Death of the Script
There have been, for about six or seven years now (I know, I'm ever-so-cutting-edge), rumblings in the Cultural Commentary Community about the end of scripted television. Ever since Survivor took to the airwaves and showed the world that Reality TV was ready for prime-time (ready to make the leap from the smaller audiences of Cops and The Real World, in short), folks've been bitching about how, given the low cost and high ratings of such shows, scripted television was a dinosaur, a dodo, a Yangtze river dolphin (too soon on that last one?) And while reports of the death of S.T. may be greatly exaggerated (gotta go for that Twain reference), there is no doubt an element of truth therein. True, there've been backlashes--oh, how we all remember the gorgeous conflagration that ensued as a result of Who Wants To Marry A Millionaire?--but even as one game show (Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?--did anyone ever get that that was a Cole Porter reference?) gives way to another (Deal or No Deal) and one 'contest' show segues into the next (The Apprentice becoming Project Runway and/or Top Chef), we're seeing a continual feed of such stuff gobbling up more and more airtime, to the apparent delight of viewers--Dancing With The Stars has got 'em glued to their seats, folks, despite the fact that there are two things wrong with that title, and "With" and "The" don't count.
So why the decline of S.T.? Is it just cost, or the fact that, more recently, the writers' strike forced networks to devote even more time to R.T.? Perhaps.
But it could be that S.T. sucks, and that it has sucked more and more over the past decade.
Allow me to explain--a 'tip-of-the-iceberg' moment of epiphany occurred to me while watching Mad Men the other night. Now I adore Mad Men, but there's been something a bit 'off' about that show for me--as good as it is, I couldn't quite lose myself in it--there was something distant, something off-putting, and suddenly in the middle of the show, one of the characters makes a reference to The Twilight Zone. And I got it--Mad Men is a show that tries to be smart. That is produced by men and women who self-consciously are being "intelligent." And while it and they often--even usually--succeed, the effort shows. But think now about the brilliance of The Twilight Zone; the difference between the two shows is clear: Mad Men tries to be smart, and often is--The Twilight Zone is just smart. No effort, no self-consciousness, no "bringing to television what it and the audience need"--it's just written by smart people (Rod Serling might have to go on a relatively short list of the 20th-century's creative geniuses for what he accomplished in the infant medium of television) who instinctive assume that smart people will watch and get it.
Now think about all the "good" television you've watched in your life. The Sopranos. House. We could go way back and talk about Hill Street Blues and Cheers. And what do they all have in common? Effort. Obvious, patent, can't-miss-it-once-you-realize-it's-there effort. Self-consciousness is the death of creativity. It's the death of engagement, of emotional investment, of catharsis. It's the death of inspiration, in short, and the more and more we go on into the new millennium, the more it becomes apparent that trying to be smart gives a show a very short shelf-life. Dramas care more about being "important" and "groundbreaking" than about being competently, cleanly written. Comedies care more about being "clever" than actually, you know, funny. Television hasn't gotten dumber, folks--it's gotten desperate. Smart people have become too aware of what they're doing, and now, like people who think about breathing, and walking, they can't do it naturally. Watch S.T., folks--pick a show, any show, and I bet you my lunch money* you'll see pretty soon how labored it is. How the effort shows.
We're seeing them sweat. And that's the point at which disenchantment sets in.
And I'm sorry to say that if history is anything to go by, this loss is irreversible.
Again, I open the floor to those who wish to offer shows that do not show such strain. But I'm dubious...
*As I do not eat lunch, this is an extremely safe bet for me.
So why the decline of S.T.? Is it just cost, or the fact that, more recently, the writers' strike forced networks to devote even more time to R.T.? Perhaps.
But it could be that S.T. sucks, and that it has sucked more and more over the past decade.
Allow me to explain--a 'tip-of-the-iceberg' moment of epiphany occurred to me while watching Mad Men the other night. Now I adore Mad Men, but there's been something a bit 'off' about that show for me--as good as it is, I couldn't quite lose myself in it--there was something distant, something off-putting, and suddenly in the middle of the show, one of the characters makes a reference to The Twilight Zone. And I got it--Mad Men is a show that tries to be smart. That is produced by men and women who self-consciously are being "intelligent." And while it and they often--even usually--succeed, the effort shows. But think now about the brilliance of The Twilight Zone; the difference between the two shows is clear: Mad Men tries to be smart, and often is--The Twilight Zone is just smart. No effort, no self-consciousness, no "bringing to television what it and the audience need"--it's just written by smart people (Rod Serling might have to go on a relatively short list of the 20th-century's creative geniuses for what he accomplished in the infant medium of television) who instinctive assume that smart people will watch and get it.
Now think about all the "good" television you've watched in your life. The Sopranos. House. We could go way back and talk about Hill Street Blues and Cheers. And what do they all have in common? Effort. Obvious, patent, can't-miss-it-once-you-realize-it's-there effort. Self-consciousness is the death of creativity. It's the death of engagement, of emotional investment, of catharsis. It's the death of inspiration, in short, and the more and more we go on into the new millennium, the more it becomes apparent that trying to be smart gives a show a very short shelf-life. Dramas care more about being "important" and "groundbreaking" than about being competently, cleanly written. Comedies care more about being "clever" than actually, you know, funny. Television hasn't gotten dumber, folks--it's gotten desperate. Smart people have become too aware of what they're doing, and now, like people who think about breathing, and walking, they can't do it naturally. Watch S.T., folks--pick a show, any show, and I bet you my lunch money* you'll see pretty soon how labored it is. How the effort shows.
We're seeing them sweat. And that's the point at which disenchantment sets in.
And I'm sorry to say that if history is anything to go by, this loss is irreversible.
Again, I open the floor to those who wish to offer shows that do not show such strain. But I'm dubious...
*As I do not eat lunch, this is an extremely safe bet for me.
posted by Yr. Hmbl. & Obdt. at 10:53 AM
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