Tell me what you like about current generation tv shows

[mikephillips]

Now I'm not talking about what shows might be favorites or stories they do. No, in comparison to what we grew up with what do you like about the way modern shows are made. For me, the much more natural lighting and ceilings. Remember back in the day shows tended to be much brighter that would be in the real world and everyone seemed to live in homes with 12ft ceilings since the tops of sets were open for the lights and such. I like that modern technology has allow them to shoot now in actual buildings where there is a full background.

So how about you, what about current productions do you really like??

 

[Basil]

About the newest thing I watch are reruns of Frasier. Not sure that's considered current - late 90s to early 2000's. But I like the brilliant writing and the casting was perfect.

 

[DrEntropy]

Gosh, Mike, can't say I've watched any recent TV shows to make a comparison. I understand what you are asking, the difference between set lighting, theatrical production sets like "All in the Family" or "The Carol Burnett Show" compared to something like "The District" or "NYPD Blue" but what contemporary TV production(s) are you seeing for comparison? Digital video has changed the production process so much it's almost apples and oranges. No longer a need for shooting "day-for-night" when digital video can actually "see" at night, single-source lighting will work in about any room environ.

 

[mikephillips]

Yea, I watch plenty of older stuff too, Adam-12, Carol Burnett, On Day at a Time from the 70s, have to admit Valerie B from then was cute..., Newhart and other shows from the 60s/70s. But also some of the new stuff. The new Star Trek series they stream, One called Upload, then Another Life as well as some others I stumbled across reviews that sounded interesting. I like the fact that for those they come across as actually being in a room or hall, or star ship, rather than the more stage feeling 1990s Married with Children for example. I don't mind that when it is generally set in a one or two room set, but it is nice to have something more like filming actual events, even though we know it isn't. I'm not saying either way is bad, just for some stories the look is better when it seems more natural.

I dump newer stuff down from the net and run it on my big screen, even at lower than 1080 resolution most are very good looking. And I'm a SyFy geek, so I enjoy spaceships, other planets, aliens and that sort of thing...

 

[JPSmit]

we are huge fans of cozy mysteries - particularly British - we are currently watching Midsomer Murders, also Shetland. Vera, Death in Paradise, Murder in Provence, Mallorca Files etc. And New Zealand/ OZ shows like Brookenwood Mysteries, Miss Fisher Mysteries, My Life is Murder - etc. etc. (there is a theme here )

 

[Basil]

we are huge fans of cozy mysteries - particularly British - we are currently watching Midsomer Murders, also Shetland. Vera, Death in Paradise, Murder in Provence, Mallorca Files etc. And New Zealand/ OZ shows like Brookenwood Mysteries, Miss Fisher Mysteries, My Life is Murder - etc. etc. (there is a theme here )

Death in Paradise! That’s a good one!

 

[DrEntropy]

If I'd known....

I have the "Star Trek Enterprise" box set on DVD because I like it so much. Not to drift the thread so early, but I also have "Guardians of the Galaxy" and Tim Allen's spoof "Galaxy Quest" as favorites. Watched some of the "Picard" series but it got silly IMO.

 

[DrEntropy]

have to admit Valerie B from then was cute...,

Two clicks beyond cute AFAIC... and "Built like a force-field latrine!" (thanks to Father Heinlein for that metaphor)

 

[JPSmit]

Death in Paradise! That’s a good one!

It is indeed! we recently bought a Chromecast with Google TV - love it but it allows us to watch the tubi App - it has commercials but not crazy amounts - and Brokenwood Mysteries is on it - If you haven't seen it I think you would enjoy it - a classic car features prominantly and the soundtrack is awesome - country and western which I don't normally enjoy but here it is exceptional.

 

[NutmegCT]

Mike - as you're asking about the technology, and not the content, I sure agree that today's TV is miles better than the 1950s. Cinematography, staging, costumes, lighting - all so much better.

The content - not so much. I much prefer 1950s Ed Sullivan for variety, Bell Telephone Hour for the arts, Omnibus for enrichment, and Playhouse 90 for drama, altho' many of today's PBS shows (American Experience, Masterpiece Theater, NOVA, etc.) are excellent.

As a friend says, USA movies and TV have lots of explosions, car crashes, fights, and violence. European movies and TV tell interesting stories.

 

[mikephillips]

True, story content is the major thing that drives what I watch. I don't see most nightly tv since the subjects in many cases don't interest me, but that is a subjective judgement since what I like others may yawn at. I'm not big on hospital dramas for example, but to those who are, have fun. But regardless I applaud the fact that things like drones, small handheld cameras and other tech advances give so many more options in what and how to shoot things. And one day, perhaps VR or true walk around 3d to allow us to feel like actually being there to watch.

 

[GregW]

One big difference in sets and lighting for shows like All in the Family and Married with Children was they were filmed in front of a live audience. There would be three to six 3 wall sets lined up next to each other with the "4th wall" being where the cameras and audience were. All the lights have to be hung high so the cameras won't cast shadows on the set or actors.

 

[GregW]

For the Sci-fi fans I think you'd enjoy West World on HBO. Season 4 is about to air. Awesome cast, well written and beautifully shot. Here is a scene that doesn't give too much away but gives you a taste.

 

[DrEntropy]

Stage lighting as opposed to set, the new digital tech and much more subtle lighting techniques make scenes much more realistic to life.

The things that stand out to me are the "name" actors going to productions made for 'net consumption. And things like the cigarette in that clip.

Those, and language not seen on "broadcast" TV. All add up to a viewership seeing more believable productions.

 

[bobhustead]

I like the moles, scars, birth marks, crows feet and generally normal looking people. Bosch, Justified, Wayne have been good, in our opinion. A fair amount of good stuff has come out of Amazon Studios.
Bob

 

[mikephillips]

It's a golden age for actors these days since everyone wants original content. I think how weird e would have thought it was of 20 or more years ago Sears or large supermarket chains or GM or the like had said "We want a tv channel we can program", then had actual content and not glorified commercials.

I've enjoyed "For all Mankind" which is starting a new season. They get one thing right almost every other space set show doesn't, no sound when something moves past the camera out in space. And I like the overall story too. Jupiter's Legacy isn't bad either, about superheros growing old and dealing with saving mankind and dealing with their children as young adults. And actually Miracle Workers, only show I've ever seen where the cast stays the same but each of the 3 seasons storylines bear no relation to each other.

There's others, those come to mind right off the top of my head.

 

[NutmegCT]

Many of the above mentioned shows are excellent. But are they only available on "upscale" cable? or basic cable, or over the air?

 

[Basil]

Many of the above mentioned shows are excellent. But are they only available on "upscale" cable? or basic cable, or over the air?

Sorry Tom, they are not etched onto cave walls, or painted on Bear skins, so you’re out of luck.

 

[equiprx]

we are huge fans of cozy mysteries - particularly British - we are currently watching Midsomer Murders, also Shetland. Vera, Death in Paradise, Murder in Provence, Mallorca Files etc. And New Zealand/ OZ shows like Brookenwood Mysteries, Miss Fisher Mysteries, My Life is Murder - etc. etc. (there is a theme here )

We also watch those shows, but I got really tired of the newer Death in Paradise and Midsomer Murders.
Shetland is one of my particular favorites for serious and Brookenwood for lighter mysteries.
One that I really like is Professor T, but my wife won't watch anything with subtitles.

 

[YakkoWarner]

I run into the same issue - there are a lot of well produced shows out, but unfortunately normal people are not their target demographic. If you live in the parts of the country that the internet has decided not to serve (they always advertise "available in SELECT areas" - who gets to do the selecting?), you can only get what might be snagged off an antenna and most of what is being discussed is only available to people with high speed stream capability.

I have managed to catch the "Star Trek: Enterprise" series over the antenna and once or twice had an aquaintence use their internet to grab me a few episodes of something that was particularly interesting to me, otherwise I just hope at some point the studios release stuff on DVD so the rest of us can enjoy it.