Comments on: Top 10 Problems with Television http://www.screenwriterguy.com/television/screenwriterguys-top-10-problems-with-television musings of a wannabe comedy writer Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:29:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: screenwriterguy http://www.screenwriterguy.com/television/screenwriterguys-top-10-problems-with-television/comment-page-1#comment-553 screenwriterguy Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:41:21 +0000 http://www.screenwriterguy.com/2007/05/08/screenwriterguys-top-10-problems-with-television/#comment-553 I've been annoyed recently by another big one: "Professional Driver. Do Not Attempt." I, for one, cannot help but read words when they show up on the bottom of the screen. They pull me out of the moment EVERY time, but especially in commercials that already have writing. It's a bunch of CYA lawyering, these messages reminding me that perhaps I shouldn't test my truck's brakes by almost driving off a cliff. I would prefer to live in a society where we give people credit having the common sense not to try it just because they see it on a commercial. (And anyone who WOULD have tried it, except the message told them not to--there's something to be said for letting Darwinism take its course.) <div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('553','screenwriterguy'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('553','screenwriterguy','I\'ve been annoyed recently by another big one: \"Professional Driver. Do Not Attempt.\"\n\nI, for one, cannot help but read words when they show up on the bottom of the screen. They pull me out of the moment EVERY time, but especially in commercials that already have writing.\n\nIt\'s a bunch of CYA lawyering, these messages reminding me that perhaps I shouldn\'t test my truck\'s brakes by almost driving off a cliff. I would prefer to live in a society where we give people credit having the common sense not to try it just because they see it on a commercial. (And anyone who WOULD have tried it, except the message told them not to--there\'s something to be said for letting Darwinism take its course.)\n'); return false;">Quote</a></div> I’ve been annoyed recently by another big one: “Professional Driver. Do Not Attempt.”

I, for one, cannot help but read words when they show up on the bottom of the screen. They pull me out of the moment EVERY time, but especially in commercials that already have writing.

It’s a bunch of CYA lawyering, these messages reminding me that perhaps I shouldn’t test my truck’s brakes by almost driving off a cliff. I would prefer to live in a society where we give people credit having the common sense not to try it just because they see it on a commercial. (And anyone who WOULD have tried it, except the message told them not to–there’s something to be said for letting Darwinism take its course.)

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]]> By: StudioPicturesSuck http://www.screenwriterguy.com/television/screenwriterguys-top-10-problems-with-television/comment-page-1#comment-454 StudioPicturesSuck Fri, 31 Aug 2007 04:44:43 +0000 http://www.screenwriterguy.com/2007/05/08/screenwriterguys-top-10-problems-with-television/#comment-454 i am so with you screenwriterguy... i freakin' hate local news with a passion. ESPECIALLY when they give a twenty second promo of a life-shattering, pet-killing, child-maiming horror that YOU MUST WATCH TO FIND OUT ABOUT OR YOU WILL DIE. seriously, in the time it takes to scare you into watching the news, they could've just told you what is so deadly. i just find it disgusting.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('454','StudioPicturesSuck'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('454','StudioPicturesSuck','i am so with you screenwriterguy... i freakin\' hate local news with a passion. ESPECIALLY when they give a twenty second promo of a life-shattering, pet-killing, child-maiming horror that YOU MUST WATCH TO FIND OUT ABOUT OR YOU WILL DIE. seriously, in the time it takes to scare you into watching the news, they could\'ve just told you what is so deadly.\n\ni just find it disgusting.'); return false;">Quote</a></div> i am so with you screenwriterguy… i freakin’ hate local news with a passion. ESPECIALLY when they give a twenty second promo of a life-shattering, pet-killing, child-maiming horror that YOU MUST WATCH TO FIND OUT ABOUT OR YOU WILL DIE. seriously, in the time it takes to scare you into watching the news, they could’ve just told you what is so deadly.

i just find it disgusting.

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]]> By: FutureMovieMogul http://www.screenwriterguy.com/television/screenwriterguys-top-10-problems-with-television/comment-page-1#comment-182 FutureMovieMogul Wed, 09 May 2007 00:02:51 +0000 http://www.screenwriterguy.com/2007/05/08/screenwriterguys-top-10-problems-with-television/#comment-182 It's definitely nice that HBO can let the story take as long as it should. Still, they exist on a different business model, and we can't expect network shows to be able to live with those same restraints. After all, one of your other complaints is shows being irregular in their length/schedule. Realistically, time constraints are an acceptable restriction on the writers of network TV. But some of these other things are real problems. The political debate one is a biggie. We wind up with soundbyte presidents who paint black-and-white pictures of world events. TV has to take a little blame for that.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('182','FutureMovieMogul'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('182','FutureMovieMogul','It\'s definitely nice that HBO can let the story take as long as it should. Still, they exist on a different business model, and we can\'t expect network shows to be able to live with those same restraints. After all, one of your other complaints is shows being irregular in their length\/schedule. Realistically, time constraints are an acceptable restriction on the writers of network TV.\r\n\r\nBut some of these other things are real problems. The political debate one is a biggie. We wind up with soundbyte presidents who paint black-and-white pictures of world events. TV has to take a little blame for that.'); return false;">Quote</a></div> It’s definitely nice that HBO can let the story take as long as it should. Still, they exist on a different business model, and we can’t expect network shows to be able to live with those same restraints. After all, one of your other complaints is shows being irregular in their length/schedule. Realistically, time constraints are an acceptable restriction on the writers of network TV.

But some of these other things are real problems. The political debate one is a biggie. We wind up with soundbyte presidents who paint black-and-white pictures of world events. TV has to take a little blame for that.

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]]> By: MaxVonMayerling http://www.screenwriterguy.com/television/screenwriterguys-top-10-problems-with-television/comment-page-1#comment-181 MaxVonMayerling Tue, 08 May 2007 22:01:45 +0000 http://www.screenwriterguy.com/2007/05/08/screenwriterguys-top-10-problems-with-television/#comment-181 I'm surprised reality TV wasn't higher on your list!<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('181','MaxVonMayerling'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('181','MaxVonMayerling','I\'m surprised reality TV wasn\'t higher on your list!'); return false;">Quote</a></div> I’m surprised reality TV wasn’t higher on your list!
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]]> By: Mike Standish http://www.screenwriterguy.com/television/screenwriterguys-top-10-problems-with-television/comment-page-1#comment-179 Mike Standish Tue, 08 May 2007 18:40:16 +0000 http://www.screenwriterguy.com/2007/05/08/screenwriterguys-top-10-problems-with-television/#comment-179 I really dig this list. I hear ya on the little animated promos that run along the bottom of the screen. Infuriating. Two points: *Supersizing is also dangerous because it seems the writers of a 30 minute show often don't know what to do with that extra time. More running time doesn't always yield a more enjoyable episode. *I like that HBO shows allow producers to be very flexible about length. It's all about what makes a good story. Sometimes Entourage is only 23 minutes. Sometimes its 28. Sometimes Sopranos is X minutes long. Sometimes its X minus 4 minutes. It's all about the natural endpoint of a story.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('179','Mike Standish'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('179','Mike Standish','I really dig this list. I hear ya on the little animated promos that run along the bottom of the screen. Infuriating.\n\nTwo points:\n*Supersizing is also dangerous because it seems the writers of a 30 minute show often don\'t know what to do with that extra time. More running time doesn\'t always yield a more enjoyable episode.\n\n*I like that HBO shows allow producers to be very flexible about length. It\'s all about what makes a good story. Sometimes Entourage is only 23 minutes. Sometimes its 28. Sometimes Sopranos is X minutes long. Sometimes its X minus 4 minutes. It\'s all about the natural endpoint of a story.'); return false;">Quote</a></div> I really dig this list. I hear ya on the little animated promos that run along the bottom of the screen. Infuriating.

Two points:
*Supersizing is also dangerous because it seems the writers of a 30 minute show often don’t know what to do with that extra time. More running time doesn’t always yield a more enjoyable episode.

*I like that HBO shows allow producers to be very flexible about length. It’s all about what makes a good story. Sometimes Entourage is only 23 minutes. Sometimes its 28. Sometimes Sopranos is X minutes long. Sometimes its X minus 4 minutes. It’s all about the natural endpoint of a story.

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