There are Golden Ages of American television. And there are dark ages of American television.
I'm here to declare that the 90's were a Golden Age of science fiction television in America
And the early 2000's was the fall of American television into darkness.
Some people have identified the early 2000's as a Golden Age of American television.
I don't want to be negative.
Really. I don't.
But that's the point.
Since about 2000 or so, American television has been way too negative.
Sure, scripts are well-plotted. All the technical aspects are brilliant.
But American television since about 2000 or so makes you want to kill yourself.
It is so dark and hopeless.
There is more to art than getting the technical stuff right.
There is feeling.
Spirit.
Hope.
You need to give people hope.
A well-plotted technically brilliant television show that makes you feel that we are living in hell is a bad television show.
The early 2000's was not a Golden Age of American television.
There were some fine comedies. A few standouts, at least. Big Bang Theory. The Office. In time, Modern family. But even many of the comedies were dark and cynical. But once you get past comedy... yeesh! All that dark giving in to despair. All that CSI gloom, often far worse than it was on CSI itself.
It was the beginning of an ongoing dark age of American television.
(It's spilled over into the British shows too. Doc Martin is a fine show intellectually, but it only has three emotions: irritation, anger, and embarrassment at feeling anything other than irritation and anger.)
I'm writing this hoping that more people and more artists will reject those values.
And those values are not realistic.
The world is not that horrible.
Sunny days and happiness really do happen!
And they will happen more if you look for them!
God loves you! God wants you to be happy!
Sincerely,
David S. Annderson
P.S. If you want to know more, these modern, early-2000's kind of television shows are playing mind games with you! They are constantly trying to prove that they are smarter than you, and baiting you to play along! That is not great art! They feel like they are constantly smirking at you, constantly thinking that you are stupid! What a useless, meaningless thing to do with your intelligence! Maybe they are smarter than you! Maybe they're smarter than me! But that is not great art! Great art makes you feel beautiful, amazing things! Great art makes you think deep meaningful things! While they are playing their mind games, how many meaningful things do they ever talk about? Let alone teach! All they are teaching is that they can make you feel bad because they are smart! That is not great art! Three's Company at least made you feel good!
P.P.S. You want television that gets all the things right that the early 2000's television is celebrated for, all those technical plots and intellectualism, but does not plunge you into darkness and endless despair but instead gives you hope? That's the Golden Age of science fiction television in the 90's- Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager and J Michael Straczynski's Babylon 5!