I think it's funny that the two of the highest rated programs on basic cable, on a consistent basis, is professional wrestling and SpongeBob Squarepants. Given all the choices available to the basic cable subscriber, fake fighting and an animated show about a talking sponge are the favorites. Now, I'm not knocking SpongeBob - I'm a fan myself - but we're talking about episodes that been repeated hundreds of times. It's just funny.
I think of this every time I see Anderson Cooper on CNN or Keith Olbermann on MSNBC trying sooo hard to be hip. Guys, you could triple your numbers and still not touch SpongeBob's ratings. If it were Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite or David Brinkley anchoring the cable news shows, and doing the kind of news they used to do, this situation would bother me. But as it stands, these numbers seem to be valid and correct, and as they should be.
I think of this every time I see Anderson Cooper on CNN or Keith Olbermann on MSNBC trying sooo hard to be hip. Guys, you could triple your numbers and still not touch SpongeBob's ratings. If it were Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite or David Brinkley anchoring the cable news shows, and doing the kind of news they used to do, this situation would bother me. But as it stands, these numbers seem to be valid and correct, and as they should be.
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The part of the television situation that surprises me is that despite cable tv and movie rentals, the major networks still seem to dominate prime time and they do it with the same old formula of sitcoms and dramas about cops or doctors. Oh, and of course the now obligatory 'reality shows'.
What drives me crazy about television is that idiotic shows like Stacked and Skating With The Stars are getting tons of advertisement and help from their network, while the most brilliant show on television, Arrested Development, is being cancelled. That boggles my mind. It's this kind of crap that really makes me lose faith in people.
Interesting side note: When I was in high school we watched this thing called Channel One every day at lunch...it was world news geared toward high school and middle school kids. Young anchors, flashy stories and weird sets. Anderson Cooper was on there, with Lisa Ling and Serena Altschul (sp?) who both went on to bigger things. Anderson wasn't hip at all back then either. I remember wondering why they had some old guy doing news for teenagers because he's always looked like he's in his 50s.
have you seen the Boondocks show on Cartoon Planet? What do you think of it?
I do watch the show, but mostly because of a professional interest. It's hard to judge a show early on, you really need to get a season or two under your belt to really make the thing click.
Having said all that, I think that the concepts are funnier than the execution. To me, anyway, because I'm more a fan of way over the top or absurdist stuff. I thought the bit with Dr. King last night had great possibilities but kinda fizzled out.
I really like the look of it though. The colors and artwork stand out quite a bit from the usual animated sitcom.
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