Does anyone else pre-judge a show by its network?

Well, I know I haven't touched History Channel programming ever since they became the "Alien conspiracies and doomsday prediction Channel." So a short and simple answer would be yes.

Ditto for what was once The Learning Channel. If it's on TLC, it's more likely to kill brain cells than nourish them.

No.

Maybe I don't watch enough TV to develop dislikes to certain networks.

Yes, definitely. Especially the SciFi Channel (or whatever they're calling themselves now). If it's an original series, I might give it a look. If it's an original movie, I only will watch if I've got a gang of friends and a keg of beer since those are only good for tearing apart and drinking games.

Channels are like publishers--they have their own style of things they do. Pay attention long enough, you'll see the style and know whether or not it's worth a blind try or not for you personally or not.

Jcomp said:

Does anyone else see consistency in terms of quality, tone or themes within a network's original programming?

Click to expand...

If it's debuting on Fox and it's a quality show, I assume it will get canceled.

... with news I avoid CNN because I'm tired of the way they dramatize news. For movies I stick to TCM because they play all the vintage movies I like. I really don't have any use for other stations. Some used to be fairly good, but of late they hardly ever play anything I'm into. Don't watch much tv as such. Better entertainment to be had from books.

For movies, I tend to stick with Turner Classic Movies channel. It used to be a toss up between them and AMC, but since AMC has turned to more modern movies, and commercials, they lost their appeal to me. The MGM network is quickly becoming a favorite...

SyFy channel, I wouldn't trust them to show a Bruce Campbell movie without screwing it up...

Fulk said:

Well, I know I haven't touched History Channel programming ever since they became the "Alien conspiracies and doomsday prediction Channel." So a short and simple answer would be yes.

Click to expand...

Seriously, man, what happened to the History Channel?

ER, no. I go by synopsis, reviews etc. Is it the sort of thing I like? Same as books. I don''t give a crap what channel it;s on - it gives no indication of quality. Same with books, there's a lot of pubs that put out stuff I don;t care for. Doesn't mean that blurb I like means the book will be awful. It means I don't like some of that pub's books. I may be more relucftant to look at the blurb...but I'll look anyway.

Zoombie said:

Seriously, man, what happened to the History Channel?

Click to expand...

Yeah, it's crap now. Back in the '90s we complained about it being "the Hitler Channel" but at least they were showing some sort of documentary. Now it's just drek, glamorizing gang life in Puckie Huddle, MO.

And don't get me started on crap like "American Pickers." They spend 30 minutes on two quite unlikeable guys going thru a barn and buying someone else's crap. That's entertainment? By that logic, I should've been able to make a feature-length film about my yardsale last weekend.

But I should admit, at least Discovery is spending a little less time on poop. Granted, it's now spent on that Mythbusters show with that guy with the walrus mustache, but it's still better than watching some guy crawl around a sewer while you're eating dinner.

I tend to completely avoid MTV and VH1. I liked the "I loved the (insert decade)" series on VH1 and MTV2 shows a new wrestling promotion that I like. But other than that, they tend to just show horrible reality shows. They're bad even by reality standards.

Oh and I'll second the comments on the History Channel. It's really gone down hill.

CBS. No thank you. I've never tuned in to that channel to watch anything, and I doubt I ever will. As they said in a joke on the revered show In Living Color, "CBS: 'cause all you see is BS."

I won't give anything on abc family a chance. sometimes I want to but then I just can't...

IMHO all their shows tend to be: corny, preachy, morally pompous, juvenile, unrealistic versions of the real world, etc.

If it's on Lifetime, there's a 99% chance it's about how horrible men are and how much men enjoy making women miserable.

BenPanced said:

If it's on Lifetime, there's a 99% chance it's about how horrible men are and how much men enjoy making women miserable.

Click to expand...

or crazy women... or sexually adventurous teens. they really branched out in the 2000's

defyalllogic said:

or crazy women... or sexually adventurous teens. they really branched out in the 2000's

Click to expand...

You mean they got away from female life-altering-trauma of the moment?

certainly not. i don't give a shit enough to know what network i'm watching. i have no idea what show is on what network. none. who cares. i watch something based solely on whether or not i like it. i couldn't even name half the networks.

I generally assume I will love anything on USA, when in fact, I don't, quite often. I think it's because I love L&A so much, which didn't even start out on USA.

No matter what anyone says, I think they all would make assumptions about a show created for the Disney Channel.

Celia Cyanide said:

No matter what anyone says, I think they all would make assumptions about a show created for the Disney Channel.

Click to expand...

QFT. I swear, the prerequisites for landing the lead on one of their live-action shows are a serious lack of personality and acting ability.

BenPanced said:

If it's on Lifetime, there's a 99% chance it's about how horrible men are and how much men enjoy making women miserable.

Click to expand...

Well...

defyalllogic said:

or crazy women... or sexually adventurous teens. they really branched out in the 2000's

Click to expand...

Hmmm. Lifetime, you say?

but seriously
em, not sure. bit I don't subscribe to too many cable channels - plus i always check on the net wha'ts on (episode in detail) first, so no surprises, plus i watch the same four shows most nights (Malcolm in the middle, 2/1 men, Frazier and Family Guy (occasionally an old Simpsons, even Friends -)

but as for new shows, maybe a little - though Glen Something DS is on Sky (Fox) and it's pretty good...

as for news, Sky if i want a giggle, otherwise channel 4 news.

ps without the free HBO successes we get over here and the Comedy channel I'd have to start dating again.

Lifetime is one of the first cable networks in the US geared towards a predominantly female demographic and has gone on to near legendary status for their made-for-TV movies. They cornered the market on "women in jeopardy" movies, which feature a woman who's being terrorized either by an intruder in their house, a husband, an ex-husband, a boyfriend, an ex-boyfriend, their boss, their father-in-law, their brother, their brother-in-law, the chief of police...you get the idea. It's very rare when they produce a comedy of some sort.

http://www.mylifetime.com/

Hmmm. Lifetime, you say?

Click to expand...

the kind of sexually adventurous teens that make pregnancy pacts and spread STDs through the school... (two separate movies)

Eh, not really. If it's a show or movie I want to see, I'll watch it. Otherwise, I won't. What network it's airing on makes no difference to me.

BenPanced said:

If it's on Lifetime, there's a 99% chance it's about how horrible men are and how much men enjoy making women miserable.

Click to expand...

Ah, the All Men Are Pigs Channel.