# Most emotionally manipulative TV shows **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [June 10, 2021, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-emotionally-manipulative-tv-shows/943994 "2021-06-10T18:46:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-emotionally-manipulative-tv-shows/943994/102 "2021-07-26T23:52:51Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > The coverage in the UK is all through a lens of the stories of the British athletes; This the BBC as highjacked by the right wing. All British flags and love of the country. It’s a substitute for sense. Let’s face it, the BBC often previously presented something like this, perhaps maybe not as openly biased and flag waving, but it certainly was there. Do other countries present their olympics like this? ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-emotionally-manipulative-tv-shows/943994/103 "2021-07-26T23:57:46Z")
Isn’t that literally what the Olympics are all about? National Pride? Who watches the Olympics for the purity of the games? ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-emotionally-manipulative-tv-shows/943994/104 "2021-07-27T00:09:56Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > Let’s face it, the BBC often previously presented something like this, perhaps maybe not as openly biased and flag waving, but it certainly was there. Yes I agree, and of course we focus a lot on Britain in tennis, football etc. However, it does feel like it’s gotten worse. I just feel if they are going to cut back to the studio for 15 minutes I’d prefer to hear analyses of the sport (or maybe educating the viewer on some of the concepts and techniques), interspersed with highlights of the very best performances. Instead in many cases that whole chunk of time can be just talking about an athlete’s biography. > [@Asuka](#): > > Isn’t that literally what the Olympics are all about? National Pride? > > Who watches the Olympics for the purity of the games? Well it’s not either-or, it’s a question of balance. For me personally, I don’t give a shit about flag waving (in or out of the olympics), but I can tolerate a certain amount of it. But not to the point where it’s to the massive detriment of the actual sports coverage. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-emotionally-manipulative-tv-shows/943994/105 "2021-07-27T00:20:12Z")
I _love_ Adam 12 and Dragnet reruns if they feature hippies. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-emotionally-manipulative-tv-shows/943994/106 "2021-07-27T00:22:15Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > The coverage in the UK is all through a lens of the stories of the British athletes; where they trained, how they’re feeling, how proud their 3 year old son must be etc etc. Sounds like they’re following the American style that we’ve had here for quite a while. It’s slowly gotten worse every time for couple of decades, at least. I guess 2 years is about the threshold for forgetting that sort of thing. I don’t know if the BBC version has reached this point, but in America, apparently _everyone_ has a tragic story! No matter who you are, they’ll track down _something_ in your life that’s sad and produce a hyper-melodramatic 3-minute package about it to air in prime time before they show you compete. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-emotionally-manipulative-tv-shows/943994/107 "2021-07-27T02:37:55Z")
> [@seal\_cleaner](#): > > I _love_ Adam 12 and Dragnet reruns if they feature hippies Hippies and their goofballs, Yellowjackets, and crazy clothes. ---
**Author:** ![BigDfromLA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@BigDfromLA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigDfromLA)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-emotionally-manipulative-tv-shows/943994/108 "2021-07-27T05:02:53Z")
Seeing straight-arrow, stiff, monotone Joe Friday interact with the circa1969 hippies was absolutely hilarious! Wasted, 4’11" hippie girl in one episode walks into a flophouse, sees Friday and Gannon and yells…“Who called the fuzz?” That was funny! ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-emotionally-manipulative-tv-shows/943994/109 "2021-07-27T15:42:53Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Who watches the Olympics for the purity of the games? I used to, back when you could actually watch a lot of it, and not just the money-making highlights. I can’t remember the last time I saw a significant part of the decathlon on TV. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-emotionally-manipulative-tv-shows/943994.md?page=5)