# Is it just me or has TV gotten better? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 11, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-tv-gotten-better/634404 "2012-09-11T15:31:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-tv-gotten-better/634404/41 "2012-09-13T13:22:02Z")
> [@Maeglin](#): > > I definitely agree. When I went to college in the late 90s I didn’t have a TV. I just fell out of the habit. I recently started watching recent TV on Netflix, and holy crap, I have been missing out. It is by and large incomparably better in all genres than even the most exciting television from fifteen years ago. I definitely have a few years of catching up to do. Me brutha! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-tv-gotten-better/634404/42 "2012-09-13T13:26:19Z")
> [@Bozuit](#): > > I feel the need to point out that 15 years ago The X-Files was just beginning to hit its peak. There certainly was great television back then too! Well of course. I was watching television 15 years ago, and enjoying it. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Northern Exposure, X-Files, good shows. I think the answer to my question is that I’m not seeing the dreck now, only the good. And the fact that most of the stuff I like is produced by cable stations is significant as well. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-tv-gotten-better/634404/43 "2012-09-13T13:38:02Z")
The growth of cable series has made television a lot better. I’d say also that most people are watching hi-def TVs now, and even if they’re looking at low-def feeds the visual quality is better anyway. That’s probably not what you meant by ‘better’ but it actually is a factor in enjoyment of television. I certainly hope you’re watching an HD screen. If not, you have no idea how much better it could still be. ---
**Author:** ![shemarstan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@shemarstan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shemarstan)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-tv-gotten-better/634404/44 "2012-09-13T14:01:20Z")
The quality of television in the main stream has gone to hell in a handbasket. It is chuck full of reality crap. I mean…does anyone think that Honey Boo s\*\*t is quality television. Or extreme couponing etc. etc. etc. Plus the absolute inundation of commercials. Makes me want to scream. Without Netflix and streaming I would not turn on the tv box at all. If I had to find Breaking Bad, Boardwalk Empire etc by scrolling through stupid commercials and reality entertainment I would probably just get rid of the television. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-tv-gotten-better/634404/45 "2012-09-15T02:54:18Z")
> [@shemarstan](#): > > The quality of television in the main stream has gone to hell in a handbasket. It is chuck full of reality crap. I mean…does anyone think that Honey Boo s\*\*t is quality television. Or extreme couponing etc. etc. etc. To both of your examples: no. These are TV trolling. They’re shows designed to make people watch and say, “ugh, who watches this?” And then continue to watch while complaining about it. The signal to noise ratio of TV might be getting worse, but the best is getting better just as the bad is getting worse. It takes a little effort and know how to sift the overload, but, if you do, the net result is a lot of very, very, very good TV. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-has-tv-gotten-better/634404.md?page=2)