The Lurker's Lair #31

[Yevic]

The history channel is for idiots who believe in conspiracy theories. Unfortunately, those "docu"dramas have spread all over the place. SyFy is getting too much rip off from X-file type shows too. I have enjoyed Amanda Tapping's Sanctuary series. The only reason we got direct TV was to watch the new Dr. Who shows. Matt Smith is ok, but no one will ever be able to match Tom Baker or David Tennant. (At least I don't think so).

What?

You don't believe that the great pyramid was a power plant and that all of the out laying obelisks were part of that power grid?

[Jheuloh]

Animal Planet also went stupid on us.

It's mostly comprised of boring reality shows related to dogs and cats (we already have those!) accompanied docu-"horrors" about animals attacking people (I don't need horror movies to teach me not to poke tigers with sticks, mm-k?), and internal parasites in humans (we get it already, parasites are bad for you. No need to make a horror movie about it!)

Edit: I saw on History Channel one the shows about early astronauts, and the pyramids. (Believing the astronauts made the pyramids, because the pyramids across the world couldn't have possibly been made by humans in the fashion they were made in, which makes me lol hard.)

Edited August 1, 2010 by Jheuloh

[Si-Shen]

I will have you know we get ALL of our power from the unique totem pole layout up here!

We even get some transmitted from Egypt via birds!

[vometia]

... the new Dr. Who shows. Matt Smith is ok, but no one will ever be able to match Tom Baker or David Tennant. (At least I don't think so).

I never saw any of the Matt Smith programmes, but I heard he was pretty good (much to everyone's surprise). I tend to view Baker and Tennant as being at opposite ends of the spectrum: like many others, Tom Baker was my favourite Doctor, whereas Tennant has the dubious accolade of accomplishing what even the Sylvester McCoy-era scripts failed to do and made me stop watching altogether. I rather liked him at first, but after about a series of watching, I just couldn't stand him any longer. That said, Davies' increasingly pantomime-like scripts probably contributed significantly to my eventual loss of patience.

[Ysne58]

I never saw any of the Matt Smith programmes, but I heard he was pretty good (much to everyone's surprise). I tend to view Baker and Tennant as being at opposite ends of the spectrum: like many others, Tom Baker was my favourite Doctor, whereas Tennant has the dubious accolade of accomplishing what even the Sylvester McCoy-era scripts failed to do and made me stop watching altogether. I rather liked him at first, but after about a series of watching, I just couldn't stand him any longer. That said, Davies' increasingly pantomime-like scripts probably contributed significantly to my eventual loss of patience.

Davies left at the same time Tennant did. All new actors and head writer.

[vometia]

Davies left at the same time Tennant did. All new actors and head writer.

Huzzah! Although Davies deserves credit for resurrecting the series where others failed, he was a terrible writer; or at least not really much good at writing in the style that the series needed, instead almost making it "Benny Hill in space" at times. Maybe they'll also dump the "walk on roles for minor celebs" with any luck, though that started way before Davies, being a bit of a hallmark of the McCoy years.

It's a shame Ecclestone left after just one series, I really liked him; though I think that was worse than it needed to be as one of the national rags (The Sun, I think) in their crusade to spoil everything couldn't resist announcing his impending departure after just one episode had been broadcast. They would've probably been much more enjoyable without that shadow needlessly looming over them.

[Si-Shen]

I am surprised all this Who talk has not brought out our Who

I personally have not watched ANY of the Dr. Who series that has recently comes out, I have caught an episode here or there but thats it, the last Dr. Who series I watched in truth was... well I don't actually know, I believe it was the last series before the resurrection.

K... On the desk pic side, although I can't post my entire PC desk, due to one thing oddly enough (will fix that), I can post a pic or 2 of a couple new statues I bought!! One of them just screams Geek!

[InsanitySorrow]

You do know we have a dedicated Dr Who thread right?

[jaggedbubbles]

My desk is a mess, and I won't show it!

I don't have cable - is that really what they show on Animal Planet, History Channel, etc? How totally lame. I suppose it get people tuning in though.

[Si-Shen]

Animal Planet isnt too bad, however History is bad, it went from about 90% WW2 things, which were annoying in itself, you would assume by watching those that 90% of the war was the US against Germany and Japan. They tended to forget about the much larger side of things, called the rest of the allies. Now its a mix of "Doomsday comith" crap and CSI NY... I am so sick of CSI.

[Jheuloh]

Animal Planet isnt too bad, however History is bad, it went from about 90% WW2 things, which were annoying in itself, you would assume by watching those that 90% of the war was the US against Germany and Japan. They tended to forget about the much larger side of things, called the rest of the allies. Now its a mix of "Doomsday comith" crap and CSI NY... I am so sick of CSI.

I never touched upon history channel, only thing I ever saw on there was indeed WWII stuff. >_< History Channel just simply went from bad to worse?

Edit: Where did the CSI craze come from, anyway?

Edited August 2, 2010 by Jheuloh

[vometia]

Edit: Where did the CSI craze come from, anyway?

I assume the same place was Walker Texas Ranger, a programme whose popularity I find equally inexplicable.

[Jheuloh]

I assume the same place was Walker Texas Ranger, a programme whose popularity I find equally inexplicable.

What's that crazy sounding show?

[vometia]

What's that crazy sounding show?

It was about a pottery maker who was on a lifelong quest to discover who stole his grandmother's favourite tankard. I think.

[jaggedbubbles]

It was a show to showcase how awesome Chuck Norris is.

As for CSI, I like them, but mostly for the one liners, and I'm a sucker for crime shows.

EDIT: Having a plethora of crime TV under my belt, CSI is so popular because it makes something intrinsically difficult to understand (forensic sciences/detective work) very easy for the average viewer to grasp (for instance, DNA analysis takes two seconds, discovering the identity of the killer from a patron's eye reflection on an ATM cam).

[_echo]

Fires back in 2007. This mountain is about a mile behind my house. Clear view from our backyard. It literally burnt over in about 2 minutes.

[Jheuloh]

Powerful forces of nature. How long did it take for it to be put out?

Edited August 3, 2010 by Jheuloh

[_echo]

over a week.

[Si-Shen]

Oooo pretty picture... fire... *starts to walk towards it*

On the crime shows, CSI was interesting at first, not only because of the break down, but because it was an angle that had been largely ignored since the days of Quincy (Great show btw). The first one has some pretty good character interaction as well, but as the spin off came, I began to dislike them, Miami holds a special place of hate with me, especially the main character (and the actor). My biggest issue is it feels like we are being flooded with CSI and crime shows in general and I loose interest.

I used to enjoy History and Discovery a lot more before they started hosting all the reality crap and only focused on small parts of WW2, but they have, for the most part, thrown history from WW1 and back, into the garbage, and frankly that is the most intersting stuff!

[Jheuloh]

The general consensus seems to be that reality shows currently rule the roost for some reason. They took over Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, History Channel, SciFi, etc.

It's like the reality-demon's comin' to get us.

[nottlong]

The reality demon may be great in number but they suffer of poor construction.

[vometia]

The general consensus seems to be that reality shows currently rule the roost for some reason. They took over Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, History Channel, SciFi, etc.

I think the "some reason" is because they're cheap. [/cynic]

[Ysne58]

Once in a blue moon there is actually something good on these shows. Both my kids are away at camp. The only time I turned the idiot box on, other than to watch SG1 episodes, has been when the weather sirens have gone off.

[Critterman]

I gave up on TV a while ago too many commercials and too little actual shows. I get pumped with enough advertisement as it is thank you.

When I actually do decide to try to watch TV again the Science Channel is the only thing I like watching. Some of the shows on there really blow my mind, the commercial break gives me time to think over it

[vometia]

About the only programmes I watch on terrestrial TV are Later with Jools Holland and Top Gear; and even the latter is now a bit questionable after Tom Cruise's obviously fixed lap time. Yeah, I know it's not supposed to be serious--that's why I watch it. But that's also why Cruise spoilt it. (I wonder what his real lap time was...?)

Satellite TV is even worse, though. The programmes are worse, the amount of advertising is worse, and it's very expensive. Still, my partner seems to like it, but if it were just down to me, I probably wouldn't even bother with a telly.