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MarkBld · 06-18-2012, 06:45 PM

Took your advice and ordered "Following" from Amazon ($5.96). Although dissing American TV makes shooting ducks in a pond look harrowing, the proof is in the pudding. The problem is the American public; they don't just like "pablum" - they like it smoothed to the consistency of buttermilk. No lumps, no bumps, nothing to surprise their expectations. They like all creative ventures vetted by what's called "the suits" (is that the term UK also uses for network executives?); that way they can be sure the creative impulse has been sufficiently castrated to make suitable family viewing. And there's the key to the whole thing - and not just with TV and movies: in America, EVERYTHING must be made "suitable" for kids. That's why, among other things, it's almost impossible to find plain yogurt in the supermarket - oh no no no, the kiddies needs something sugary or else mommie can't buy it! On TV too everything must be nice and sugary.

I actually thought cable might be a good alternative; but except for HBO, it's just as bland as network TV. It's no accident I've ended up with such a library of British dvd's. About the only American shows I have on dvd are science fiction - and that's only because the space travel thing kind of balances out the blandness.

That said, I do commend a lot of American made documentaries. There's a couple Michael Moore's I really like; I consider his "Bowling in Columbine" to be something of a masterpiece. And documentaries like "Gasland" (about the hazards of extracting natural gas from sand tars and so forth); "Food Inc" (about the perils of corporate produced food); "The End of the Line" (about the overfishing of the oceans) - plus numerous others in that vein.

You ended your last post by mentioning your cat(s). Let me do likewise. I rescued a cat four years ago and now all I can see for my future is which one of us will die first. It took all this time to realize my mother was right all along: she hated cats, said they were "sneaking." Should have listened to her. Maddening thing is, I have this idea I can't shake that once you rescue someone - like a cat - you become responsible for them the rest of their lives. If the cat hated me I could maybe justify taking her to the pound; but she seems to adore me. Go figure!

06-18-2012, 06:45 PM	#49
MarkBld Tiny Dick Intermediate Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 93	Took your advice and ordered "Following" from Amazon ($5.96). Although dissing American TV makes shooting ducks in a pond look harrowing, the proof is in the pudding. The problem is the American public; they don't just like "pablum" - they like it smoothed to the consistency of buttermilk. No lumps, no bumps, nothing to surprise their expectations. They like all creative ventures vetted by what's called "the suits" (is that the term UK also uses for network executives?); that way they can be sure the creative impulse has been sufficiently castrated to make suitable family viewing. And there's the key to the whole thing - and not just with TV and movies: in America, EVERYTHING must be made "suitable" for kids. That's why, among other things, it's almost impossible to find plain yogurt in the supermarket - oh no no no, the kiddies needs something sugary or else mommie can't buy it! On TV too everything must be nice and sugary. I actually thought cable might be a good alternative; but except for HBO, it's just as bland as network TV. It's no accident I've ended up with such a library of British dvd's. About the only American shows I have on dvd are science fiction - and that's only because the space travel thing kind of balances out the blandness. That said, I do commend a lot of American made documentaries. There's a couple Michael Moore's I really like; I consider his "Bowling in Columbine" to be something of a masterpiece. And documentaries like "Gasland" (about the hazards of extracting natural gas from sand tars and so forth); "Food Inc" (about the perils of corporate produced food); "The End of the Line" (about the overfishing of the oceans) - plus numerous others in that vein. You ended your last post by mentioning your cat(s). Let me do likewise. I rescued a cat four years ago and now all I can see for my future is which one of us will die first. It took all this time to realize my mother was right all along: she hated cats, said they were "sneaking." Should have listened to her. Maddening thing is, I have this idea I can't shake that once you rescue someone - like a cat - you become responsible for them the rest of their lives. If the cat hated me I could maybe justify taking her to the pound; but she seems to adore me. Go figure!