The decline and fall of good tv channels - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

storrs19 · 03-21-2007, 12:24 PM

Remember when Nick-At-Nite and TVLand showed great (pre-1980) tv shows?
Or when Comedy Central showed things like "The Jack Benny Program" and "You Bet Your Life" with Groucho Marx?
How about when USA had good shows on?
Also you could see things like "One Day At A Time" and "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" on E!
Odessey (now Hallmark) showed things like My Three Sons, I Dream Of Jeannie, Partridge Family, and later Hawaii Five-O.
Then there is GSN which was great when it started but now sucks so bad I can't even fathom what it has become.
What is the deal here?
Seems every channel that starts out showing great stuff winds up going down the toilet and showing modern garbage or running the same few classics in the ground.
I won't go into torrid details here as those who agree with me will know what I mean. Hell, the only TV I watch anymore is stuff posted on YouTube. The only cable channels I watch are Turner Classic Movies, Fox Movie Channel, and the Discovery and History Channels.
A&E sucks so bad now it is sad. They used to be a great network 15 to 20 years ago. And what is up with The Bigraphy Channel? Murder She Wrote, Poriot, Midsomer Murders, and Sherlock Holmes are NOT biogrpahies.
Well, I have ranted and raved now and will get off my soap box, I was just wondering if anyone knows why tv channels think that no one over 30 years old watches tv anymore.

santaburger · 03-21-2007, 12:44 PM

SOOOO true. N@N and TVLand are the worst offenders, IMO. MTV as well, but in a different sort of way, since that was never really "classic tv." The Disney channel and Nickelodeon come to mind as well (I miss the days of 90's era nick shows, and Disney Channel original movies...). Maybe it's just because I'm a nostalgic sort of person, but even objectively speaking all these networks have gone soo downhill it isn't even funny.

I misssss you, Nick at Nite ("the-place-for-tv-hits," as said in that cute, melodic way..)

KurtfromPitts · 03-21-2007, 02:28 PM

Throw Cartoon Network in there too. Once, they ruled, especially when they showed Bullwinkle, Underdog, and Roger Ramjet in addition to the Hanna-Barbera classics along with Popeye. Today, forget it.

friendsfan77 · 03-21-2007, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by storrs19

Then there is GSN which was great when it started but now sucks so bad I can't even fathom what it has become.

I'll agree with you that GSN during most of 2004 and 2005 was intolerable (I just about quit watching for almost a year), but I disagree about GSN sucking today. This is one of the few networks that I've seen gone through some sort of change, then almost completely revert back to what they're known for. It look them just over a year to put older shows back on in the mornings and most of the day. IMO, they've done a near 180 since 3/15/04. Can't say the same for N@N and USA. I really for the most part just have minor nitpicks about GSN now. Though they do occassionally do things that get on my nerves, unlike TVLand, I'm not overly dissatisfied with what I see now.

Quote:

A&E sucks so bad now it is sad. They used to be a great network 15 to 20 years ago. And what is up with The Bigraphy Channel? Murder She Wrote, Poriot, Midsomer Murders, and Sherlock Holmes are NOT biogrpahies.

LOL, are you kidding me? Now I'm glad I don't have the Biography channel.

Out of any two channels that have done changing, to me, USA, TVLand, and Nick at Nite are the worst offenders.

Not that I hate SoapNet, but I wouldn't mind seeing a couple more older soaps be added sometime.

Chain Gang Member · 03-21-2007, 03:13 PM

Nickelodeon.I haven't watched in a couple years but I've seen the names of these shows are stupid.They aren't like they were when I was a kid.The last time I watched All That,it wasn't as good as it was when I first watched it

noveel · 03-21-2007, 07:53 PM

Nick@Nite wouldn't be as bad if they would just cut down on the overplaying and more variety, even a few years ago they would just put the high rated shows in prime time and the lower rated shows after midnight. They don't even air anything in order. It seems like they are just floating until they get another big hit they can overplay like Family Matters or Home Improvement

kambreesuncle · 03-21-2007, 08:28 PM

N@N, USA, TV Land, Nickelodeon and TBS are the huge offenders. When I first got cable in '89, I was blown away. Lots of good stuff to enjoy and not one POS to spoil it. Today, It's overplay and overkill.

Adamantium · 03-21-2007, 08:31 PM

Don't forget AMC. They used to show old classic films from the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, uncut and without commercials. Now they show a lot of modern movies from the 80s and 90s, with commercial breaks during the movies.

I remember for a while "NewsRadio" was on the Biography channel. I love that show (in fact, it's my favorite) but it doesn't belong on the Biography Channel.

We need channels that know what they are and not insist on showing programming that doesn't fit their channel. Like VH-1 doesn't show music videos anymore. They have followed in MTV's footsteps and just pretty much show reality programming all day.

clj2 · 03-21-2007, 08:56 PM

Don't leave TNN out. Now, I realize it's undergone quite a few changes (The Nashville Network, to The National Network, to Spike), but back in 2000? or so I remember Newhart, WKRP, The Waltons, Facts of Life, Diff'rent Strokes, etc. I don't even know WHAT they show now, but last I checked it was boring and lots of repeats.

Hallmark started with shows like ALF, My Three Sons, Bewitched, Jeannie, Facts of Life, Hart to Hart, Happy Days, etc. Now it's endless reruns of M*A*S*H, Little House, Walker Texas Ranger, and their original movies.

Don't get me started on Nick@Nite and TV Land, they're the biggest disappointments (especially TV Land).

friendsfan77 · 03-21-2007, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adamantium

We need channels that know what they are and not insist on showing programming that doesn't fit their channel. Like VH-1 doesn't show music videos anymore. They have followed in MTV's footsteps and just pretty much show reality programming all day.

You tell it, Adam!

I noticed this about VH-1 too. They weren't as bad as MTV, but they were still shying away from music videos. They would air their countdown specials a lot. Now I flip past them over 90% of the time and they air the same mix of I Love New York, Surreal Life, and White Rapper Show over and over.

BensonFan · 03-21-2007, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV Land Fan

Don't get me started on Nick@Nite and TV Land, they're the biggest disappointments (especially TV Land).

Are you contemplating a name change?

storrs19 · 03-22-2007, 05:37 PM

Thanks for reminding me of AMC, TNN, Cartoon Network and MTV. I haven't watched them in so long I forgot they still exist

But I remember when they were great. Heck I had so much to watch and so little time back then. Now that saying is reversed.

As for Biography Channel, yes it is true they show less and less biographies and more and more shows like I mentioned. Soon it will be another A&E (which already owns it). Also, VH1 Classic (which was 24-7 videos with no commercials when I got it 2001) is now playing many shows and less videos and of course has added commercials.

I wouldn't care if they have 100 channels showing the same old stuff, just let me have one little channel for my shows.

kambreesuncle · 03-22-2007, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by friendsfan77

You tell it, Adam!

I noticed this about VH-1 too. They weren't as bad as MTV, but they were still shying away from music videos. They would air their countdown specials a lot. Now I flip past them over 90% of the time and they air the same mix of I Love New York, Surreal Life, and White Rapper Show over and over.

I haven't seen VH-1 since October 2000. It's a damn shame that it's following in its sister channel's footsteps of TV for "People willing to shed their pride and crush their dignities".

Also, TNT is a majo offender. They had The Muppet Show, Bugs Bunny, The Pink Panther, and countless classic movies airing most of the day. As they're programming grew with NBA Basketball, NFL Football, and lots of current crime dramas. It definetly lost its charm. That whole "We Know Drama" crap is for the birds.

BensonFan · 03-22-2007, 08:34 PM

I remember when MTV used to be just that: Music Television. And they showed music videos around the clock (early 80s). I loved that channel back then and probably spent too much of my time watching it.

It's a real shame what has happened to TV in general these past couple of decades.

Eric Paddon · 03-22-2007, 08:51 PM

I haven't seen GSN in a couple years but I can guarantee this. They will NEVER be all the way back to their 1994-97 glory days when the GSN schedule was 24 hours of nothing but classics with no duplicated programs over the course of the day. You could tape it non-stop for weeks on-end and still end up with totally different vintage programming.

You can also add ESPN Classic, formerly Classic Sports Network which has ceased to be an outlet for showing vintage telecasts of great sports events and is now showing garbage on an almost constant basis punctuated only by a few good documentaries, but the days of looking to this channel to find a great old sports broadcast brought out of the vault are gone forever.

I have reached a point where cable only serves a purpose for me for news and current sports. For watching vintage TV my DVD collection, official and (ahem) unofficial sets more than satisfies my basic needs and I feel like I'm programming my own channel schedule that way.

03-21-2007, 12:24 PM	#1
storrs19 B&W TV Lover Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 07, 2003 Location: Louisville, Kentucky Posts: 742	The decline and fall of good tv channels Remember when Nick-At-Nite and TVLand showed great (pre-1980) tv shows? Or when Comedy Central showed things like "The Jack Benny Program" and "You Bet Your Life" with Groucho Marx? How about when USA had good shows on? Also you could see things like "One Day At A Time" and "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" on E! Odessey (now Hallmark) showed things like My Three Sons, I Dream Of Jeannie, Partridge Family, and later Hawaii Five-O. Then there is GSN which was great when it started but now sucks so bad I can't even fathom what it has become. What is the deal here? Seems every channel that starts out showing great stuff winds up going down the toilet and showing modern garbage or running the same few classics in the ground. I won't go into torrid details here as those who agree with me will know what I mean. Hell, the only TV I watch anymore is stuff posted on YouTube. The only cable channels I watch are Turner Classic Movies, Fox Movie Channel, and the Discovery and History Channels. A&E sucks so bad now it is sad. They used to be a great network 15 to 20 years ago. And what is up with The Bigraphy Channel? Murder She Wrote, Poriot, Midsomer Murders, and Sherlock Holmes are NOT biogrpahies. Well, I have ranted and raved now and will get off my soap box, I was just wondering if anyone knows why tv channels think that no one over 30 years old watches tv anymore.
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03-21-2007, 12:44 PM	#2
santaburger BooBooKitty :) Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 16, 2007 Posts: 138	SOOOO true. N@N and TVLand are the worst offenders, IMO. MTV as well, but in a different sort of way, since that was never really "classic tv." The Disney channel and Nickelodeon come to mind as well (I miss the days of 90's era nick shows, and Disney Channel original movies...). Maybe it's just because I'm a nostalgic sort of person, but even objectively speaking all these networks have gone soo downhill it isn't even funny. I misssss you, Nick at Nite ("the-place-for-tv-hits," as said in that cute, melodic way..)
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03-21-2007, 02:28 PM	#3
KurtfromPitts Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 10, 2006 Location: Carnegie PA Posts: 1,536	The decline and fall of good TV channels Throw Cartoon Network in there too. Once, they ruled, especially when they showed Bullwinkle, Underdog, and Roger Ramjet in addition to the Hanna-Barbera classics along with Popeye. Today, forget it.

03-21-2007, 03:13 PM	#5
Chain Gang Member 1st Female Triple Crown Champ Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Watching Three's Company & Wrestling Posts: 8,927	Nickelodeon.I haven't watched in a couple years but I've seen the names of these shows are stupid.They aren't like they were when I was a kid.The last time I watched All That,it wasn't as good as it was when I first watched it
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03-21-2007, 08:56 PM	#9
clj2 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 16, 2005 Location: SC Posts: 3,501	Don't leave TNN out. Now, I realize it's undergone quite a few changes (The Nashville Network, to The National Network, to Spike), but back in 2000? or so I remember Newhart, WKRP, The Waltons, Facts of Life, Diff'rent Strokes, etc. I don't even know WHAT they show now, but last I checked it was boring and lots of repeats. Hallmark started with shows like ALF, My Three Sons, Bewitched, Jeannie, Facts of Life, Hart to Hart, Happy Days, etc. Now it's endless reruns of MAS*H, Little House, Walker Texas Ranger, and their original movies. Don't get me started on Nick@Nite and TV Land, they're the biggest disappointments (especially TV Land).
	__________________ -Chris

03-21-2007, 07:53 PM	#6
noveel Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 13, 2005 Posts: 534	Nick@Nite wouldn't be as bad if they would just cut down on the overplaying and more variety, even a few years ago they would just put the high rated shows in prime time and the lower rated shows after midnight. They don't even air anything in order. It seems like they are just floating until they get another big hit they can overplay like Family Matters or Home Improvement

03-21-2007, 08:28 PM	#7
kambreesuncle Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 10, 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 62	N@N, USA, TV Land, Nickelodeon and TBS are the huge offenders. When I first got cable in '89, I was blown away. Lots of good stuff to enjoy and not one POS to spoil it. Today, It's overplay and overkill.

03-21-2007, 08:31 PM	#8
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,839	Don't forget AMC. They used to show old classic films from the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, uncut and without commercials. Now they show a lot of modern movies from the 80s and 90s, with commercial breaks during the movies. I remember for a while "NewsRadio" was on the Biography channel. I love that show (in fact, it's my favorite) but it doesn't belong on the Biography Channel. We need channels that know what they are and not insist on showing programming that doesn't fit their channel. Like VH-1 doesn't show music videos anymore. They have followed in MTV's footsteps and just pretty much show reality programming all day.

03-22-2007, 05:37 PM	#12
storrs19 B&W TV Lover Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 07, 2003 Location: Louisville, Kentucky Posts: 742	Thanks for reminding me of AMC, TNN, Cartoon Network and MTV. I haven't watched them in so long I forgot they still exist But I remember when they were great. Heck I had so much to watch and so little time back then. Now that saying is reversed. As for Biography Channel, yes it is true they show less and less biographies and more and more shows like I mentioned. Soon it will be another A&E (which already owns it). Also, VH1 Classic (which was 24-7 videos with no commercials when I got it 2001) is now playing many shows and less videos and of course has added commercials. I wouldn't care if they have 100 channels showing the same old stuff, just let me have one little channel for my shows.

03-22-2007, 08:34 PM	#14
BensonFan Board Psychologist Senior Member Join Date: Mar 16, 2004 Location: Chicago, IL USA Posts: 2,733	I remember when MTV used to be just that: Music Television. And they showed music videos around the clock (early 80s). I loved that channel back then and probably spent too much of my time watching it. It's a real shame what has happened to TV in general these past couple of decades.

03-22-2007, 08:51 PM	#15
Eric Paddon Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 22, 2006 Posts: 164	I haven't seen GSN in a couple years but I can guarantee this. They will NEVER be all the way back to their 1994-97 glory days when the GSN schedule was 24 hours of nothing but classics with no duplicated programs over the course of the day. You could tape it non-stop for weeks on-end and still end up with totally different vintage programming. You can also add ESPN Classic, formerly Classic Sports Network which has ceased to be an outlet for showing vintage telecasts of great sports events and is now showing garbage on an almost constant basis punctuated only by a few good documentaries, but the days of looking to this channel to find a great old sports broadcast brought out of the vault are gone forever. I have reached a point where cable only serves a purpose for me for news and current sports. For watching vintage TV my DVD collection, official and (ahem) unofficial sets more than satisfies my basic needs and I feel like I'm programming my own channel schedule that way.