I'm done by Okkay

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

I'm done

POSTED BY: OKKAY
UPDATED: Saturday, April 10, 2004 16:53
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VIEWED: 3409
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Monday, April 5, 2004 12:59 PM

Okay, I know there's already several other posts about Wonderfalls. To be honest, I haven't read them, because just thinking about it makes me angry, depressed, pissed off, etc. So bear with me if I've said anything that's already been said.

But I'm done with TV. I can't take the heartache that comes with finding a great new show only to see it gone after a few weeks or months. I can't take the hours and hours of just being pissed off that reality TV is taking over, that those in the television industry who are geniuses at what they do can't "get their words out", even though 90% of the stuff on TV is pure crap. I'm tired of getting my hopes up over each rumor bearing possible good news, only to have those hopes crushed when the rumor turns out to be false. I have spent way too much time obsessing over TV, and I've decided that it's not worth it, because over the last several years, TV has made me sad more often than it has made me happy.

There are things I'm glad about. I'm ecstatic that Serenity will be made. I'm very glad that they're resurrecting Family Guy. I will still watch the Firefly DVDs as often as humanly possible. But in general, being around things that remind me of everything that's screwed up about the television industry just depresses me too much, and it's beginning to affect my mental health. Unfortunately, that includes fireflyfans.net and all the other TV-related web sites I visit every day. I've decided that it would be better for me if my mind were filled with other things, things that enriched my mind rather than than tear it down. TV used to do that, but not any more.

I still hope that some good news will come for Angel and Wonderfalls. If it does, I will be very happy, and I'll continue my obsession over them. But it seems that every day brings more and more bad news, and I can't spend the time and energy sifting through all that bad news just for some good news that might never come.

I'm going to miss reading and contributing to all the discussions about Firefly. Joss and co. created a world that seems to have infinite depth, and even now, I'm still amazed at what things people find within an episode that I've missed even after 10+ viewings. I might still drop in now and then, and if/when a message board is created for the Serenity movie, I might visit that. But for now, I just want to take a long break from things TV-related, clear my mind, focus on the other important things in life. Hopefully, soon the network execs will wake up and see how much they screwed things up, and TV will go back to normal. It might be too late for Firefly (the series), Angel, and Wonderfalls, but maybe by that time some network will give Joss and/or Tim Minear a fair shot at creating the next new amazing series, one that will actually get to stick around for its entire run.

(It's possible that tomorrow I'll look back at this post and decide to change my mind. I have a habit of overreacting to certain events. Just a warning in case I come back tomorrow and act like nothing happened)

So anyways, that's all I have to say for now.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 2:09 PM

KUKOO

I have also decided that I am done with TV. It is not necessarily that TV (and all the bonehead cancellations) have caused me too much sadness, but rater that it is not worth the price. Over the last 2 years it has gone from there being something good on every night, to only a few shows left that I watch. It just seems that the only thng left on is Reality TV

and Law & Order or Law & Order knockoff shows. (Don't get me worng I have loved Law & Order for about 10 years, but enough is enough!) Is 60 dollars a month, plus the 20 minutes of commercials you have to sit through really worth it? My plan is once Angel is done, I am cancelling my cable and spending that $60 per month on DVD's of excellent old shows. My hope is that if enough people cancel thier Cable and tell the Cable Providors that reality tv is the reason, maybe we can make our voices heard in the only the networks care about, by hurting thier bottom line.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 3:06 PM

LTNOWIS

I don't agree with you Okkay, but I understand and accept your viewpoint. If you hadn't tuned in to Firefly, you'd have missed a glorious gem or a TV show. Likewise, there are still ton's of good shows out there, if you know where to look, even on Network TV, which is all I get. I still enjoy BBC news and non-Fox non-local news. I also enjoy The Simpsons, Malcolm in the Middle, King of the Hill, and various other non-reality Fox shows. Of course, if I had cable, I'd just watch the History Channel and Great American Country all the time. My strategy is to scorn the bad stuff and enjoy the good stuff. Also, I have no problems with watching a good new show, even if I'm setting myself up for heartbreak.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 3:07 PM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

I can sympathize with what both of you are saying, but it has puzzled me about how you and others say you will cancel your cable. All (or at least the majority) of reality TV is on the broadcast networks, not on the cable channels. I rarely watch any network TV, Firefly and Wonderfalls being exceptions, and this year Joan of Arcadia most weeks. But if I did not have cable I would have practically nothing to watch.

A&E, Discovery, History Channel, TLC, Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, TCM...that's what I watch mostly. No way I'm giving them up, 'cause then all I would have would be ABCNBCCBSFUX, and they ain't got much of what I'm looking for.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 3:42 PM

SIGMANUNKI

I have a friend that just downloads the shows she watchs and buys the DVD's when they come up. That way she gets to watch them when it's convient for her minus the commericals.

As for myself. I don't have cable, just the rabbit ears. Quite frankly I don't need anything more as all my shows are on those 4 channels.

----
"If you truly love the memory, you must set it free()!" -Me
"Also, I can kill you with my brain." -River

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Monday, April 5, 2004 4:31 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

How much do I agree with you? So much so that I don't have cable anymore. T.V. has become so damned idiotic and pointless, why pay for cable/satillite when there's nothing of any quality on? Sure, there's Discovery, Sci-Fi, History and Cartoon Network..but of the 100+ channels out there, I'd pay for a dozen of them - tops.

Nope, just give me my DVDs and some choice XBox games...and I'm set. And oh yeah....,

off,Fox TV!

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. Worked that out myself. "

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Tuesday, April 6, 2004 3:24 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.

I understand where you are coming from Okkay. I feel pretty disgusted w/ TV & cable on more than a few occasions.

What I have done is pretty much quit watching TV. I still watch Stargate SG1, and will watch Stargate Atlantis when it premieres this summer. I am also looking forward to Battlestar Galactica since Sci Fi announced they were picking it up for one season.

Other than Sci Fi, the only thing I watch anymore is the History Channel, Discovery and sometimes BBC & Food Network. I do occasionally tune into AMC or TCM if there is a classic movie I want to see on at night. I watch about an hour of television a day on average now.

Perhaps what you need Okkay is a break. Sometimes it is necessary to just take some time away, focus on other things and just forget about things for awhile. I have done it before w/ other interests, and find it gives me a fresh perspective.

If you do decide to go, take care. Hope to see you back soon.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

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Tuesday, April 6, 2004 3:42 AM

HATEHATEHATEFOX

OKKAY, I totally agree with you. We cancelled our cable almost a year ago and we've NEVER regretted it. We save $50 a month!

An added bonus is that we NEVER worry about our 3 year old daughter turning the tv onto something inappropriate. Our aerial only gets CBC, TVO (a fantastic Canadian public tv channel with the BEST programming for kids right up to 7pm) and PBS really well and a few American channels if you hold your head just so. :-) In fact, she's so accustomed to watching tapes that she gets downright annoyed with commercials.

Anyway, I download the eps I want to see, which are painfully few: Angel, Scrubs, Smallville.
(And, before someone points it out: I understand that *someone* has to have cable in order to make the caps that I DL - I get that.)

My husband made a good point about cable, he said there's almost a "pressure" to cruise the channels looking for something ... anything! ... to watch because you've paid for it and with 57 channels, by god!, there must be SOMETHING to watch!

~~~~~~~~
Nothing is ever so profoundly regretted as a kind act.
Robertson Davies

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Tuesday, April 6, 2004 10:48 AM

GHOULMAN

... take the red pile!

Great thread. So many insightful comments! TV is dead. Long live... what am I saying???

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Tuesday, April 6, 2004 1:53 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Funny thing about those cable/sat t.v. sales folks. Not sure if its as bad in Canada as here in the US, but I am always getting bombarded with telemarketing and junk mail to 'sign up!' for pay T.V. The one I've got the most is where a) a perky female customer rep or b) a gravely voiced installer - leaves a message ( it's a recording ) saying that they have my order for a dish, 3 receivers, 1st months FREE t.v. and FREE installation...if only I call a 1-800 number....

who do these saps think I am? I've been w/ out cable for 2 1/2 yrs. I originally wanted to see if I could go for just 1 yr, and well....... so far, so good.

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. Worked that out myself. "

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Tuesday, April 6, 2004 2:33 PM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Another reason I don't want to give up cable is I'm a huge baseball fan, and the season has just started.

ESPN, ESPN2, FOXSportsSW, WGN, TBS, + plus my cable co. sometimes runs Rangers or Astros games on one of their access channels.

Play Ball!

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Tuesday, April 6, 2004 2:34 PM

INVISIBLEGREEN

Saying you're completely done with TV is illogical...you'll miss all the good stuff. What you are saying is similar to "I'm afraid of applying for that job because I might get fired" or "I won't ask that uber hot chick out cuz she might dump a few weeks into our relationship" or "I won't have sex with that uber hot chick because she might stop midway."

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Tuesday, April 6, 2004 3:54 PM

TALLGRRL

the worst thing about the cancelation of Wonderfalls is that they're replacing it with, what?, a realitycrap show called The Swan.
it's a disgusting show in which they take a so-called "ugly duckling" and put her under the plastic surgeon's knife and make her into a...a...mannequin. and then she competes in some sick "beauty pageant".
it's just plain disgusting and heartbreaking.

Fox

"Take me, sir. Take me hard."

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Tuesday, April 6, 2004 4:16 PM

SAINT JAYNE

Quote:
Originally posted by InvisibleGreen:
Saying you're completely done with TV is illogical...you'll miss all the good stuff.

No, we won't. We can download if we're able, and we can buy DVD sets with the $X we're saving every month.

Quote:
What you are saying is similar to ... {snip}

You're not canceling your cable. I get that, I respect that. But your analogies show you don't get me. I don't play the lottery either, so banging away $25 a month because something good might come along some day isn't my thing. Am I not supporting a potentially good program? Did I kill Wonderfalls? Nothing so grand. It's a personal decision for me, so it's the right thing to do.

Quote:
Originally posted by Tallgrrl:
the worst thing about the cancelation of Wonderfalls is that they're replacing it with, what?, a realitycrap show called The Swan.

Not even traffic-accident-can't-look-away mentality could make me watch this.

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Tuesday, April 6, 2004 4:46 PM

VETERAN

Don't squat with your spurs on.

Quote:
Originally posted by BrownCoat1:
Other than Sci Fi, the only thing I watch anymore is the History Channel, Discovery and sometimes BBC & Food Network. I do occasionally tune into AMC or TCM if there is a classic movie I want to see on at night.

Almost sounds like your sitting in my den watching TV. Only difference is I have the TV on while I'm reading this board.

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Wednesday, April 7, 2004 2:04 PM

INVISIBLEGREEN

Quote:
Originally posted by Saint Jayne:
Quote:
Originally posted by InvisibleGreen:
Saying you're completely done with TV is illogical...you'll miss all the good stuff.

No, we won't. We can download if we're able, and we can buy DVD sets with the $X we're saving every month.
Quote:
What you are saying is similar to ... {snip}

You're not canceling your cable. I get that, I respect that. But your analogies show you don't get me. I don't play the lottery either, so banging away $25 a month because something good might come along some day isn't my thing. Am I not supporting a potentially good program? Did I kill Wonderfalls? Nothing so grand. It's a personal decision for me, so it's the right thing to do.

I don't have cable. So by not watching TV, I'm not saving money, but I am spending money when I buy DVD's. So for me, watching television's like playing the lottery with free tickets and much higher chances of winning.

Yes, downloading is always an option, though not a very legal one, if you can find what you're looking for and have a fast connection.

I do respect your decision, though I don't understand it.

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Friday, April 9, 2004 12:24 PM

MISGUIDED BY VOICES

Quote:
Originally posted by InvisibleGreen:
I don't have cable. So by not watching TV, I'm not saving money, but I am spending money when I buy DVD's. So for me, watching television's like playing the lottery with free tickets and much higher chances of winning.

You guys are lucky - if you are in the UK, you have to pay a licence fee for television, and on top of that you have to pay for anything beyond most of the basic 5 channels.

"I threw up on your bed"

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Friday, April 9, 2004 12:29 PM

EMBERS

how lucky one is depends on where in the USA one lives...
in Iowa it cost $50/month whether I get cable or satelite (okay, if I wanted network only then it would be $40/month...but I want Sci-fi & Comedy stations... And of course if I wanted HBO and other premium channels we'd be looking at $60 to $75 per month!), which I don't consider very lucky at all.

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Friday, April 9, 2004 12:48 PM

SPIKEANDJEZEBEL

Embers,

Whereabouts in Iowa do you live? I am from Davenport, but live in Burbank, CA now. I get back a couple times a year, though. Next weekend I'll be back for the first Iowa spring I've seen in 10 years!

"I like smackin' 'em!" - Jayne Cobb

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Friday, April 9, 2004 1:06 PM

EMBERS

In Fairfield, in the SE corner...near Missouri

So not too close to Davenport (not too close to anyplace actually!)

In fact I think this may officially qualify as
The Middle of Nowhere
(LOL)

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Friday, April 9, 2004 8:48 PM

SADLITTLEKING

I'm not done with TV in general, but I am done with Fox. I barely had any reason to watch Fox before and now I have no reason since any good show they put on will just get cancelled anyway. I've never seen a network as badly run as Fox.

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Saturday, April 10, 2004 4:53 PM

WHEDONESQUE

I am frustrated, too, with what is being offered on network television. I have significantly reduced the amount of time I spend watching television over the last few years (thanks to reality tv). Instead, I got a Netflix membership and bought the Buffy, Angel and Firefly DVD's. Netflix offers a great selection of movies and tv shows and there are no commercials! I choose what I watch and when.

I AM pretty upset that I won't be getting new Joss material weekly once Angel is over, but I am much happier now that I have more control over what plays on my tv.

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