OK, I'm at a loss on this one: what the fuck keeps making TV shows where basically the entire cast are total assholes, floor-mats or irredeemable pricks insanely popular?
I don't understand what is attracting so many people to these shows (and I am guilty of watching them too). First, I'm not talking about trashy reality television shows either. I don't even want to understand the mental imperative to watch a show like The Hills, Jersey Shore or anything on VH1 (remember when VH1 was the classy music channel?).
Good writing can only take us so far, and many of these shows do indeed have good writing, and good acting, but at what point do we have to say "wait a minute. This entire show is devoid of decency. I shouldn't waste my mind on this."
So, since I can't quite crack what makes me watch them, hopefully you can help me see the light here. What attracts you to fandom of ethically bereft television? What redeems Mad Men? Sons of Anarchy? Breaking Bad?
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This is Snarky-Kenn. Generally opposed to the Hour-long drama format. This is one reason why: they are like soap operas. Nothing happens and everyone loves the bad boy. Without morals any silly twist can happen. Who sleeps with who? Kill what!? Hour-long dramas take the soap-opera bad boy and no-good guy formula and add good writing and acting into the mix. Give 'em a little comeuppance now and again, let the viewer feel attracted to the bad side and superior at the same time.
On the other hand, just put Bruce Campbell in it and I'll love it!
I think Mad Men is redeemed because of the time period. The writing, acting, production design, and overall care and attention given to it gives it a sense of authenticity, which allows the viewer to feel as if they are getting a look into the long ago time of the late 50's and then the 60's, and in that long ago time they see that people were just as petty and terrible as they are now. And the show does have one like-able character in Peggy, or at least I like Peggy.
Breaking Bad just has such a good premise. It is true that a premise will only carry a show so far, but the series again has good writing and acting. It is true that Walt really is an amoral person, but as big squeaky said, "Without morals any silly twist can happen." Watching Breaking Bad is like watching a car wreck. You know something bad is going to happen for no comprehensible reason and yet you cannot turn away.
As you know, I watch Sons of Anarchy because I love watching them foul up. SAMCRO is absurd in their inability to successfully run the MC. I also like it because while there truly are no like-able characters on the show and no "good guy," stuff happens. The plots and stories go places. They aren't necessarily resolved quickly, or reasonably, but most of the time there is a sense of forward momentum. They are no-goodnicks going somewhere, and I am more than happy to watch them take that ride. Oh, and it's got lots and lots of violence, which is always a bonus.
Partly because I didn't like her in West Wing and partly because she vacillates back and forth between working the system and being worked by the system (and sleeps with Connor. Eww)but I actually am not a fan of Peggy. I'm finding a growing sympathy for Joan instead. You've hit the one thing that makes me able to sit through another episode of Mad Men: if I look at it as a fishbowl into life in the 50's/60s and not as a story about characters I should care about then yes, it's ok.
I would argue that Walt is not Amoral. Because he sees himself as moral and ethical, and then chooses to do big style evil things, he's Immoral. And there is a huge difference between the two. BB is so much better written though and easier to sit through. I just don't find myself rooting for Walt in any way.
We're pretty simpatico on SoA though. I did use to think Jax might be redeemable but after the "ok, after all this other shit I'm gonna abandon my baby after-all" episode, I'm done with him.
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