Now before you judge me, let me set the record straight, I admit that there is plenty of drivel on TV. Plenty of reality TV bullshit that makes me lose faith not only in the integrity of viewership demographic but also the integrity of the suits who are siphoning money into making that shit. A friend of mine once said that every time someone watches the likes of Jersey Shore, that somewhere a book commits suicide; that it jumps off its bookshelf and bursts into flame. That drivel, unfortunately is a microcosm for the broad spectrum of crappola that is overloading our screens. Nowadays, everything in life gets its own TV show. Hillbilly Handfishing, for example is a television show solely dedicated to showcasing some back water citizens catching catfish, wait for it, with their hands. (As a side note, this is both ridiculous and perversely fascinating and if you happen to stumble upon it in an insomnia-induced stupor, its entertainment value is remarkable.) But although the quantity of different programmes is plentiful, the quality is frightfully lacking. The Real Housewives Who Need To Get Over Themselves, Keeping Up With Fame Obsessed Families and Toddlers and Their Inappropriate Mothers Living Vicariously Through Them. Yes, because those shows enrich my life and make me a better person. (If you don’t read the sarcasm there, please do us both a favour and read no further) It’s very rare for a television programme to come around that strays from the already laid out cheap template of what gets good ratings. It’s very rare that the medium is ever used to its full potential.
People watch television. And that’s the bottom line. TV has an audience and a large one at that. Children’s programming seems to be the only kind that has honed in on the fact that television can be used to educate. That television has the ability to ignite positive change. Reality television programming however, seems to aim to do nothing more than to provide a voice to people whose views may be better left unheard. Mostly I seek out comedy shows that can keep me giggling at the very least or a cooking show that makes me feel guilty for not spending more time in the kitchen. Every now and then something with a good storyline comes around and suddenly everyone is watching it, and talking about it. Game of Thrones is one such show. Once you’ve seen an episode you realize that you’ll soon be changing your schedule so as to not miss another installment. And once you’re hooked you don’t even realize the life lessons that sneak into your entertainment regiment: “A Lannister always pays his debts” reminds us all that every favour shouldn’t go unrewarded. The character of the young and merciless King Joffrey has taught series fanatics the old adage that ultimate power corrupts. All these little subliminal suggestions that one picks up when we’re paying attention.
Which brings me to my original point, I watch far too much television, not that it bothers me too much, because as an entertainment scholar, I like to be in the loop. And right now, I’d like to entice others to get in the loop. Even though I watch a lot of television it is rare to come across something that truly deserves airtime. And I have recently found a show that deserves viewership; that show is HBO’s The Newsroom. Have you seen it? If not, make a plan, because finally someone is paying to put something on our screens that is relevant, intelligent and entertaining. It has after one season already claimed the title as HBO’s most watched series since 2008 with a premiere viewership of 2.1 million viewers. The plot premise follows a team of newsmen who are repositioning their programming to showcase ‘the news that the voting public needs to hear’ rather than kowtowing to ratings. Of course the show also has all the relationship entanglements that help viewers relate to the characters and keeps them coming back for more, but mostly the very dialogue-driven script, is asking smart questions about our society and the media’s influence and responsibility. The show has been criticized for being too leftist, too smug, too full of sermonizing diatribes, too soapboxy I presume. But frankly all that those critiques prove is that The Newsroom is creating debate, which is something that quality television should pride itself on.
My personal take on it is that it’s brilliant. It’s an articulate, intellectual, witty show that stands in broad contrast to television’s recent trend towards idiocy. And among a stellar ensemble cast, it stars Dev Patel ( Yes, that guy from Slumdog Millionaire) and you should watch it, maybe to see him as something other than that guy from Slumdog Millionaire. Watching The Newsroom is, at the moment, the highlight of my television viewing and I watch each episode thanking the heavens for PVR so that I can rewind and replay each ingeniously written dialogue. You know what, I admire it so much that I am willing to end this post with one all-encompassing sentence: Watch The Newsroom, it will make you a better person.
Dana_derailed 