How is this experiment supposed to yield useful results if they don’t have additional feet with varying levels of toe jam, including one clean as a control?
~ The Sopranos S06E17 “Walk Like a Man” - (re-run)
Why didn’t Carlo just explain that TV Land had already stopped broadcasting The Twilight Zone almost a decade earlier, so he was watching it either syndicated on the Sci Fi channel or on home media like DVDs?
Why didn’t Phil just explain that Applegate Farm’s homemade signature delights, with a legacy and tradition dating back to their 1848 founding, still qualify for the category of “sundae” no matter what the individual product is named?
I’ve been a total slacker as far as writing in the new year. When you write consistently for a year, sometimes you need a little bit of a break before you get back into the swing of things. The time off has been nice and given my mind a chance to recoup. I’ve thought a lot about what kind of topics I want to explore. One thing that keeps rolling around in my brain is just how amazing television writing has gotten over the last decade.
Now don’t get me wrong. There have been shows on television for many years that have had solid writing. Going back in time, we’ve got M*A*S*H*, I Love Lucy, and The Dick Van Dyke Show. Cheers, Frasier, NewsRadio, and a number of other wonderfully written sitcoms popped up in the 80s and 90s. The 90s also started to showcase good dramatic writing on television. One of my personal favorites from then was the one-season-but-should-have-lasted-longer beautifully written and acted show My So-Called Life.
For a long time, the most skilled writers worked in film. As time has gone on, the film industry has gone through some significant changes. Major studios have increasing tunnel vision. They seem only interested in movies that will be blockbusters - mainly franchises, Oscar worthy biopics, or big action movies. It’s become much harder for mid-sized films with modest budgets to get made. A lot of writers who would have worked in this arena have made their way over to television.
HBO has created some of the most iconic shows of all time, including The Sopranos, Oz, The Wire, Six Feet Under, Entourage, and Sex in the City. Recently, it’s entered into a new golden age with shows like Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, Girls, and the critically acclaimed True Detective. Since there are no television standards they have to maintain as a paid subscription channel, a diversity of writing on television has exploded that would most likely have been on the big screen in years past. The writing is so strong that sometimes it’s hard for me to watch anything but HBO. HBO not only writes wonderful shows, they’ve also made some spectacular movies. Those mid-budget films that studios wouldn’t invest in become the bread and butter of HBO films. And they’re continuing to knock it out of the park.
As HBO’s writing continues in strength and creativity, cable television took notice and decided to step up their game.Now, I’m not saying that AMC is the only cable channel this applies to, but they are without a doubt one of the most changed networks in the past ten years. AMC used to be a constant cycle of “American Movie Classics”, not really providing new content. It was just a place to watch Top Gun for the millionth time. But AMC took some chances by creating some of the most well-written shows of all time. Mad Men, The Walking Dead, and of course…the best written television show of all time, Breaking Bad.
Breaking Bad changed television. The writing was the best I’ve ever seen, not just on television, but in all arenas. The last season…I can hardly talk about it because it’s so freaking good and I just want to explode with feelings. The writing draws you into this ever-increasingly dark world and wrecks you. It’s hard and painful to watch, but good writing does that. It makes you feel deep in your bones. If you can watch all of Breaking Bad and not have all the feels, you’re dead on the inside. Having a show that was so dark and so raw be on cable television was a game changer. Writers have become bolder, unafraid to explore new territory and trusting that their audiences are smart enough to really get it. It’s been a catalyst for a new generation of television writers.
Even network channels have really stepped up their game. There are a lot amazing shows with sharp writers who make us and laugh and cry and feel every emotion in the span of a show. My favorite favoritefavoritesitcom Parks and Recreation is coming to a close after a run of seven seasons of hilarious jokes, heartwarming friendship, and plenty of feminist ranting (hey-yo! Leslie Knope is my hero.). Shows like Parenthood and The Good Wife show that quality drama still exists on network tv. And let’s all bow down to the genius of Shonda Rhimes who has created and written some of the most compelling, diverse, and dramatic shows of the past decade.
There will always be movies that we love because they are smart, funny, moving, and well written. But those qualities don’t just belong to them anymore. Television is embarking on a new frontier. It’s a wide space that allows for so many different stories, writing styles, jokes, speeches, and so much more. And I love every minute of it.
The Sopranos 2x13 “Funhouse”: Tony Soprano intends to face his fear of clowns by visiting the funhouse at the boardwalk carnival, but things go wrong when he finds a mysterious red nose rolling across the dining room floor.
“Tone, don’t be silly! Ain’t no clown livin’ in your house! Say, why don’t you an’ me go back to the carnival and you can look for your clown there. I’ll win myself another Billy Bass at the balloon n'darts table!”
dr.melfi: you said something about a clown nose in your house… a manifestation of your fear invading your private space… perhaps this deep seeded fear of clowns may relate to how you think others perceive you in your personal life.
tony: here you go again with this fuggin analysis shit… iss justa friggin fear i got! why’s every thing gotta be tied to sum udda thing whid you people!
*storms out of the room 5 minutes into the appointment*
