TV series "Men Of A Certain Age" - Smart, funny, good writing, cast - DOOMED?

[old mark]

I have seen all the episodes so far, and I am very much afraid this show is too smart to last. If you enjoy good TV, watch this show before it's replaced by another reality show for idiots that draws more viewers.

It's a gem, therefor cannot last on TV.


mark

[burrfoot]

1. I was drawn to the previews because

I'm pretty sure they drink Utica Club beer, and make some references to Syracuse... I grew up in a tiny town just north of Utica and since I live in SW Florida now I love catching references (few and far between, to be sure) to central NY.

Now that I hear it's actually a good show, I'll be sure to check it out!

:toast:

[Ikonoklast]

2. Are the men all cast as drooling, ignorant, sexist idiots?

That's all TV writers seem to be able to write; men are all shown as helpless morons.

God forbid they write characters that aren't a caricature.

[old mark]

4. No - that's what I was expecting, but it is sympathetic, interesting and well done.

I was shocked, and I'm expecting it will not make it - it's too smart for the American public, which prefers to see men as you described.


mark

[Ikonoklast]

5. I stopped watching episodic television many years ago.

I've never seen one Seinfeld, or Cheers, or Lost, or any reality show, so I am not really one to actually comment on what's on anymore, I guess.

If it doesn't have scientific, historical, or documentary content, I have better things to do with my time.

Pop culture is a foreign country to me, and I refuse to apply for a passport.

[HERVEPA]

9. Well, aren't you special.

[Ikonoklast]

10. Thank you.

Right back atcha.

[hippywife]

12. I happen to agree with him

and do the same. So much of pop culture any more is pure uninteresting garbage with little or no redeeming value other than to showcase the spoiled and self-indulgent.

[HERVEPA]

13. Elaboration

I think it's fine not to watch any of it. Perfectly valid decision, of course.

However, the poster jumped on a thread about a discussion of a TV show, and rather highhandedly and condescendingly kind of flipped off those who might watch some of these shows.

And in my opinion, sometimes you can learn just as much about life from fiction as from non-fiction.
And if very many people (among those who tried it) thinks the series Northern Exposure was not great art, I'd be surprised.

[hippywife]

14. He and the OP seemed to be

having no problem conversing about it, so I really didn't see it as a "jump-in" on the thread.

Northern Exposure was a great program. It was very entertaining while being funny or serious, or silly, whatever the episode called for, but it was never base. And I have nothing against fiction at all, I love to read fiction.

The issue is with the trend of current episodic television to appeal to the lowest common denominator. If it isn't totally base humor, or violence, it's superficial people showing their collective asses on reality programming. The last worthwhile program on TV, in my opinion anyway, was The West Wing. It had smart dialog that didn't talk down to the viewer, you were expected to keep up which in a way forced the viewer to keep evolving and learning about the topics being discussed.

There really hasn't been much worth watching for several years now, such as the programs we've both mentioned, so we don't waste the money on cable TV and the time we could spend on other pursuits.

[treestar]

15. There was one character calling fat women "low hanging fruit"

That disturbed me.

We are deemed desperate. I certainly learned from that.

Seemed sexist.

[Bennyboy]

3. Wow, I thought the show was horrible...

Never made it past the half hour mark during the premier... have to check it out again.

[Iggo]

7. Likewise.

I was bored out of my skull.

Maybe it got better. I'll give it another shot.

[MorningGlow]

6. I would walk over broken glass to see Scott Bakula

Been waiting for the online videos. I think they're on the TNT site now. Yay!

[Flaxbee]

8. I'll watch almost anything with Andre Braugher in it, and I like Scott Bakula, too...

but I wasn't able to make it through the premiere. I'll try to catch it tomorrow night... I was hoping I'd like it, b/c there is really NOTHING else on TV I enjoy watching.

[alphafemale]

11. I tuned in for Bakula too. But I was disappointed in the premier too.

It never really got my attention. I might give it another try.