As a writer, I like looking at almost any form of storytelling. I love reading and watching movies, as both mediums provide me with the opportunity to exercise my imagination, and be compelled by quality plot lines and characters. When I was growing up (I'm 18 so my childhood was during the late 90s and early 2000s), the majority of T.V. shows I watched also served the same purposes. From Justice League to Batman to Spider-Man, the comic book animated series' at this time were great examples of good television. With spectacular animation, solid writing, and great voice talents, these shows captivated viewers as much as a good movie. And it wasn't at all limited to this genre. Sitcoms from the 80s and 90s provided wholesome family entertainment, and the wide range of characters allowed audiences to connect with them in one way or another. Both cartoons and live action shows at this time demonstrated originality and creativity.
Today, it seems as though all you can find is a long list of bogus reality shows and low quality fictional series'. Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, and Cartoon Network used to contain great shows that invoked the imaginative spirit of children. I know from what my eleven year old cousin watches whenever he hangs out, that all three channels have gone down the drain. It points to the underlying problem with television and film today: people are running out of ideas.
Our culture spends way too much time watching T.V. Beyond this, there's so much pure garbage within this medium that younger generations just aren't being exposed to quality storytelling. Hence, kids today are being deprived of the opportunity to really use their imaginations. Reality T.V. continues to turn me off more and more because it just goes to show you producers can't come up with anything better. I can think of four singing shows right off the bat-"American Idol", "America's Got Talent", "Britain's Got Talent", and "The Voice". Wow, real original. Then, there are those stupid fashion shows-"Say Yes to the Dress" and "What Not to Wear". Can you get any more pathetic? A show about picking out wedding dresses and all the bogus drama from Bridezillas that accompanies it. And don't even get me started on that "Toddlers and Tiaras" garbage.
The sad thing is, it's only getting worse. If T.V. producers and screenwriters had the same mentalities as those of let's say, the guys at Pixar, we might see some more quality and family oriented shows come about. When you do things like adapt comic book characters into T.V. shows and films, you open up a lot of doors for solid, compelling plot lines. If networks would just utilize the resources they have available to them, I think this medium could move in a more artistic direction.
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