I like TV better now in 2004 because of reality TV and More options to watch Sports than on one channel. Cable wasn't as strong as it is now, ESPN wasn't still kind of new and plus classic TV from the 70's had just about ended

Happy Days
Three's Company
Jeffersons
Alice


So watching TV in 2004 is much better.

TV was much better in 1984 than today, because there weren't all these crazy reality shows and they were tons and tons of great sitcoms you could watch.

Originally posted by Small Wonderian
TV was much better in 1984 than today, because there weren't all these crazy reality shows and they were tons and tons of great sitcoms you could watch.

:nod:

Television was better in 1984 because of all the great sitcoms and The Big 3 took a great deal of pride in their programming by making elaborate and catchy campaigns and jingles.

Even though theirs more channels today, tv was better in 1984. Their is really a lot of junk on tv today.

Although I still like lots of shows on TV today (mainly Arrested Development, The Simpsons and Reno 911!).... I prefer TV in 1984.

Its a sad day in the world of sitcoms when FOX has the best shows.

just to name a FEW sitcoms....
Cheers
The Cosby Show
Family Ties
Night Court
Newhart
Who's The Boss?
The Facts of Life
Diff'rent Strokes
Silver Spoons

In 1984 I watched Charles In Charge, Family Ties and Diff'rent Strokes. The only "New" sitcom I watch in 2004 is Still Standing. So I guess 1984 was better.

I choose 2004. Last season, every night except Saturday nights had a show or two that I would watch religiously. Those shows are

Cold Case
CSI Miami
American Idol
Navy NCIS
24
CSI
Tru Calling
Without a Trace
Joan of Arcadia

If you look at that list you would find that I prefer dramas more than sitcoms, although there are some sitcoms I really like. 1984 had some of my favorite shows like "Newhart", "Simon & Simon", "The A-Team", and "Magnum, PI." There aren't too much shows that I love from that time period. So 2004 gets my vote.

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
I like TV better now in 2004 because of reality TV

That there is the reason television was bettern in 1984.

That's it. End of thread.

Originally posted by tvobscurities
That there is the reason television was bettern in 1984.

That's it. End of thread.




It's not my fault you never seen the Apprentice.

1984. There aren't many established sitcoms today, just reality television, most of which is not nearly of the same quality level.
In '84, you had:

Cheers
Family Ties
Three's A Crowd
AfterMASH
The Cosby Show
The Jeffersons

Originally posted by cheers_rules
1984. There aren't many established sitcoms today, just reality television, most of which is not nearly of the same quality level.
In '84, you had:

Cheers
Family Ties
Three's A Crowd
AfterMASH
The Cosby Show
The Jeffersons


THree's a Crowd?

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
It's not my fault you never seen the Apprentice.

I've seen more than enough of The Apprentice to know it doesn't hold my interest. And by more than enough I mean about five, seven, perhaps twelve seconds.

Originally posted by tvobscurities
I've seen more than enough of The Apprentice to know it doesn't hold my interest. And by more than enough I mean about five, seven, perhaps twelve seconds.


You got to be kiddin me

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
THree's a Crowd?

It was and is better than many of today's TV shows, and continued the storyline of TC.

Originally posted by Small Wonderian
TV was much better in 1984 than today, because there weren't all these crazy reality shows and they were tons and tons of great sitcoms you could watch.

:yourock:

I agree 99%, with the exception being that The Wonder Years had not yet been invented. However, if TWY were still cranking out new episodes today, going on 400 or so, the timeframe of the show would be 1984. :idea: Try to imagine Kevin in parachute pants! :lol:

1984

Whoops, 2x Post

Guess

Originally posted by James
:yourock:

I agree 99%, with the exception being that The Wonder Years had not yet been invented. However, if TWY were still cranking out new episodes today, going on 400 or so, the timeframe of the show would be 1984. :idea: Try to imagine Kevin in parachute pants! :lol:


:lol:

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
You got to be kiddin me

Do I? Do I really have to be kidding? Or are you so convinced your opinion is fact that you can't accept that others may not like reality TV? I hate reality TV. With a passion. I respect the fact that others, like yourself, enjoy it, but I hate it. The only two reality shows I have actually watched are MTV's Tuff Enuff 2 or whatever it was called and that special "Who Wants To Be A Playboy Bunny" on CBS or NBC a few years back.

1984 except tht Friends wasn't on yet !!! :D :) :)

Originally posted by Small Wonderian
TV was much better in 1984 than today, because there weren't all these crazy reality shows and they were tons and tons of great sitcoms you could watch.

:nod: Ditto

I can't stand reality TV.

It it quite possibly the worst thing to ever happen to television.
Mostly because it is NOT reality and comes nothing close to it, in fact it is scripted half the time and the other half is the outcome determined by the producers.

I think all the people behind the reality TV craze are laughing their asses off at all the ignornant people investing their emotions into a farce.

Originally posted by dlemond
I can't stand reality TV.

It it quite possibly the worst thing to ever happen to television.
Mostly because it is NOT reality and comes nothing close to it, in fact it is scripted half the time and the other half is the outcome determined by the producers.

I think all the people behind the reality TV craze are laughing their asses off at all the ignornant people investing their emotions into a farce.



So i guess 1984 is your chioce too.

I hate reality shows because I like to watch programs that I know I'll wanna come back to a year, five years, ten years later, and still enjoy.... reality shows are all about the here and now and have no long-term value. I like tv shows that you can take a break from, and then revisit and love again

I highly doubt in 50 years you will see any 00's reality shows getting played as classics the way that Lucy or The Honeymooners are shown today.

1984.

At least talent mattered back then. A TV actor or writer could actually make a living.

Reality TV = talent downsizing.

And, mind you, I even kind of like The Apprentice. Trump's hair is quite entertaining to watch, and it seems to be one of the most constructive reality TV shows out there. But, as somebody already said, I wouldn't be interested in watching that show again like I would a good 1980s sitcom.

Guess. :p

Yeah 1984 had much better sitcoms than we do now, we had Who's the Boss?, Cheers, Facts of Life, etc....

2004, we do we really have sitcom wise? Will and Grace :eek:

Originally posted by #1DianeChambersfan
1984 except tht Friends wasn't on yet !!! :D :) :)
1984 because Friends wasn't on yet! ;)

But, all sarcasm aside, I really do think that the shows were better in 1984 than now.

Originally posted by Topanga
Yeah 1984 had much better sitcoms than we do now, we had Who's the Boss?, Cheers, Facts of Life, etc....

2004, we do we really have sitcom wise? Will and Grace :eek:



Will and Grace??????

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
Will and Grace??????

:lol: That was my point, we don't have hardly any good sitcoms on these days, now that Friends, Frasier, Seinfeld and others are gone :eek:

Originally posted by Topanga
:lol: That was my point, we don't have hardly any good sitcoms on these days, now that Friends, Frasier, Seinfeld and others are gone :eek:


That's true

I think the best year for comedy was 1987-1988. The 80s shows were ending and the 90s shows were beginning.

Originally posted by Topanga
:lol: That was my point, we don't have hardly any good sitcoms on these days, now that Friends, Frasier, Seinfeld and others are gone :eek:

2 words....

Arrested Development


It's a great sitcom for anybody that enjoys smart humor.... its not a show an idiot would like.

Originally posted by barwars
2 words....

Arrested Development


It's a great sitcom for anybody that enjoys smart humor.... its not a show an idiot would like. So thats why i don't like it. :D

Originally posted by mr roper
So thats why i don't like it. :D

:lol:

For Tv in general if you have satellite you can watch 1,000 channels so in that sense it is better. However the content and style of the current scripted shows especially the sitcoms is very inferior to those from 20 years ago. Shows that were relatively mediocre fare in 1984 are better than today's sitcoms:

1- many old sitcoms were videotaped and had a theatrical "live" feel to them and were cast with trained actors rather than stand up comics or people who were cast for their looks

2- in 1984 there were still some things like sexuality issues that were left to the imagination and it was a more innocent time, now we have in a sense seen everything and nothing is shocking or taboo. Older shows had to be more creative about dealing with delicate topics which made the shows more interesting

3-despite not being able to do and show certain things on tv there was greater room to depict different points of view on life in shows. I doubt Family Ties with the conservative and liberal ideologies would go over if it were made today

4-the characters in shows are much more shallow than the ones of the past. Too many young sexy people. Even the people who tend to be cast as the moms of the young sexy people are sexy people who have either had plastic surgery or botox or are filmed from a distance so you can't see their wrinkles. No show could get made now that doesn't have a young attractive person in it

5- scripted shows feel the need to have subplots so that every demographic is drawn in to watch the show. In older shows there was more of a tendency to be only one plot and the writing was better so that audiences got into the one plot. Now in the typical family show there is one main plot with the parents to appeal to the older viewer and a subplot with the kids to appeal to younger viewers. Writers and/or networks don't have enough confidence that one demographic would be into the other's storyline

6-too many will-they-or won't they fall for each other plots. What sitcom is there now with a single male and a single female who are both heterosexual where there is no kind of sexual chemistry issue in the series? It's as if the message is that two straight people like that would have to have sex and romance at the forefront of their minds.

7- too many middle class and rich characters in shows; characters living from check to check are virtually invisible

8- too much dependence on continuing storylines. Older shows had self-contained episodes that were entertaining enough that audiences wanted to come back and see what other situation the characters would find them in. Continuing storylines can be good, but with too many shows I get the feeling that it is a cheap manipulation of audience emotions to keep them coming back. Especially true with season ending cliffhangers.

TV and most everything was MUCH BETTER in 1984!!

Although 2004 did see the First SAW movie come out..... There really hadnt been any GOOD movies for years before Saw....

1984 hands down! Like the bowling for soup song says: “When did reality become TV whatever happened to sitcoms, game shows, all the radio?”

:yourock:

I agree 99%, with the exception being that The Wonder Years had not yet been invented. However, if TWY were still cranking out new episodes today, going on 400 or so, the timeframe of the show would be 1984. :idea: Try to imagine Kevin in parachute pants! :lol:

For Tv in general if you have satellite you can watch 1,000 channels so in that sense it is better. However the content and style of the current scripted shows especially the sitcoms is very inferior to those from 20 years ago. Shows that were relatively mediocre fare in 1984 are better than today's sitcoms:

1- many old sitcoms were videotaped and had a theatrical "live" feel to them and were cast with trained actors rather than stand up comics or people who were cast for their looks

2- in 1984 there were still some things like sexuality issues that were left to the imagination and it was a more innocent time, now we have in a sense seen everything and nothing is shocking or taboo. Older shows had to be more creative about dealing with delicate topics which made the shows more interesting

3-despite not being able to do and show certain things on tv there was greater room to depict different points of view on life in shows. I doubt Family Ties with the conservative and liberal ideologies would go over if it were made today

4-the characters in shows are much more shallow than the ones of the past. Too many young sexy people. Even the people who tend to be cast as the moms of the young sexy people are sexy people who have either had plastic surgery or botox or are filmed from a distance so you can't see their wrinkles. No show could get made now that doesn't have a young attractive person in it

5- scripted shows feel the need to have subplots so that every demographic is drawn in to watch the show. In older shows there was more of a tendency to be only one plot and the writing was better so that audiences got into the one plot. Now in the typical family show there is one main plot with the parents to appeal to the older viewer and a subplot with the kids to appeal to younger viewers. Writers and/or networks don't have enough confidence that one demographic would be into the other's storyline

6-too many will-they-or won't they fall for each other plots. What sitcom is there now with a single male and a single female who are both heterosexual where there is no kind of sexual chemistry issue in the series? It's as if the message is that two straight people like that would have to have sex and romance at the forefront of their minds.

7- too many middle class and rich characters in shows; characters living from check to check are virtually invisible

8- too much dependence on continuing storylines. Older shows had self-contained episodes that were entertaining enough that audiences wanted to come back and see what other situation the characters would find them in. Continuing storylines can be good, but with too many shows I get the feeling that it is a cheap manipulation of audience emotions to keep them coming back. Especially true with season ending cliffhangers.


I heartily agree. Now every sitcom is filmed and videotaped is a thing of the past. #3 especially. You are very much right. An LA Law reboot was attempted a couple of times but never got off the ground. We are too woke and one sided these days.

The Cosby Show also premiered that year. Say what you will about Bill Cosby and his rape allegations but the show was one-of the few shows even then where the parents were in charge and they did not let their kids run wild and the kids respected their parents. Nowadays if you watch Disney and Nickelodeon you see kids disrespect and manipulate their parents. Also, Stranger Things I love the show and everything but everytime I see Mike yell at his mother and demand for her to get off the phone, I just want to shake him.