Why is it supposed to be some type of a negative thing if a tv show is 'dated'? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

LUNCH · 09-05-2011, 12:39 PM

Often you hear comments like certain older television shows are to old or dated.Even if a show is 'dated' is that supposed to make some good older tv shows not worth watching?Or not be widely shown on television stations anymore?I think it's rediculous.First of all alot of older shows are timeless because they are SO much better.Plus even if a good show is dated,what is so bad about that? Sometimes that even makes a show even more fun to watch.Again it is absurd.

mswood · 09-05-2011, 01:04 PM

Well usually when I hear someone refer to a show has being dated it's because it's material isn't timeless.

I rarely hear someone use this terms to describe what I consider some timeless classics.

Now of course older doesn't equal good. Like all creative mediums most things aren't very good.

Take film and 1939 is considered one of finest years for films. Well yes and no, what people don't consider is that while that had a really good selection of films that are timeless in quality. But what they don't remember is that there was hundreds upon hundreds of utterly average and worse films released that same year. And this happens with books, music, art, photography, film and television.

With cable and stripping showing a lot of older material over the last three decades some of those aren't timeless classic, they don't produce material that goes beyond that time, just like majority of today's material across all creative aspects doesn't.

Others are, be it from being a trailblazers and showing hints at what the medium could do, or because of actual material created. Shows that aren't nostalgia viewing, but are actually able to entertain generation after generation. Those aren't dated, even if they absolutely have elements to them that are dated, but are timeless. Few shows manage to do that.

mswood · 09-05-2011, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUNCH

Also as one other poster mentioned in another thread, alot of young people(not all of course) today ONLY know how to do 2 things, text message and watch 'reality' junk.They know zero,nothing about quality television.So their views should not influence what people who like watching high quality,good televison want to view.PS:No offense to anyone under a certain age.

Okay that's terribly offensive. Each generation has good shows, and crap material that people across all age groups watch, that has never changed.

Mr. Television · 09-05-2011, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUNCH

Often you hear comments like certain older television shows are to old or dated.Even if a show is 'dated' is that supposed to make some good older tv shows not worth watching?Or not be widely shown on television stations anymore?I think it's rediculous.First of all alot of older shows are timeless because they are SO much better.Plus even if a good show is dated,what is so bad about that? Sometimes that even makes a show even more fun to watch.Again it is absurd.

I have no idea. I love dated shows. They take you back to a time in history. If a show is good then it is good. I agree that there is more crap on tv today then ever before. The networks just try to lower the bar and it gets lower every year. How else do you explain the popularity of Jersey Shore?

TVFactFan · 09-05-2011, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUNCH

Often you hear comments like certain older television shows are to old or dated.Even if a show is 'dated' is that supposed to make some good older tv shows not worth watching?Or not be widely shown on television stations anymore?I think it's rediculous.First of all alot of older shows are timeless because they are SO much better.Plus even if a good show is dated,what is so bad about that? Sometimes that even makes a show even more fun to watch.Again it is absurd.

It's because it's not relevant to what's going on today especially if it makes a lot of references to the time period the show was on the air.

Silly Lily · 09-05-2011, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

It's because it's not relevant to what's going on today especially if it makes a lot of references to the time period the show was on the air.

I think that makes them more fun to watch. I was born in the early 80s and I like to watch shows from that decade to see things I lived through but don't necessarily remember clearly. Don't get me wrong, I watch today's current stuff more than anything, but I don't wrinkle my nose up over "old" things.

TVFactFan · 09-05-2011, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silly Lily

I think that makes them more fun to watch. I was born in the early 80s and I like to watch shows from that decade to see things I lived through but don't necessarily remember clearly. Don't get me wrong, I watch today's current stuff more than anything, but I don't wrinkle my nose up over "old" things.

I like old shows too but with Good Times and All in the Family I didn't understand a lot of the jokes because I wasn't around at the time.

SpenceOlchin · 09-05-2011, 08:53 PM

Shows like All in the Family still seem relevant today, especially with the economy being in the toilet and the wars dragging on.

Nyan · 09-05-2011, 09:16 PM

^Waltons as well. It's heavily inspired by literature of the era like Grapes of Wrath. I used to write it off as a corny faith-based family show until I started watching it closer more recently and some episodes are downright dark.

I dislike the apathy to older sitcoms by people in the 25 and under bracket, unless it's cinematic and mirrors an independent movie, it isn't funny to people my age. All comedic television has to be like Little Miss Sunshine, Napoleon Dynamite and Juno to be appealing to people now. As I've got older I've come to appreciate the theatricality of sitcoms and the audience reactions to different actors' performances in episodes. I know sitcoms have become cheaper over the past 10 years and some shows do indeed used canned tracks but I absolutely love the format and I loathe when people outright dismiss it because they claim the audience reactions are condescending to the viewer and telling them when to laugh. Take a theatre class, go to a few Broadway or Off-Broadway shows and come back and tell me the same thing after, I think you'll have a change of heart.

09-05-2011, 12:39 PM	#1
LUNCH Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2010 Location: New York State Posts: 1,304	Why is it supposed to be some type of a negative thing if a tv show is 'dated'? Often you hear comments like certain older television shows are to old or dated.Even if a show is 'dated' is that supposed to make some good older tv shows not worth watching?Or not be widely shown on television stations anymore?I think it's rediculous.First of all alot of older shows are timeless because they are SO much better.Plus even if a good show is dated,what is so bad about that? Sometimes that even makes a show even more fun to watch.Again it is absurd.
	Last edited by LUNCH; 09-05-2011 at 12:55 PM.

09-05-2011, 01:04 PM	#2
mswood Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 02, 2008 Location: Califoria Posts: 32	Well usually when I hear someone refer to a show has being dated it's because it's material isn't timeless. I rarely hear someone use this terms to describe what I consider some timeless classics. Now of course older doesn't equal good. Like all creative mediums most things aren't very good. Take film and 1939 is considered one of finest years for films. Well yes and no, what people don't consider is that while that had a really good selection of films that are timeless in quality. But what they don't remember is that there was hundreds upon hundreds of utterly average and worse films released that same year. And this happens with books, music, art, photography, film and television. With cable and stripping showing a lot of older material over the last three decades some of those aren't timeless classic, they don't produce material that goes beyond that time, just like majority of today's material across all creative aspects doesn't. Others are, be it from being a trailblazers and showing hints at what the medium could do, or because of actual material created. Shows that aren't nostalgia viewing, but are actually able to entertain generation after generation. Those aren't dated, even if they absolutely have elements to them that are dated, but are timeless. Few shows manage to do that.

09-05-2011, 08:53 PM	#8
SpenceOlchin Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 28, 2005 Posts: 562	Shows like All in the Family still seem relevant today, especially with the economy being in the toilet and the wars dragging on.

09-05-2011, 09:16 PM	#9
Nyan Be The Rainbow! Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 29, 2011 Location: Land of Pop Tarts Posts: 141	^Waltons as well. It's heavily inspired by literature of the era like Grapes of Wrath. I used to write it off as a corny faith-based family show until I started watching it closer more recently and some episodes are downright dark. I dislike the apathy to older sitcoms by people in the 25 and under bracket, unless it's cinematic and mirrors an independent movie, it isn't funny to people my age. All comedic television has to be like Little Miss Sunshine, Napoleon Dynamite and Juno to be appealing to people now. As I've got older I've come to appreciate the theatricality of sitcoms and the audience reactions to different actors' performances in episodes. I know sitcoms have become cheaper over the past 10 years and some shows do indeed used canned tracks but I absolutely love the format and I loathe when people outright dismiss it because they claim the audience reactions are condescending to the viewer and telling them when to laugh. Take a theatre class, go to a few Broadway or Off-Broadway shows and come back and tell me the same thing after, I think you'll have a change of heart.