My discussion with our own David Ottlinger on his essay, “Medium, Message and Effect.” https://theelectricagora.com/2017/05/30/medium-message-and-effect/
Originally aired June 25, 2017 on the Sophia program, on MeaningofLife.TV, part of the BloggingHeads.TV network.
http://meaningoflife.tv/programs/current/sophia
Comments
3 responses to “The Evolution of Television”
I could listen to you guys talk about pop culture for hours on end. But I did have a few disagreements, I was not clear about what the problem with Breaking Bad was (I have my own criticism of the show but that is about its ending) also Breaking Bad was revolutionary and unique in ways that people don’t appreciate but I won’t go into that right now.
The reason we got these prestige dramas was relatively simple: you want to tell a story that is too long for a movie and can’t be articulated with the “visual grammar” of traditional television. The result is Sopranos, Breaking Bad or True Detective.
Isn’t The Big Bang Theory the most successful show on TV? Isn’t it filmed on a “stage” with live audience? Or am I missing something?
In terms of people talking about the show after an episode the night before, the last one I remember was an episode of House (“The Tyrant” season 6, episode 4. Original air date: Oct. 5, 2009). And it actually revolved on an ethical/moral dilemma.
@Dan: I remember you wanting to interview Bret Easton Ellis, he has his own podcast, have you listened to it by any chance?
Forgot about Jon Stewart, I listened to this right after I listened to Bob Wright’s diavlog with Owen Ellickson where they talk about him as well. Th thing about Stewart that bothered me was that he assumed that there was an objectively correct position in politics (see his rally for restoring sanity for example, just the name makes me cringe). And then you have the underhanded techniques he employed when he was dealing with guests he disagreed with. Still I think Stewart was funnier than the people who are his heirs, Samantha Bee and John Oliver are pure sanctimony while Jon Stewart was at times quite funny.
A question for David, at some point you refer to “match-on action shot” as one of cinematographer’s tricks. Is there a place that lists all the common tricks? The other trick I know is the long tracking shot which I learned when someone explained it via True Detective’s use of this device in its first season (it lasts more than 6 minutes I think).