The Game Show Forum > Game Show Channels & Networks
GSN, R.I.P.?
Dan Sadro:
[quote name=\'TheInquisitiveOne\' date=\'Jul 8 2003, 10:38 PM\'] The latest offerings of Cram, Naturally Stoned, and Funny Money also show me that they are not sure as to what audience they want to get, whether it is the comedy club hoppers, insomniacs, or the latest breed of Spike TV and E! viewers. [/quote]
I'm not really going to comment on the rest of the post as I'm not going to post a counterpoint for the sole purpose of playing devil's advocate, this is something that I want to address.
The normal audience for a game show is middle-aged women. Especially traditional game shows, which is something I could expand and theorize on if I wanted to be burned at the stake. Cram and NLFM are two shows that are trying to expand that demographic without losing it... Cram especially can appeal to people of all ages, and NLFM can have appeal to the twentysomethings without being appalling to the thirtysomethings. Those two shows are inoffensive fare which is out of the bounds of the traditional game show, yet don't clash with the boundaries of a traditional game show.
And Naturally Stoned just satisfies the public's curiosity in a similar way to The Osbournes, although I think NS would be much more interesting if there was a Ozzy Woolery :^)
JMFabiano:
[quote name=\'TheInquisitiveOne\' date=\'Jul 8 2003, 10:38 PM\'] Well, since the fire has already started, I guess I will add fuel to it.
What our friend here is saying is spot on...all the way to the whole WWE argument. More about that later. Rather than break from the trend of today's insidious programming, GSN (as they are now called) wants to become PART OF IT.
I am not saying that the channel should be an all-classic channel. Of the originals that they show, Lingo and Russian Roulette are my favorites. I will stick to my reasoning that I am far from anti-original. However, one thing that bothers me is that these shows are aired ad nauseum to the point where the novelty wears off QUICKLY. The latest offerings of Cram, Naturally Stoned, and Funny Money also show me that they are not sure as to what audience they want to get, whether it is the comedy club hoppers, insomniacs, or the latest breed of Spike TV and E! viewers.
This is EXACTLY what has happened to Moron Television (MTV), Vehicular Homicide One (VH-1), and the Pseudo-Cartoon Newtork (Nickelodeon). Rather than serve the purpose that the channel implies, they are throwing crap at the wall and seeing what sticks. Sure, they have their money and their audience of nearly mindless drones who are suckers for anything, but the quality of programming is being sacrificed, and those who actually watch television for meaning suffer.
The "recent rerun acquisition" method is pretty tiresome, as well. It is hard to give a static schedule to shows that lasted less than a year and were aired on and after 1999. The "major announcement" about gaining 21 was more of a "minor disappointment" than anything. Also, the future airings of G4 related programming show me that GSN is running off in a tangent, much like many other cable networks. Much like the channels that I have mentioned above, GSN used to be a channel that you could never pull me away from. Now, I have to find my pleasure elsewhere. It is sad when I have more fun TAPE TRADING than watching GSN.
I am sure that there is hope for GSN and am not as quick for placing the tombstone on this young network. I just say that it should do what works; the documentary of the Michael Larsen incident was a kick-ass effort, despite its cheesy moments. Documentary type formats are good for GSN; it is innovative, yet it does not stray from its purpose. All the small things will help to make this a big network. Hell, they may do something to commemorate their 10th anniversary, which is very soon!
My point is, GSN should let the audience starve for it, and not the other way around. Mix things up, and let variety be the spice of life.
The Inquisitive One [/quote]
Thanks for the feedback, TI1. So you understand my comment about the WWE, huh? Can I assume you're another who is tired of being made to worship at the altar of Triple H? ;-)
Yeah I agree that the originals we do have contain some watchable programs, which is more than we can say for certain past \"efforts\" that shall not be named. Besides the one you name, Whammy is all right once you've gotten over that this is PYL without network backing. My problem, I guess, is with the affixation on more suspect choices of programs and acquisitions. The video game programming, as far as I've heard, has nothing to do with game shows (a doc on the history of VGs may be cool, though, I admit). I am reminded of my problem with the old Game TV, which sometimes seemed to be about GS once or twice a week (they'd have a guest sometimes, and then there was Friday with Fred Wostbrook). And getting recent, short lived series just comes off as looking cheap and lazy. Besides, why would I care about programs that I saw not too long ago and wasn't overly impressed with, and/or lack that element of \"pleasant memories\"? Yeah, I know I defend Adult Swim on CN, but somehow shows like Futurama and Family Guy fit in more naturally. I don't know why. Plus they're pretty good too ;-)
Now, if you're on the GSN boards, you may be familiar with two characters whose initials are JC and BC1234/5/5555. I am in no way the \"extremists\" they are, but sometimes I wonder a bit whether we really had it that bad under Fleming? I know he was going the same direction and probably even WORSE, but the schedule of classics seemed less inhibited as it is now somehow.
I think I wouldn't mind so much if I wasn't totally disenchanted by, oh, 85% of everything else on TV. I hardly watch the networks, and with cable it's usually looking for something that looks interesting, at the spur of the moment. Like with too many other forms of entertainment, I believe that things are now largely not about the acting, the talent, and the entertainment value in general. It's just about petty things like how you look, and if said person/show is the \"flavor of the month.\" The shows I do make a point to catch are like blips on the map. (Off the top of my head, of the ones \"freshest\" to me there's PYL Wednesdays; My Hero and Coupling on Fridays and Saturdays on different PBS stations; Superman and the Popeye Show on CN Saturdays; and...that's about it!)
Looks like I turned in another rant here!
J.
clemon79:
[quote name=\'JMFabiano\' date=\'Jul 8 2003, 09:10 PM\'] [quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Jul 8 2003, 10:08 PM\'] Nostalgia sure isn't what it used to be. [/quote]
Actually, I'd say what it COULD be. I mean, there's definitely an audience and a place for it. If there wasn't, would there be any MOGSM, and on VH1, I Love the 80s, among other examples?
J. [/quote]
{VRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!}
{Chris looks up to see Joke Airways screaming over JM's head}
You haven't looked up \"redundant\" in the dictionary lately, have you? :)
TheInquisitiveOne:
--- Quote ---Can I assume you're another who is tired of being made to worship at the altar of Triple H? ;-)
--- End quote ---
That is right. I hate to stray in a tangent, but H3's backstage politics, coupled with bad writing and Vince's refusal to listen to the fans, makes for RAW is CRAP every Monday night.
--- Quote ---And getting recent, short lived series just comes off as looking cheap and lazy. Besides, why would I care about programs that I saw not too long ago and wasn't overly impressed with, and/or lack that element of \"pleasant memories\"?
--- End quote ---
Again, I agree. Maybe Gurin is having some stroke in this, but the money used in acquiring TWL, 21, and Greed, could be used as an effort to make Fremantle crack and give up such shows as $ale of the Century and Scrabble, the more established Chuck Woolery classic that would help in boosting my interest in Naturally Stoned and Lingo. Never mind the money that is being pissed away for the effort of becoming G4 the Second...
--- Quote ---Yeah, I know I defend Adult Swim on CN, but somehow shows like Futurama and Family Guy fit in more naturally. I don't know why. Plus they're pretty good too ;-)
--- End quote ---
These shows were killed well before their times. You can blame this purely on FOX's lack of scheduling skill. These shows would help make FOX Sunday Night Appointment TV along with The Simpsons and King of the Hill. What do we have instead? Crap like Malcolm in the Middle and Oliver Beene, shows that are not even HALF as funny as the animated series. Sorry for the tangency, again.
--- Quote ---I think I wouldn't mind so much if I wasn't totally disenchanted by, oh, 85% of everything else on TV.
--- End quote ---
My sentiments exactly.
--- Quote ---...sometimes I wonder a bit whether we really had it that bad under Fleming? I know he was going the same direction and probably even WORSE, but the schedule of classics seemed less inhibited as it is now somehow.
--- End quote ---
Though the originals under the Fleming era were bush-league garbage, his classics scheduled more than covered those inkblots. Do I really need to mention The Price is Right? Also there was the G-T library, Bumper Stumpers (my guilty pleasure), and many others. Cronin, on the other hand, made the originals innovative and watchable but, at the same time, kicked the classics to the curb. I am sure that a middle ground can be sought here. (Not that the classics are phased out of the picture, it is that MORE could be added to the mix.)
And that is all I have to say about that.
The Inquisitive One
joeken2:
It does not feel like it did when the network started. When I started watching they had the b/w in primetime with Peter Tomarkin doing the interactive gameshows like race for the numbers and things like that. They also had Marrianne Curran with Saturday night Wide World of Games and the morning show and the afternoon show I can not remember the name. It was more laid back and it was all the games. I still like Match Games and shows like that, but it does nto have the same feel.
Thank you
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