to somewhere, bored out of my head, I watched the first episode..

There are some things that hook you in the first season and just get meh after that, GOT is not, it just got better every year.

Deffo something to watch before you KTB.

Jellybaby1 · 30-04-2019 9:14pm

looksee wrote: »

Oh Jellybaby, you can't admit that! Its Game of Thrones, of which I have yet to see even a trailer (see above, no tv). And while I have tackled the book several times I have never managed to get past the bit when the dogs are introduced. And I am a fantasy fan!

Ah, I see. Yes everyone seems to be talking about Game of Thrones but I didn't watch it. Maybe some time I might get around to it.

Steve wrote: »

I was once like you two, on a flight to somewhere, bored out of my head, I watched the first episode..

There are some things that hook you in the first season and just get meh after that, GOT is not, it just got better every year.

Deffo something to watch before you KTB.

I'm more curious now about it. Steve, you are teasing me now, what the heck is KTB.....?? Stop messin' with my head Steve!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 30-04-2019 9:16pm

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

I'm more curious now about it. Steve, you are teasing me now, what the heck is KTB.....?? Stop messin' with my head Steve!

Jellybaby1 · 30-04-2019 9:21pm

And here I was thinking it meant 'before you ko to bed!!', how wrong can you be!

Steve, the O & O member who speaks in letters not words!

looksee · 30-04-2019 9:36pm

TLAs Jellybaby

Jellybaby1 · 30-04-2019 9:37pm

looksee wrote: »

TLAs Jellybaby

Curses!! :mad: Yer all in a funny mood tonight! :mad:

Jellybaby1 · 30-04-2019 9:38pm

looksee wrote: »

TLAs Jellybaby

And you a Mod on the English Forum too! Shame on you! :mad::mad:

IrishZeus · 01-05-2019 8:25pm

15-to-1
Blockbusters
University Challenge

Only ones with watching. I know Blockbusters made a comeback, but is it gone again? We don’t have any channels in the house.

Steve · 02-05-2019 11:53pm

Yahir Big Self-esteem wrote: »

Wish I could have thanked this more than once, really gave me a grin!!

The Late Late Show · 02-05-2019 11:59pm

I agree with all these so-called celeb programmes, reality TV shows, music competitions, etc. The likes of Davina McCall, Louis Walsh and the whole RTE organisation have a lot to answer for. And Mrs Brown's bloody Boys on everywhere. Soaps gone bad too. TV shows I watch now tend to be few and far between. For every good drama series like Breaking Bad, Handmaid's Tale, Love/Hate or Game of Thrones, there are thousands of Celebrity this and Celebrity that, competitions with bad pop songs, and Mrs Brown in various incarnations. And Dermot Bannon seems to be everywhere too. It is clear good dramas mean an effort has to be made but reality trash TV is just point a camera at a crowd of idiots and they get filler on a shoestring. Even when the mistakes are made, they are left in (Mrs Brown in particular). It shows no effort made and they don't care.

campingcarist · 03-05-2019 8:38am

I went right off Dermot Bannon after the way he insisted he was right when doing Daniel O'Donnell's house renovation. It was not what the customer wanted but what Bannon wanted. I did watch part of another DB show and he was still insisting on what he wanted.

Graces7 · 03-05-2019 2:58pm

This thread makes me glad I ditched TV about 25 years ago and have never regretted it. Youtube is enough for me and I get to read books too.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 03-05-2019 3:30pm

There is a lot of excellent TV out there but it's a chore at times to find it. The 'celebrity' and 'talent' shows hog the limelight but there are gems like University Challenge, Only Connect, Band of Brothers, various Wildlife documentaries, History, and decent dramas still to be had.

Edit: And, amongst some awful cross, there are great comedies to be had.

campingcarist · 03-05-2019 8:32pm

Graces7 wrote: »

This thread makes me glad I ditched TV about 25 years ago and have never regretted it. Youtube is enough for me and I get to read books too.

For the last 10 months, since I moved to co Donegal, I have had neither a mobile phone signal nor internet and very limited TV; life is ever so quiet! However, I had internet by satellite installed last Saturday and now I don't even watch TV.

Jellybaby1 · 04-05-2019 12:44am

We've been watching the second series of 'Follow the Money' lately, I think it is Danish. We like the Nordic crime series and we don't mind the sub titles. I also like Art programmes on BBC4. History channel is bad, hard to find a good history programme but occasionally one pops up. I watched two or three Mrs. Browns and although I chuckled a few times I didn't think it was worth watching more. Fair play though to O'Carroll for finding fame and fortune at last, a bit like Val Doonican when he said after 20 years in the business he became an overnight success.

campingcarist · 04-05-2019 2:54am

Yahir Big Self-esteem wrote: »

There is a lot of excellent TV out there but it's a chore at times to find it. The 'celebrity' and 'talent' shows hog the limelight but there are gems like University Challenge, Only Connect, Band of Brothers, various Wildlife documentaries, History, and decent dramas still to be had.

Edit: And, amongst some awful cross, there are great comedies to be had.

Another type of programme that hos the TV waves is all the murder mysteries of one kind or another. No wonder there are so many killings now-a-days.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 04-05-2019 8:32am

campingcarist wrote: »

Another type of programme that hos the TV waves is all the murder mysteries of one kind or another. No wonder there are so many killings now-a-days.

Ah now, surely you're not blaming Jessica Fletcher for all the evils of the world?

Tell me how · 04-05-2019 8:41am

Hate how anything with a bit of normal natural behaviour which appeals to people starts to change once it gets popular.

Take First Dates. Fine premise, people nervous yet optimistic when hoping to find love. But now, evry key couple seems to have something dramatic.

"I spent 5 years as a lesbian, but now I'm looking to date men because my ex broke my heart"
"I have erectile dysfunction"
"I've cheated on my last 3 girlfriends"
"My partner of x number of years died 18 months ago and I thought I'd never love again"
"Let's play the 'relate everything to being a vegan game'"

It's no longer endearing and insightful. It looks like everyone has been asked, 'what will you say that is interesting?' which makes me think people aren't looking for love, they're looking for attention.

Jellybaby1 · 04-05-2019 7:10pm

I really doubt they were ever 'looking for love' in those programmes. I never thought those dating programmes were 'entertainment'.

New Home · 04-05-2019 9:29pm

Most of those reality TV shows (in all their incarnations), to me, are just a modern version of the old carnivals' freak shows.

Tell me how · 04-05-2019 9:41pm

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

I really doubt they were ever 'looking for love' in those programmes. I never thought those dating programmes were 'entertainment'.

Maybe not, I doubt they thought there was a realistic chance of it happening in such a scenario, but they seemed to be people who were in the act of looking for it and their dates seemed to reflect that.

That has evolved to 4th or 5th date type information now being disclosed before the starters have arrived.

Graces7 · 07-05-2019 2:48pm

campingcarist wrote: »

For the last 10 months, since I moved to co Donegal, I have had neither a mobile phone signal nor internet and very limited TV; life is ever so quiet! However, I had internet by satellite installed last Saturday and now I don't even watch TV.

same here! Much better .. love youtube and the choices it gives. congratutulations!
I am with a small local server after many years with satellite with digiweb, piggybacking an internet phone. Now I get unlimited broadband ie 24/7 if I wanted, for E35 a month and excellent service. I just could not imagine digiweb getting out here on the ferry and it is good to use local folk. Best server I have ever had.

RiderOnTheStorm · 12-05-2019 12:08pm

PRO
Didnt want to like Gogglebox .... The premise is terrible "watching people on tv who are watching tv" .... But its great!!

CON
Too many ads !! And recently it was only 5 minutes into the program before first ad break (i rewound the Sky+ to check!)

PRO (or is it a CON?)
Some of the ads are better than some of the programs.

The Late Late Show · 14-05-2019 10:41pm

Some woeful drivel on these days. On the bank holiday Sunday night, I happened to see a bit of this Wingman. Woeful drivel altogether. Hardly unique though: TV these days is littered with loads of this type of rubbish and the chatshows mainly have the presenters of these things on promoting them. I don't know what type of audience they are looking for but I have yet to hear anyone say 'oh great, Wingman is on' and the like!!

OldGoat · 15-05-2019 8:26am

It seems that the Jeremy Kyle show is now feeling the cold light of reality.

Jellybaby1 · 16-05-2019 12:57am

OldGoat wrote: »

It seems that the Jeremy Kyle show is now feeling the cold light of reality.

I'm sorry to say that it was only a matter of time disaster struck that show. That show should never have been given the freedom to do what it did.

NIMAN · 16-05-2019 9:29am

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

I'm sorry to say that it was only a matter of time disaster struck that show. That show should never have been given the freedom to do what it did.

What I find annoying about all this now is that there was nothing said about it for 20 years, nothing until some guy killed himself over it.

Had that suicide not have happened, that show would have run for years to come.

It's a bit hypocritical for some to rubbish the show now, yet they said nothing for years.

Some of the people who were in the audience for the fateful show were interviewed on the radio over the last couple of days. They told us how the poor man cried when he failed the test, but only thing in my head was "why would you want to be in the audience for such a show?" not one of them was asked that. They were the sort of people feeding this nonsense and laughing at guests as they fought with each other, failed lie detector tests etc.

Sure remember the time everyone in the audience, and indeed the panel, laughed at Susan Boyle? Her crime? Not being traditionally pretty.

The only upside to all this is that hopefully TV producers will move away from reality TV shows.

New Home · 16-05-2019 10:17am

In fairness, lots of people have said for years that that programme was the pits. Aren't/weren't there many other programmes of tye same calibre in the US, too?

The Late Late Show · 16-05-2019 12:21pm

OldGoat wrote: »

It seems that the Jeremy Kyle show is now feeling the cold light of reality.

I always thought that and similar shows were almost 100% staged. Apparently not. Good riddance to this stuff and it is time that cheap reality TV that 'entertains' people via preying on people's misfortunes is scrapped for good.

Jellybaby1 · 16-05-2019 9:15pm

I've always hated that programme. I visit an elderly relative who watched this show 'religiously'. I couldn't understand why an otherwise intelligent woman would be interested in such rot. It was never allowed on in our house but I had to sit tortured while she had it on. It was horrendous.

campingcarist · 17-05-2019 8:55am

The Late Late Show wrote: »

I always thought that and similar shows were almost 100% staged. Apparently not. Good riddance to this stuff and it is time that cheap reality TV that 'entertains' people via preying on people's misfortunes is scrapped for good.

It was staged by the fact that the "guests" were hand picked for a reason - that they were liable to be explosive in front of the camera, didn't mind having their dirty washing broadcast to the entire country and were able to "put on a show".

NIMAN · 20-05-2019 5:37am

campingcarist wrote: »

It was staged by the fact that the "guests" were hand picked for a reason - that they were liable to be explosive in front of the camera, didn't mind having their dirty washing broadcast to the entire country and were able to "put on a show".

... and fed copious amounts of free booze before shows too apparently to help fuel the madness.

The Late Late Show · 21-05-2019 12:38am

campingcarist wrote: »

It was staged by the fact that the "guests" were hand picked for a reason - that they were liable to be explosive in front of the camera, didn't mind having their dirty washing broadcast to the entire country and were able to "put on a show".

The amount of people addicted to this show amazed me. It just shows anything will become popular once it finds an audience. I always thought it was faked but apparently it was real.

NIMAN wrote: »

... and fed copious amounts of free booze before shows too apparently to help fuel the madness.

And that explains why people went on it! We are only here for the beer!

Berckoise · 28-05-2019 4:11pm

The ones that make me cringe the most are the programmes where they give people free stuff provided they screech, jump up and down in a manic fashion and hug anyone within reach. Do they have to practise before the show airs?
Admittedly this only happens on U.S. shows. Presumably the Late Late audiences are tougher, or the give-aways less impressive.

Jellybaby1 · 28-05-2019 8:25pm

Once I sat down for a cuppa and flicked from channel to channel and left it on 'Extreme Couponing' or some such drivel. The experienced 'Couponer' was to meet a newbie at a store to assist in the task of getting a shed load of food for nothing. They met outside the store......the 'conversation' went like this...

1st - I'm soooo excited to be doing this. I just can't wait. Soooo excited now.
2nd - Hi there how are you? Are you excited to be doing this? I'm sooo excited.
1st - Yeah, I'm sooo excited. Are you excited?
2nd - Yeah, I'm just sooo excited.

So of they went, sooooo excited, and supposedly got a ton of crap for nothing!

I switched off at that point.

Give me strength!

Why I hate so many TV programmes

Comments