Hollywood writers have gone on strike. As an average television viewer, I feel the same apathy as when baseball players went on strike several years ago. I don't watch baseball. It's one of the most boring games to watch. So obviously I thought they were all getting paid way too much for their job.
Same goes for Hollywood writers. With all the cable channels, there are more shows competing for attention than we had when I was a kid (back in the 70s). And, really, the majority of them are pretty awful. Sure, television is visually more snazzy. And some of them get our attention by having more recognizable actors. But most try too hard to be clever, and have trite, forgettable themes that give us nothing with which to identify. In the last 7 years, the only shows that have caught my attention with thoughtful writing: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Battlestar Galactica, Deadwood, and South Park. House got our attention for one season by giving us a refreshingly politically incorrect character. But lost our attention in season 2, as it became overshadowed by preachy, self-justified Atheism and cheap ploys to make Dr. House more sympathetic.
So, this writers strike could be a blessing in disguise. It could be time for Hollywood to let go of the current guild of writers and look for something new and fresh. Hey, I'm for hire. And I have a great new idea for a reality show. You randomly pick out a small group of people (from different backgrounds and each with decent writing skills) and have them come up with a new television comedy or drama. Can average Joes come up with a hit show?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment