I have fond memories of Must See TV. Once upon a time, those dark, long-ago days of 1995, it was still cooking for me. E.R. capped the night in its first breathtaking season, and started my TV taste-waning from the Half Hour comedies of my youth to the Hour Dramas I mostly watch today.
Before 1995, Must See was all about the Half Hours. Cheers and Frasier (when it started.) Even back to Family Ties. I can't remember why I liked Family Ties now. God, I hope it wasn't for Skippy.
The late 90's strain of Must See already had cracks in it -- Sure, there was Friends and Seinfeld, but there was also that steady stream of horrible pretenders sandwiched at 8:30 and 9:30 ET -- I mean, did anyone ever watch more than one episode of The Single Guy? I didn't. And I was a) a single guy and b) kind of hot for Ming Na. No sale. Don't even get me started on Veronica's Closet or Suddenly Susan or...gee.....um...I'm starting to black out now.
I wonder in this day and age, now that pandora's box has been opened and downloading shows is becoming Itunes-ized, if that whole idea of 'appointment viewing' and 'must see' is going to go away -- replaced by the 'must see when I want.'
I think that serial dramas like LOST or 24 are the only ones with that "must see" cachet, today. If there are water cooler shows (or indeed, water coolers) in offices now, I'm not sure that Will & Grace or even My Name is Earl are the shows they're likely to be talking about.
I'm old enough to remember when "keeping your audience for the night" was an organic thing...made easier by the fact that if you wanted to change channels, someone (usually me, or one of my sisters) would have to go up and physically change the channel on the (black & white: yeah, I know. Shutup) TV.
But in the end, I wish NBC well -- more for nostalgia's sake than for the merits of the shows. I've always appreciated Will & Grace more than I really loved it. I'm a fan of Earl and especially The Office -- but I certainly won't be letting Must See-giddiness carry me into the moribund E.R. Even Linda Cardellini couldn't get me to do that.
Allesandra Stanley in the New York Times today has a cautious review of new show Four Kings, (pictured above) that makes it sound likable enough. (Although I'm still gun shy, considering the free ride that How I Met Your Mother seems to be getting.)
Then again, as my friend Rob says, there are people out there taping According to Jim.
Anyway, I'll be watching. Will you? If you do, let me know what you think: must see? Or just musty?
2 comments:
Hey, I'm writing a spec of "How I Met your Mother" :(
Actualy, while I conditionaly 'like' the show what I'm really excited about is the show it could be. Not a smarmy friends rip off but a sit-com-y "Garden State". A little less meloncoly, a lot more funny, and different than what your used to seeing.
If you ever wonder why they hired the actor who plays Ted(and I have) watch him do a puppy dog face when life kicks him in the nuts. He's got one of the best "aren't I sad" looks around. If he could get his comic perspective down as well that show might actualy gel and become something pretty good.
And if they hired me as a writer, they need that too.
Well, the twelfth series of ER started tonight in the UK (we're too self conscious to say 'premiered'). I'm watching the early series on DVD, up to season 3 now, and they do indeed rock. The later seasons have naturally dipped but it's still a cracking show for me. It's always maintained a standard, never once dipping below or getting near 'oh my god, total shite'.
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