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General Category => Off the Record => Topic started by: Martinus on April 28, 2009, 01:51:29 PM

Title: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: Martinus on April 28, 2009, 01:51:29 PM
Recently I have come upon this little gem from 1970s:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3VbSfQ3nAM

The very audacity of this just made me giggle. Could a song like this happen on today's mainstream tv? And the fact that it's Bea Arthur and Rock Hudson just makes it dreamy.  :cool:
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: Neil on April 28, 2009, 01:54:16 PM
Maybe.  Then again, I'm not sure that it's conservatism so much as it is the War on Drugs.
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: saskganesh on April 28, 2009, 02:40:33 PM
they don't do those kind've variety shows mostly. sometimes you'd get similar stuff on shows like SNL, Mad TV and other late night ensemble shows.

dramatically, some of the edgier drug stuff now goes to cable HBO (Sopranos), Showtime (Weeds) .

on networks, its PG. for example, every episode of "That 70's Show" had pot smoking...you just never saw it explicitly. but the camera spun and the characters went nonlinear. of course, there's also the famous Murphy Brown medical marijuana episode where she toked.

none of the above have homosexual icons, so I guess it doesn't meet Marty's definition. thus the real question is: "why has gay culture gotten more conservative over the last decade?"
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: Ed Anger on April 28, 2009, 02:44:19 PM
Quotethey don't do those kind've variety shows mostly.

Thank god.
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: saskganesh on April 28, 2009, 03:05:39 PM
Quote from: Ed Anger on April 28, 2009, 02:44:19 PM
Quotethey don't do those kind've variety shows mostly.

Thank god.

weirdly, the Simpsons is directly influenced by them. tons of guest stars; short, often connected skits; frequent musical numbers and numerous costume changes.
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: frunk on April 28, 2009, 03:11:57 PM
Family Guy and South Park also frequently break out in song.
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: DontSayBanana on April 28, 2009, 03:17:12 PM
Quote from: frunk on April 28, 2009, 03:11:57 PM
Family Guy and South Park also frequently break out in song.
Seth MacFarlane is more directly influenced by Broadway with some occasional Vaudeville thrown in.
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: saskganesh on April 28, 2009, 03:17:37 PM
all influenced by the Simpsons of course.

classic primetime cartoons, like the Flintstones, would have the "Way Outs" or something, but not as a regular element.
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: katmai on April 28, 2009, 04:49:24 PM
What kind of dumbass question is this, oh it's from Marcin, nvm.
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: saskganesh on April 28, 2009, 05:21:04 PM
Quote from: katmai on April 28, 2009, 04:49:24 PM
What kind of dumbass question is this, oh it's from Marcin, nvm.

so do you think "Gay culture has gotten more conservative over the last decade?"
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: katmai on April 28, 2009, 05:26:00 PM
Quote from: saskganesh on April 28, 2009, 05:21:04 PM
Quote from: katmai on April 28, 2009, 04:49:24 PM
What kind of dumbass question is this, oh it's from Marcin, nvm.

so do you think "Gay culture has gotten more conservative over the last decade?"

No, and neither has Mainstream tv.
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: Sheilbh on April 28, 2009, 05:53:12 PM
Quote from: saskganesh on April 28, 2009, 02:40:33 PM
they don't do those kind've variety shows mostly. sometimes you'd get similar stuff on shows like SNL, Mad TV and other late night ensemble shows.
More's the pity:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFgdhZGLJrY

Quotenone of the above have homosexual icons, so I guess it doesn't meet Marty's definition. thus the real question is: "why has gay culture gotten more conservative over the last decade?"
Gone mainstream.  We want to settle down, get married and (GOD FORBID!) move to suburbia :bleeding:

This moment can be placed precisely if you find out when gays increased rather than decreased an area's property prices.
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: KRonn on April 28, 2009, 07:05:11 PM
TV hasn't gone nearly conservative enough! I've heard cuss words in some movies!!   :cool: 
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: Queequeg on April 28, 2009, 07:08:13 PM
Breaking Bad couldn't have been on HBO a decade ago.   :huh:
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: katmai on April 28, 2009, 07:26:25 PM
Quote from: Queequeg on April 28, 2009, 07:08:13 PM
Breaking Bad couldn't have been on HBO a decade ago.   :huh:

Yes it could have, you moronic chimp.
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: Queequeg on April 28, 2009, 07:36:06 PM
Quote from: katmai on April 28, 2009, 07:26:25 PM
Quote from: Queequeg on April 28, 2009, 07:08:13 PM
Breaking Bad couldn't have been on HBO a decade ago.   :huh:

Yes it could have, you moronic chimp.
Hmm.

A decade and a half ago?  I'd say it is as dark as The Sopranos or Oz.  Still, it's pretty impressive that we've seen the birth of 'adult' television drama on with Oz and is now spreading into regular cable (Mad Men, Breaking Bad) and arguably into mainstream television (Lost has been getting steadily more violent, the new LA show).
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: Chord on April 28, 2009, 08:00:03 PM
Quote from: Queequeg on April 28, 2009, 07:08:13 PM
Breaking Bad couldn't have been on HBO a decade ago.   :huh:
Why would say that? 
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: Sheilbh on April 29, 2009, 02:24:00 AM
Quote from: Queequeg on April 28, 2009, 07:36:06 PM
A decade and a half ago?  I'd say it is as dark as The Sopranos or Oz.  Still, it's pretty impressive that we've seen the birth of 'adult' television drama on with Oz and is now spreading into regular cable (Mad Men, Breaking Bad) and arguably into mainstream television (Lost has been getting steadily more violent, the new LA show).
I think it's because TV is now the place ambitious young writers and directors want to do their thing.  It's been shown since the nineties how good it could be. 
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: Sophie Scholl on April 29, 2009, 02:34:28 AM
Does no one remember NYPD Blue?  That was rather "adult" in nature, both in regards to nudity and language.  It created quite a stir and was on one of the Big 3.  Television hasn't gotten more conservative, if anything it has gotten more open.
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: Caliga on April 29, 2009, 07:19:32 AM
Quote from: Queequeg on April 28, 2009, 07:08:13 PM
Breaking Bad couldn't have been on HBO a decade ago.   :huh:

Dude, you were like five a decade ago.. how would you know? :P
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: Queequeg on April 29, 2009, 11:22:31 AM
Quote from: Caliga on April 29, 2009, 07:19:32 AM
Quote from: Queequeg on April 28, 2009, 07:08:13 PM
Breaking Bad couldn't have been on HBO a decade ago.   :huh:

Dude, you were like five a decade ago.. how would you know? :P
Some of my earliest memories are watching Law and Order, Homicide and The Simpsons.  I remember television as well as anything.
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: garbon on April 29, 2009, 11:30:21 AM
Quote from: katmai on April 28, 2009, 05:26:00 PM
No, and neither has Mainstream tv.

Gay culture certainly has.
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: KRonn on April 29, 2009, 12:01:09 PM
Quote from: Sheilbh on April 29, 2009, 02:24:00 AM
Quote from: Queequeg on April 28, 2009, 07:36:06 PM
A decade and a half ago?  I'd say it is as dark as The Sopranos or Oz.  Still, it's pretty impressive that we've seen the birth of 'adult' television drama on with Oz and is now spreading into regular cable (Mad Men, Breaking Bad) and arguably into mainstream television (Lost has been getting steadily more violent, the new LA show).
I think it's because TV is now the place ambitious young writers and directors want to do their thing.  It's been shown since the nineties how good it could be.
I remember NYPD Blue. I wasn't an avid watcher of the show, but it was a popular, good show.
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: Eddie Teach on April 29, 2009, 09:52:34 PM
Cool thread, you got a couple people to delurk to tell you you're wrong.  :lol:
Title: Re: Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?
Post by: Admiral Yi on April 30, 2009, 12:21:09 AM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on April 29, 2009, 09:52:34 PM
Cool thread, you got a couple people to delurk to tell you you're wrong.  :lol:
:D