Network television is going down the proverbial tubes, even by Fox’s standards.
While other networks have bombarded viewers with a steady diet of reality shows with everything from dancing to watching couch potatoes survive in the wild, Fox has introduced the American public to “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.” In doing so, Fox continues to make the mistake of beating a dead horse via the resurrection of previously successful sequels. The show has the same feeling as “Prison Break,” where the characters spend a season breaking out, only to end up in a dirtier prison somewhere in the middle of Mexico, thus giving them something to do through season two.
One amusing show that Fox has put together is “The Moment of Truth,” in which contestants are hooked up to a lie detector and must answer a series of questions “truthfully” in order to win $500,000. The catch is that — ala Fox — the questions are outlandish, inappropriate and are sure to cause break-ups and extreme awkwardness.
On the premier, a contestant was asked: “Do you think you’ve delayed having children because you’re not sure if Catia (his wife) will be your lifelong partner?” He answered “yes” and won the money for that round. He also found himself one step closer to divorce.
The biggest disappointment that has arisen from the writers’ strike is the lack of new episodes of “The Office.” That was the last good show left on TV. I am personally suffering severe Michael Scott-withdrawal. To cope with the loss, I have found myself saying “that’s what she said,” to every line imaginable, resulting in awkward confrontations with professors, teaching assistants and female friends who now refuse to tell me “I’m so sore” after coming back from the gym. The writers of “The Office” need to consider becoming scabs. The American public would respect them, if for no other reason than a decrease in the amount of air time that Howie Mandel’s bald head would get on a weekly basis.
With horrible shows sending ratings network-wide down the crapper, ABC is hoping that the brand new episodes of “LOST” will give their viewers something to watch besides an impossible “Dancing with the Stars” spin-off. One problem: they are still on the island. I loved this show during the first season, but it’s getting ridiculous. While flashbacks made the show amazingly original in the beginning, their current presence, in conjunction with the recent flash-forward gag, is quickly killing a once religiously followed and critically acclaimed program.
Even the likes of Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Conan O’Brien have found it difficult to put out the funny without the help of their faithful writers. Thankfully, though, their debate over who truly “made Mike Huckabee” came to an end via an all out brawl on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” Monday (see Will Min’s bewildered commentary on the incident). The only real winner was Huckabee who apparently used the “bump” to sweep the southern states on Super Tuesday and position himself for a run as John McCain’s bitch.