Television's Guilty Pleasures
- dad1153
- Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 10:32 am
- Location: New York, NY
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
Last year, for the first time ever, I watched and quickly became addicted to CBS' "Big Brother." Not just the network recap shows but the three-hour "After Hours" daily show on Showtime 2 and updates/recaps from Joker's Updates. I hate, hate HATE reality TV with a passion, and before "BB" only two reality shows ("Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and "The Amazing Race") were guilty pleasures precisely because they weren't really reality TV shows. But there was something endearing about the quirky cast from last year (Jeff & Jordan, nerdy-but-cute Michelle, etc.) that, against my better judgement, I got hooked and watched it all go down with the greatest of interest. This year's "BB" has a lame cast that's about as phony and typecast as they come; not a single female contestant seems to have natural breasts. Even Andrew (a practicing Jew allowed to celebrate the Sabbath) seems to be selected from central casting. And yet I'm addicted yet again to "BB" because, since the cast is so lame, the gameplay mechanics of the show (Power of Veto, backdooring someone out of the house, HOH competitions, etc.) are what's keeping me intrigued this time.
So there, I've openly said in a CRITERION forum that "Big Brother" (US version) is my guilty pleasure. Shoot me now, please! At least I'm man enough to still say with pride that I never (and will never) watched "Survivor."
So there, I've openly said in a CRITERION forum that "Big Brother" (US version) is my guilty pleasure. Shoot me now, please! At least I'm man enough to still say with pride that I never (and will never) watched "Survivor."
- dx23
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 8:52 pm
- Location: Puerto Rico
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
Although I hate reality TV, I still have a soft spot for Celebrity Rehab on VH1. That is one of my guilty pleasures along with the animated series Phineas and Ferb on the multiple Disney channels. For some reason, that cartoon sticks out above the rest with their witty humor. Of course, the worse guilty pleasure of mine has been professional wrestling. I've watched it since I was 4 and WWF had their Superstars, Saturday Night's Main Event and PPVs and WCW had their Saturday show on TBS. Then it was the Monday Night Wars in the 90's when I was flipping channels trying to catch both WWF Raw and WCW Nitro. Now, I still watch Raw and now TNA on Thursday night. Is like crack for me made worse because I have friends in the business that wrestle for both WWE and TNA.
- mfunk9786
- Under Chris' Protection
- Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 4:43 pm
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
I used to love the WCW Nintendo 64 games (I had a friend who was obsessed with wrestling) but aside from the adolescent curiosity hurried along by women like Sable, he could never convince me that it was remotely worth watching. I just can't justify watching something that's so awkwardly orchestrated and (I mean no offense by this, dx) geared towards the lowest common denominator. It never stuck for me, but it wasn't for lack of Corey in the 5th grade trying.
- dx23
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 8:52 pm
- Location: Puerto Rico
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
It's is really funny because I understand your point on how everything is orchestrated and their storylines are cheesy (hell, I've been told almost every trick in the book on how pro wrestling works, even some of the carny stuff that still goes) but for some reason I'm still hooked on it even though now more than ever WWE is gearing their product to the PG crowd. What I know for sure it amazes me is the athleticism most of these guys show in the ring. Is some sort or "art" they display while doing this acrobatic maneuvers. Guys like Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle really impress me and for some reason is a joy watching them do these stunts.mfunk9786 wrote:I used to love the WCW Nintendo 64 games (I had a friend who was obsessed with wrestling) but aside from the adolescent curiosity hurried along by women like Sable, he could never convince me that it was remotely worth watching. I just can't justify watching something that's so awkwardly orchestrated and (I mean no offense by this, dx) geared towards the lowest common denominator. It never stuck for me, but it wasn't for lack of Corey in the 5th grade trying.
- flyonthewall2983
- Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 3:31 pm
- Location: Indiana
- Contact:
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
I agree with dx, and I see funk's point as well. What it comes down to is, if you grew up with it like I did and I was obsessed with it from 8 to about 16 when the Monday Night Wars were dying down, watching it now is like keeping tabs on an old friend.
The soap opera stuff has really been cranked to 11 for the last 15 years or so. Vince McMahon made it his life's work to become a purveyor of entertainment, not the most successful wrestling promoter who ever lived. The true art of professional wrestling was to make the audience feel everything going on in the ring was real, and that nothing was pre-determined. Vince not only destroyed that, but monopolized the industry.
Having said that, I loved WWF stuff from the 80's and early 90's because it still had an aire of being presented as an athletic competition, but with the added flair of outrageous characters and melodramatic storylines. and that they only had a handful of PPV's every year. From '89 to '92 they had four a year, and it was perfect. You absolutely had to get them because they had the feel of a big game, with WrestleMania being the SuperBowl. But now that it's 12 a month from WWE, with their flagship television show having big matches every week, that's gone.
The soap opera stuff has really been cranked to 11 for the last 15 years or so. Vince McMahon made it his life's work to become a purveyor of entertainment, not the most successful wrestling promoter who ever lived. The true art of professional wrestling was to make the audience feel everything going on in the ring was real, and that nothing was pre-determined. Vince not only destroyed that, but monopolized the industry.
Having said that, I loved WWF stuff from the 80's and early 90's because it still had an aire of being presented as an athletic competition, but with the added flair of outrageous characters and melodramatic storylines. and that they only had a handful of PPV's every year. From '89 to '92 they had four a year, and it was perfect. You absolutely had to get them because they had the feel of a big game, with WrestleMania being the SuperBowl. But now that it's 12 a month from WWE, with their flagship television show having big matches every week, that's gone.
Last edited by flyonthewall2983 on Fri Sep 24, 2010 6:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
- oldsheperd
- Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 5:18 pm
- Location: Rio Rancho/Albuquerque
Hardcore Pawn
Hardcore Pawn: what a shit show. I dvr'd this last night. These people are assholes. Especially the whole sequence where the whole group of employees went to buy guns for protection and the gun store owner blew up at them and kicked them out of the store. My opinion was was that the pawn guys were trying to negotiate everything down and the guy just had enough. Just my two cents. For pawn shows you can't go wrong with Pawn Stars.
- flyonthewall2983
- Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 3:31 pm
- Location: Indiana
- Contact:
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
What channel is that on?
- domino harvey
- Dot Com Dom
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
Whatever CourtTV is called now, I think. I haven't given it much thought but I'm almost positive there's only room in my life for one reality-based pawn series and this ain't it
- mfunk9786
- Under Chris' Protection
- Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 4:43 pm
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
New episodes of Pawn Stars have started up again on Monday nights. I love the guy who always calls them to his porch to look at sketchy coin operated machines that he overvalues absurdly each and every time.
- oldsheperd
- Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 5:18 pm
- Location: Rio Rancho/Albuquerque
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
Like a corn thresher?mfunk9786 wrote:New episodes of Pawn Stars have started up again on Monday nights. I love the guy who always calls them to his porch to look at sketchy coin operated machines that he overvalues absurdly each and every time.
- Polybius
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 10:57 pm
- Location: Rollin' down Highway 41
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
TruTV. It's not Reality...it's Actuality.domino harvey wrote:Whatever CourtTV is called now, I think.
- oldsheperd
- Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 5:18 pm
- Location: Rio Rancho/Albuquerque
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
World's Dumbest is the only good show on there
- dad1153
- Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 10:32 am
- Location: New York, NY
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
I love the 'Most Daring' and 'Most Shocking' shows (when they're new). Perfect brain-dead entertainment that's like the demented cousin of "America's Funniest Home Videos." I also sometimes watch their "COPS" marathons.
- kaujot
- Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 6:28 pm
- Location: Austin
- Contact:
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
After coming home from a small vacation, I was thrilled to see that my DVR had 20 episodes of Pawn Stars saved, 16 of which I've not yet seen!
- mfunk9786
- Under Chris' Protection
- Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 4:43 pm
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
There goes the weekend.
- dx23
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 8:52 pm
- Location: Puerto Rico
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
Another guilty pleasure of mine is the cartoon show Phineas and Ferb on Disney XD. Is has a witty, irreverent humor that is both for adults and kids.
- knives
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:49 pm
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
I'm glad I'm not the only one. The (terrible) musical numbers prevent me from watching it often, but the show is better than anything on Disney since at least Dave The Barbarian. Which I suppose gives me the opportunity to mention Adventure Time, which is the funniest cartoon on the air right now (I'm tempted to say even funnier than Futrurama). It's only guilty because it's (supposed to be) a kids show, but it is so utterly ridiculous that I have to watch it. It's totally aware of its kids show trappings and subverts them to hell. Just tonight when the lead became a servant to the queen of the vampires he tried to warn the Nut King (I believe a walnut) that the vampire was going to sack his castle, well I'm sure you guys can fill in the blanks.
It's not only that sort of humour either. It's basically every sort of humour imaginable including anti (just watch Tree Trunks until the end to see what I mean). Okay, this is way too many pixels to spill over a silly kids show.
It's not only that sort of humour either. It's basically every sort of humour imaginable including anti (just watch Tree Trunks until the end to see what I mean). Okay, this is way too many pixels to spill over a silly kids show.
- oldsheperd
- Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 5:18 pm
- Location: Rio Rancho/Albuquerque
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
Anyone see the new Rob Corrdry tv series Childrens Hospital on Adult Swim. Really out there kind of weird shit.
- Murdoch
- Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:59 pm
- Location: Upstate NY
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
Thanks for the heads up on iOffer, it's been over a decade since I last saw the show but I'm on a nostalgia trip lately.domino harvey wrote:Two Guys and Girl is even harder for me to defend, though I think it's even funnier, because I don't know what to say other than that I can watch an episode and laugh almost consistently, even when the jokes aren't that great, because I buy into the performers completely. I don't even know if it still comes on in syndication anywhere, but I bought a bootleg series set from iOffer and probably watch it more than a lot of the shows I know are technically "better"
I started watching Food Network's Chopped, and jeez is it addicting. It's probably because it's about food that I keep watching, but what I love is it's simple structure of appetizer/entrée/dessert and that it doesn't take a season to sort out all the contestants, it's just the one episode and next time there's another bunch.
- domino harvey
- Dot Com Dom
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
Apparently the entire series of Two Guys and a Girl has been quietly released in season sets on DVD in the UK You can skip season one if you're buy-curious, as it's lame and the series just resets at the start of season two anyways
- domino harvey
- Dot Com Dom
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
Chumlee from Pawn Stars has been arrested on weapon and drug charges after a police raid in conjunction with a sexual assault charge
- mfunk9786
- Under Chris' Protection
- Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 4:43 pm
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
TV does a nice job (with planted people coming in with some of the world's most rare or expensive items, art, and so on) of covering up that these are people who work in a pawn shop, have (aside from maybe Rick) no other marketable skills, and perhaps are far too wealthy for their own good at this point in their lives. I would've expected Corey here, but it's still far from a shock, especially with the rap sheet that toy expert guy has built up over the years. I know it's the least interesting thing in internet-land to post that you aren't shocked by something, but the fact still remains.
- flyonthewall2983
- Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 3:31 pm
- Location: Indiana
- Contact:
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
Currently married to Brock Lesnar.mfunk9786 wrote:I used to love the WCW Nintendo 64 games (I had a friend who was obsessed with wrestling) but aside from the adolescent curiosity hurried along by women like Sable...
- domino harvey
- Dot Com Dom
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
This is a really old thread, so I've acquired a few newer guilty pleasures from the few cable channels I ever watch: Eat Street and Carnival Eats on the Cooking Channel and Food Paradise on the Travel Channel. It's fun to vicariously dine out at all these places with the added benefit of a bleach-blonde monster not introducing everything from inside a red convertible
- flyonthewall2983
- Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 3:31 pm
- Location: Indiana
- Contact:
Re: Television's Guilty Pleasures
Pawn Stars is still on right?