# TV shows the inexplicably remain on the air. (or, Who watches this? Anyone?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 5, 2004, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458 "2004-08-05T15:19:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/101 "2004-08-08T22:14:18Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > What about _Cops_? I have NEVER met a person who watches that show. Of course if anyone I knew DID watch it, I’d drop them like a stinky hot potato. Can’t stand the show- but I looove the theme song. Once in a while I’ll tune in just for the song. Or, sometimes to count how many times in the show i can see the police violating someones Civil Rights- and what’s odd- they _still do it, even though they know they are being filmed!_ :eek: **3rd Watch** - the problem here is that it’s an NBC “drama”. :dubious: When NBC has a drama, what they do is put each and every cast member through hell, and every relative, friend & lover too. No matter how contrived the tradegy is- you _know_ it’s gonna happen. When I saw Carter on **ER** and how happy he was to be having a baby- I knew that baby was dead or something terrible was going to happen. No one is allowed to have a happy monogamous relationship for any length of time. Dem’s the rules. :rolleyes: Now- ER has a great cast, and great writing (other than the “NBC Drama rules” of course), but 3rdWatch doesn’t. So when NBC has all these terrible tragedies happen- you _just don’t care_ . NBC just needs to go for it as more of an action show. **Becker** was brought back. :rolleyes: I think that no one really watches it, it’s just bribe money from RJ Reynolds keeping it on the air. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/102 "2004-08-08T22:53:30Z")
Any so called “reality” show. In addition to being boring as hell, there’s a huge irritation factor based on the sheer number of them and the success of the genre. I’ll confess that my judgement may be a bit unfair, as I don’t watch any of these shows, but I do hear about the premises for each of them. I don’t even have TV anymore, and I somehow still know about these shows through an apparent cultural osmosis. I know who William Hung is for fuckssake. I hate that I know that. I hate that I know who Simon is. I hate that I know Regis where’s color-on-color ties and shirts. I hate that I know that the fat naked guy from survivor is named Richard. I’ll just refer to him as Dick, thank you. Springer. I understand the schaedenfreude from watching such a show. But it gets really tiring to constantly see the trite and ugly side of humanity. And it’s so predictable to boot! Person A has some sort of conflict with person B. A fight ensues between the two. Big guys break up the fight and Jerry stands around looking appallled. I don’t believe in hell, but I think it should be invented for Springer and those who keep his pockets lined. As for King of the Hill, everytime that I try to watch it, I see that it’s well-written with a lot of natural and unforced humor, and yet I still wouldn’t care if it was never shown again. Shit, I just hate TV. Except for weird sporting events. The weirder and more inane, the better. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/103 "2004-08-09T00:17:32Z")
Wow **Purd Werfect** I definitely had to look up the word _ **schadenfreude** _ and I consider myself to have a pretty good vocabulary. You spelled it slightly differently but geez, that should get a special mention as the SDMB “Word of the Week”. Also, is it just me or are there only two episodes of _ **"Celebrity Poker"** _ which get _ **endlessly** _ repeated? 'The game is Texas 'Hold ‘Em’ where each palyer receives 2 cards face down and they bet. Then 3 cards called the ‘flop’ are turned over and …" ARRRGGGHHHHHH !!! I’ve been informed it’s time for my medication. See ya. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/104 "2004-08-09T03:17:06Z")
I can’t believe that **Cops** was name in this thread. It is one of the most entertaining shows on TV. _Bad Boys, Bad Boys, Watcha Gonna Do…_ I think I will see if any reruns are on now. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/105 "2004-08-09T14:22:30Z")
> [@The Long Road](#): > > The profit difference between BB and AR has to be huge. BB has 13 people locked up in a house with constant product tie-ins. AR has teams travelling the world which includes sending multiple camera teams with each contestant team. How much do you think air fare from South America to Russia costs for 9 teams plus all of the camera crews? There are also no product placements to generate extra income. Actually, TAR has its share of product placements. They give away quite a few vacations “courtesy of Royal Caribbean or American Airlines”. They also made a point out of using some brand of cell phone in one episode (the exact brand of which I forget) and they make a point out of using Kodak digital cameras as well (most obvious on the website). Still, it has to be much more expensive than BB. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/106 "2004-08-09T18:48:15Z")
> [@wolf\_meister](#): > > Wow **Purd Werfect** I definitely had to look up the word _ **schadenfreude** _ and I consider myself to have a pretty good vocabulary. You spelled it slightly differently but geez, that should get a special mention as the SDMB “Word of the Week”. > > Also, is it just me or are there only two episodes of _ **"Celebrity Poker"** _ which get _ **endlessly** _ repeated? 'The game is Texas 'Hold ‘Em’ where each palyer receives 2 cards face down and they bet. Then 3 cards called the ‘flop’ are turned over and …" > ARRRGGGHHHHHH !!! > I’ve been informed it’s time for my medication. > See ya. It is a good word and I wish we had an equivalent for it in english. I’ve only just seen part of an episode of Celebrity Poker, but there were two things I liked about it - 1. It was nice to see Dave Foley working, though I’m not sure how I feel about his new facial hair. and 2. Bobby Flay was the first contestant to lose. Ever since his antics on Iron Chef, I’ve little love for the man. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/107 "2004-08-09T19:36:48Z")
Three pages in and nobody has mentioned _Smallville_??? I’ve caught the tail ends of several episodes just because it came on before _Angel_. You remember _Angel_, right? The show on WB that was actually, you know, good? I’ve also halfway watched a couple of entire episodes (well, had my nose in a good book and wasn’t paying attention, just had the TV on before _Angel_ came on). The only halfway interesting character on _Smallville_ is Lex Luthor, and I think that’s just because of the Anakin Skywalker factor. You watch him knowing that he’s eventually going to turn out to be, well, Lex Luthor, and you want to see how the character evolves. I’ve almost considered watching the show regularly because I think it would be interesting to watch Lex’s Descent Into Evil, but then I realize that that I will have to sit through probably thirty-six minutes of trite, contrived and generally lame crap to get to see the Six Interesting Minutes of Lex. Plus I’m kind of boycotting the WB because I’m still pissed off at them for cancelling _Angel_. I mean, hell, if there has to be a TV drama series about the teenage years of a comic-book hero in the making, couldn’t they do someone who would have been an interesting character even before he started wearing Spandex and fighting the Forces of Evil, like, oh, say, a young Bruce Wayne? ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/108 "2004-08-10T07:17:55Z")
I usually watch _Cops_ when I’m feeling bad about my life. I’ve probably watched about 2 episodes in the past year. A good friend of mine watches it religiously, though. That show does wonders for your self esteem. “_Man, I’m having some problems paying my bills this month, but hell, at least I’m not living in a trailer park with THAT dude_” I tried to do the same thing with _Springer_ one time, but I had to turn it off after about 10 minutes. It was so damned trashy I felt dirty for even _watching_ it. _shudder_ ☹ ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/109 "2004-08-10T07:54:00Z")
I cannot understand why anybody would want to watch the “DREW CAREY SHOW”…it is like watching a retarded person. Of course, his friends are even more stupid…go figure! “JERRY SPRINGER” seems to be very popular…of course, all of his shows are the same…just ignoramuses on display (and apparently PROUD of their bizarre appearences, fat, missing teeth, etc.). What really amazes me is the reruns (ala TVLAND): most of those 1950’s TV shows were awful! Take “Leave It To Beaver”-that series would be cancelled after 3 episodes today! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/110 "2004-08-10T13:42:27Z")
> [@TeaElle](#): > > I don’t know about soaps in NZ, but in the US we have a show called “Passions.” It’s supposedly a soap, but I swear that it’s a cunning satire. It’s the most hysterical thing on TV – funnier than “Everybody Loves Raymond” by a mile. It has a witch who used to have a doll that turned into a boy who she talked to. Then the boy died, because the actor who played him died. It was actually sad. But they found more than sufficient ridiculousness to take the place of Timmy the Doll-Boy. If all other soaps go away, I would be perfectly happy, but once in a while, I need a little bit of “Passions” to make me laugh my cares away in the middle of the afternoon. Passions is _real_? I thought it was a soap opera they made up on Buffy as a joke (Spike the vampire loves watching it). ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/111 "2004-08-10T14:41:55Z")
Random junk TV thoughts - _JAG_ I’m a retired Navy guy, and don’t watch it. FactoPop watches it religiously, and can’t figure out why I don’t. _The Nanny_ The GF watches it at closing time at work when things are slow. Her and her kids loved it. As a result, I’ve seen nearly all the episodes in the last couple of years. The only one I liked was the one where Drescher reprises her _Spinal Tap_ role (Bobbie Fleckmann.) And only because of the in-joke. _CSI: Miami_ Watched only part of one epsiode, last night in fact. And that was just to catch a glimpse of Emily Procter (been nuts about her since her days on _West Wing_.) _Everybody Loves Raymond_ We mortals may hate the show, but according to a factoid in the new TV Guide, Sharon Stone loves it. And she first saw it on an airplane. _Gulliver’s Travels Hallmark Special_ Danson had to be cast because of Mary Steenbergen, methinks. After all, she is a respectable actor (Academy Award and all.) and of course, _Cops_ - they could probably film every episode over here in Southeast Virginia. Something on the news last night about a guy making his girlfriend eat her own hair. Just waiting for that one to show up on the show. But my favorite junk show that I used to watch was _The Mother-In-Laws_ but I could only see it when we were visiting relatives out in Los Angeles about 30 years ago. Never even saw it mentioned anywhere else, at any tme, for any reason. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/112 "2004-08-10T15:07:12Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I cannot understand why anybody would want to watch the “DREW CAREY SHOW”…it is like watching a retarded person. Of course, his friends are even more stupid…go figure! I liked _Drew Carey_ until the Kate character left. I still watch it in reruns on Fox at 11:30pm weeknights. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/113 "2004-08-10T15:36:02Z")
Count me as a fan of KING OF THE HILL & 7TH HEAVEN. And I really enjoyed WINGS. I was amazed to find the wretched John Schuck MUNSTERS lasted a year or two longer than the original ones. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/114 "2004-08-10T15:49:58Z")
> [@Sean Factotum](#): > > But my favorite junk show that I used to watch was _The Mother-In-Laws_ but I could only see it when we were visiting relatives out in Los Angeles about 30 years ago. Never even saw it mentioned anywhere else, at any tme, for any reason. I just made a reference to it last month on the board. There probably isn’t the tv show that has been aired that a few of us haven’t seen. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/115 "2004-08-10T17:01:42Z")
> [@Lisa-go-Blind](#): > > 😕 > > No one has named _Yes, Dear_? That has to be one of the most painfully unfunny shows on the air. I remember watching an episode of it when it first started. I thought, “This show won’t last but five episodes.” Unfortunately, I was wrong. Then again, I thought that executives would wise up and move “Freaks and Geeks” to a good timeslot and then it would live on forever. As for Ted Danson----I liked him as Gulliver! I don’t have a problem with Danson and I used to watch “Becker” until they got rid of Terry (I think that was the character’s name). ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/116 "2004-08-10T17:30:29Z")
I’m amazed. Three pages and nobody has yet brought up the triumvirate of hellspawn that was **Perfect Strangers** , **Who’s the Boss?** and **Family Matters**. Tony Danza, Bronson Pinchot and (shudder) Steve Urkel. Each one had a large glowing “6” on his forehead. They say if you scramble the letters of their character names you get a chant that will summon the undead spirit of Fred Silverman. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/117 "2004-08-10T18:18:06Z")
Sorry. I’m pretty sure I kept **Perfect Strangers** and **Who’s the Boss** on air single-handedly. And I watch the reruns too. Having said that, I agree about **Smallville**. Oh god, what a horrid show. My husband insists on watching it, and I insist on mocking him and the show…it’s the only thing that keeps me interested and sane. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/118 "2004-08-10T18:56:49Z")
**Tough Crowd** has to be one of the most atrocious shows on right now. I watched as a train wreck when it first started because Colin’s ability to host a show was so bad it was funny. Well, it never improved. Also, from what I remember from the first shows, he was definitely left-wing leaning and somewhere over the last year he’s moved to the right. I doubt that has to do anything with his personal convictions but more for a network left-right balance because his opinions are complete bullshit. (Speaking of which, Penn & Teller’s Bullshit is awesome and should stay on in perpetuity). ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/119 "2004-08-10T20:37:47Z")
Am I the only person who is totally underwhelmed by **CSI**? I watched the entire first season on DVD and I found it to be breathtakingly mediocre, and frequently dumb and predictable. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458/120 "2004-08-10T21:45:57Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > I’m amazed that **I Love Lucy** is still in syndication. Over the course of my 40 years, I have had to sit through a couple dozen episodes. No laughs in the ‘classic’ comedy. Not one. I think the problem with _I Love Lucy_, _The Honeymooners_, and others from the same era is that everything has become obvious. It’s hard to laugh when you know what’s coming two minutes before it gets there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-the-inexplicably-remain-on-the-air-or-who-watches-this-anyone/258458.md?page=7)