4 ms·

Mainstream cable dramas enforces fear and stereotypes to shape public view much more than hollywood I'd say, just because more people watch those shows and ever

Mainstream cable dramas enforces fear and stereotypes to shape public view much more than hollywood I'd say, just because more people watch those shows and every single one of them is the same theme. For instance take any cop drama. The kid who uses drugs for the first time ends up raped at a rave or overdoses, the couple who has a pansexual relationship with other people ends up killed because of their "shady" lifestyle, anything that is out of the bounds of religious morality is demonized and will always lead to doom. Cops who beat up suspects in interrogation are shown in the best light because they never beat up the wrong suspect, all animal rights protesters or eco activists are portrayed as total loons, national security always trumps individual rights and turns out for the good. Propaganda like Red Dawn, Olympus Has Fallen or Zero Dark Thirty which showed torture lite and even tried to justify it isn't watched nearly as much. The articles slamming Zero Dark Thirty weren't as numerous as the criticism that show "24" created with justifying torture and pandering to the imaginary ticking bomb interrogation scenario where the intrepid hero must use torture to save the world. I can't remember how many cop dramas on TV I've seen where they could catch the evil criminal if only they weren't blocked by annoying restrictions like warrants. Message: cops are always good, judges are out of touch with reality, defence lawyers are evil unethical parasites and warrantless spying or searches should be the norm. Watch this scenario a hundred times and when the media finally starts promoting some new "necessary" warrantless spying the government is trying to pass you're likely to allow it after being inundated with constant pro state propaganda, and a chorus of media pundits who use fictional TV scenarios to compare to real life situations like the CNN anchor I witnessed who was constantly bringing up that stupid 24 morality play about the evil bad guy in the good guy's captivity and only torture is the solution while interviewing a lawyer who was trying to laugh off the questions as nonsense and tell the public what is really going on. Whatever that lawyer was trying to say was drowned out by bringing in decades worth of reinforced stereotypes. The guy had a ton of stuff to say but his interview was sidetracked by this ridiculous fiction and "that's all the time we have today stay with us after the commercial break for our Paula Deen exclusive"

Retric 13y ago
It depends on the channel lifetime movies fit that stereotype where HBO runs shows like OZ that are far less simplistic. However, one of the positives of cop shows is jurry's now want hard evedence like DNA where they used to be far more willing to rely on circumstantial evidence which resulted in a lot of false convictions.
- dobbsbob 13y ago
  HBO is the new hollywood, same with other adult only cable networks. Lot's of directors are looking to make mini series and getting the money to do it because studios currently won't allow anything deviating from the standard money making model of superhero flicks. With more and more people not showing up to theaters anymore because they have home theatre, I can see HBO and similar adult networks overtaking the profits of major studios eventually because they don't have to submit to the ratings board for censorship or studio execs. I was referring to ABC/NBC/FOX type banal cable shows but you're right there is some criticism and dissent showing up in those programs but the overwhelming theme is warrantless surveillance saves lives, torture by good guy's is always good, and alternative behavior out of societal norms still leads to doom.
  - cclogg 13y ago
    "With more and more people not showing up to theaters anymore because they have home theatre" Have there been many studies about this? (purely wondering) I know I read something recently that 3D fatigue is setting in, where people are purposefully seeing 2D showings of 3D-shot movies. But also, on a personal level, I'm noticing those around me are slowing their movie-theatre visits, simply because they aren't interested in movies with poor stories (or another movie that's just about CGI). Maybe it's rarer now to get movies that have nice budgets with A-list stars and amazing screenwriting? It's fun watching special effects and all, but with that crutch there is a lower bar in the story-telling department, it would seem.
    - dobbsbob 13y ago
      I used purely anecdotal evidence of my own circle of friends and interviews from directors about the future of cinema. Even the poor students I know who don't have huge flatscreens mainly use TV/Movie on demand piracy or hulu and netflix like services, and they only go to the theater for a special event. I envision HBO releasing far more popular and original movies than Hollywood, and incorporating some form of social TV, so you can interact with other viewers. I already do this but in pirate channels showing re-runs of Star Trek and purely for the lulz, because it's comedy gold whenever 1st officer Beard hits on an ensign or Cmdr Vreenek declares it's a faaaake. Quentin Tarantino has been giving a lot of interviews lately stating he'd rather work with HBO than film purely to avoid the arbitrary censorship of the ratings board and the studio who keeps demanding cuts to make the film more commercial. He'd rather write a 6hr series, so would most other writers to fully flesh out a good script. More and more Hollywood actors are showing up in cable movies, not because they need money but because they like the script and normally they get handed damsel in distress superhero love interest parts. I think kids movies and comic book films or wacky James Cameron billion dollar spectacles will always do well in theater, but for the most part the average viewer would rather watch it on demand from the comfort of their own place and only show up for a monumental spectacle or a horror film to take a date to. Not like theaters are using film anymore anyways, they just push a button and play a digital print might as well watch that in your own place. FX are great, but it's the story that sucks you in.
afriesh123 13y ago
Next thing you know, they'll tell me that hollywood actively collaborates with the government on portrayals of the military. "The major exception here is the Department of Defense, which has an ‘open’ but barely publicized relationship with Tinsel Town, whereby, in exchange for advice, men and invaluable equipment, such as aircraft carriers and helicopters, the Pentagon routinely demands flattering script alterations." http://www.globalresearch.ca/lights-camera-covert-action-the-deep-politics-of-hollywood/11921 http://www.globalresearch.ca/lights-camera-covert-action-the... http://original.antiwar.com/sean-a-mcelwee/2013/04/28/propaganda-and-censorship-the-hollywood-industrial-complex/ http://original.antiwar.com/sean-a-mcelwee/2013/04/28/propag... It can't be a conspiracy if it is not a secret, right?
- mpyne 13y ago
  > It can't be a conspiracy if it is not a secret, right? Well, basically. The Navy even managed to make Paramount Pictures pay for the privilege of taking footage of aircraft carriers and their fighters in action. Paramount tried to renegotiate the payment by offering to let the Navy play a recruiting video or something silly in theaters, but the Navy quite wisely opted out of that, as the movie is already a recruiter's dream all by itself.
  - TrevorJ 13y ago
    That's par for the course in the film industry really. Nothing's ever free.

Retric 13y ago

It depends on the channel lifetime movies fit that stereotype where HBO runs shows like OZ that are far less simplistic. However, one of the positives of cop shows is jurry's now want hard evedence like DNA where they used to be far more willing to rely on circumstantial evidence which resulted in a lot of false convictions.

dobbsbob 13y ago
HBO is the new hollywood, same with other adult only cable networks. Lot's of directors are looking to make mini series and getting the money to do it because studios currently won't allow anything deviating from the standard money making model of superhero flicks. With more and more people not showing up to theaters anymore because they have home theatre, I can see HBO and similar adult networks overtaking the profits of major studios eventually because they don't have to submit to the ratings board for censorship or studio execs. I was referring to ABC/NBC/FOX type banal cable shows but you're right there is some criticism and dissent showing up in those programs but the overwhelming theme is warrantless surveillance saves lives, torture by good guy's is always good, and alternative behavior out of societal norms still leads to doom.
- cclogg 13y ago
  "With more and more people not showing up to theaters anymore because they have home theatre" Have there been many studies about this? (purely wondering) I know I read something recently that 3D fatigue is setting in, where people are purposefully seeing 2D showings of 3D-shot movies. But also, on a personal level, I'm noticing those around me are slowing their movie-theatre visits, simply because they aren't interested in movies with poor stories (or another movie that's just about CGI). Maybe it's rarer now to get movies that have nice budgets with A-list stars and amazing screenwriting? It's fun watching special effects and all, but with that crutch there is a lower bar in the story-telling department, it would seem.
  - dobbsbob 13y ago
    I used purely anecdotal evidence of my own circle of friends and interviews from directors about the future of cinema. Even the poor students I know who don't have huge flatscreens mainly use TV/Movie on demand piracy or hulu and netflix like services, and they only go to the theater for a special event. I envision HBO releasing far more popular and original movies than Hollywood, and incorporating some form of social TV, so you can interact with other viewers. I already do this but in pirate channels showing re-runs of Star Trek and purely for the lulz, because it's comedy gold whenever 1st officer Beard hits on an ensign or Cmdr Vreenek declares it's a faaaake. Quentin Tarantino has been giving a lot of interviews lately stating he'd rather work with HBO than film purely to avoid the arbitrary censorship of the ratings board and the studio who keeps demanding cuts to make the film more commercial. He'd rather write a 6hr series, so would most other writers to fully flesh out a good script. More and more Hollywood actors are showing up in cable movies, not because they need money but because they like the script and normally they get handed damsel in distress superhero love interest parts. I think kids movies and comic book films or wacky James Cameron billion dollar spectacles will always do well in theater, but for the most part the average viewer would rather watch it on demand from the comfort of their own place and only show up for a monumental spectacle or a horror film to take a date to. Not like theaters are using film anymore anyways, they just push a button and play a digital print might as well watch that in your own place. FX are great, but it's the story that sucks you in.

afriesh123 13y ago

Next thing you know, they'll tell me that hollywood actively collaborates with the government on portrayals of the military. "The major exception here is the Department of Defense, which has an ‘open’ but barely publicized relationship with Tinsel Town, whereby, in exchange for advice, men and invaluable equipment, such as aircraft carriers and helicopters, the Pentagon routinely demands flattering script alterations." http://www.globalresearch.ca/lights-camera-covert-action-the-deep-politics-of-hollywood/11921 http://www.globalresearch.ca/lights-camera-covert-action-the... http://original.antiwar.com/sean-a-mcelwee/2013/04/28/propaganda-and-censorship-the-hollywood-industrial-complex/ http://original.antiwar.com/sean-a-mcelwee/2013/04/28/propag... It can't be a conspiracy if it is not a secret, right?

mpyne 13y ago
> It can't be a conspiracy if it is not a secret, right? Well, basically. The Navy even managed to make Paramount Pictures pay for the privilege of taking footage of aircraft carriers and their fighters in action. Paramount tried to renegotiate the payment by offering to let the Navy play a recruiting video or something silly in theaters, but the Navy quite wisely opted out of that, as the movie is already a recruiter's dream all by itself.
- TrevorJ 13y ago
  That's par for the course in the film industry really. Nothing's ever free.