TV Drama
Posted by burken82 on 7 July 2008 - 7:07pm.
Do others agree that we're in the golden age of TV drama? The Soprano's really opened the floodgates but in my opinion Deadwood and The Wire surpass the heights of Tony & co. Mad Men, The West Wing, The Shield...even something like Six Feet Under, surely these can be regarded as classic TV.
I'm always willing to give something new a try so does anyone have any suggestions to fill the gap until series 5 of The Wire kicks off?
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Yes very much so
There was a blog over on the Guardian recently concerning whether TV drama has now replaced novels in some way. Wonder what people here think of that suggestion. For me the love affair started with 24. Don't think I've ever been so excited by a show. Like watching your favourite film anew every week. Since then, West Wing, Lost, The Sopranos, The Wire, Mad Men and loads of others. Amazing writers, actors and producers everywhere you look.
The best shows do have this emphasis on gradually building challenging storylines and carefully developing characters and relationships, which surely does hint at a 'golden era'.
TV drama - the new novel
I wasn't suprised when I heard George Pelecanos was involved in the writing of the Wire. He's been one of my favourite crime writers and the Wire shares many of the themes of novels, this idea that an area can just be left to rot by those in power & the consequences of that.
The challenging storylines make the Wire for me. They refuse to follow a formula and actually force you to think, something good TV should always do. I'd consider it the Anti - CSI, a show I'd choose death over being made to watch.
I reckon we're ALWAYS in a golden period...
...because for ever classic there are always a dozen clunkers best forgotten.
What TV drama do we have to sample tonight? Let's look at the Brit fayre... "Old Tricks" and what else is around? "Doc Robert" "Midsomer Murders" repeats, "Rosemary and Thyme", "My Family". Browse some American schedules for the rest of the stuff that doesn't make the 24/Wire/Sopranos level and there's plenty of dross to go around!
That's not to dismiss the great stuff around but, compare it to the great decades in music... that Pop on trial was very enlightening when they contrasted the critics favourites with what was ACTUALLY shifting shedloads of product...
For every Rubber Soul there's a dozen Fabians, for every Ziggy Stardust there's a dozen Showaddywaddys...
Sopranos fix
Try BROTHERHOOD, a wonderful series on Showtime a kind of Irish Sopranos.Think State Of Grace. Jason Issacs is Brilliant in it.Yet More Brits doing Americans.
It's only taste, but...
For me, the renaissance of US TV in the last decade has levels. Divisions. It disturbs me when I see 24 thrown in there with The Sopranos, for example. Of the ones I've seen, I think the categories go something like this:
Best TV ever that deserves to be spoken about in hushed tones:
The Sopranos
The Wire
Six Feet Under
Not far behind:
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Massively overrated. Good - sometimes very good - but full of holes that we seem far too forgiving of:
The West Wing
24
Pretty damn awful, let's face it:
Lost
Sex And The City
as a 24 fan, i'll take your criticism of the show on board...
I certainly wouldn't put it up there with The West Wing or the Sopranos as full on drama, but in terms of the market slot it was to fill 'Cops'n'Robbers' it had enough of a new-style spin to make it one of the first 'cops' shows to become almost appointment TV. There was no NYPD blue character development, no Hill Street Blues Grit; there was, however, plenty of adrenalin and it was one of the few shows to bravely state from the outset 'We will reward you for watching this through'.
As for the West Wing...i watch it, but still fail to see what exactly sets the world alight. Sure, there are times that Leo or Bartlett will have a line that will make you nearly want to hug your telly, but by and large the episodes are so darned formulaic. And Zeigler....STOP MUMBLING!
I liked Six Feet Under and then stopped watching, on principle, when they deliberately fucked with (sorry for the bad language, but it was unforgiveable) the understanding they had with the audience by showing a certain person to have died (including the name on screen with dates) only to have this be a dream. The 'name on screen' schtick had established itself as one of the few 'unbreakables' of the show, and i thought using for this character was a cop-out. Why couldn't they just have him get out of the shower like in any other respectable show!
Dexter!
Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! Dexter! is quite good
Box Set etc
Similarly I'd choose as my top contemporary shows:
-Six Feet Under (sad that it's over)
-The Wire (likewise)
-Lost
-Desperate Housewives (not just for the ladies and far far better than you would think from the way it's marketed)
-Curb Your Enthusiasm
-Heroes (somehow hasn't got a mention so far, it's great...)
-Dr Who (best British one at the moment)
-Torchwood (though still a bit Scooby Doo at times, it's getting better as it goes along)
-Family Guy (not drama, but an essential box-set set..)
And going further back...
-American Gothic (only one series was made, mid 90s, very good)
-The X Files (you can get it quite cheap now, and the later series widely neglected by the BBC are just as good)
-Teachers (primarily the 2 series starring Andrew Lincoln)
-Seinfeld
-Star Trek: The Next Generation (was never into this at the time besides a couple of the films, but been watching the repeats recently and it's ace!)
-The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin (every house should own a copy)
Having never seen it before, I've also just started on Series One of The Sopranos. I get the impression that I'm in for a treat.