When I was a kid and we didn't have cable, Sci-Fi/Syfy always sounded like a channel I'd love to watch, but now I actually loathe everything it airs. At least MTV has Teen Wolf, which is a decent, always intriguing romp, miles above anything else they spew out.
No Right Answer: Most Disappointing Television Channel
- Thread starter Firefilm
- Start date
Recommended Videos
MTV is in a pretty sad state atm. They cater to all the teens, dudebros, and swagaholics without giving much thought to the music and if they do it's in the early hours of the morning when nobody is up anyways.
Channels that are ruined for me is G4TV, fucking Cops, Ninja Warrior, and Cheaters all the time. WHERE'S THE GAMES?!?!
Cartoon Network... well I suppose it's fine but I don't like the new cartoons. Plus their live action stuff is complete crap.
Haven't watched Disney in years so can't comment.
Discovery is getting kind of... eh but I still enjoy it for the Mythbuster marathons they have every now and then.
Channels that are ruined for me is G4TV, fucking Cops, Ninja Warrior, and Cheaters all the time. WHERE'S THE GAMES?!?!
Cartoon Network... well I suppose it's fine but I don't like the new cartoons. Plus their live action stuff is complete crap.
Haven't watched Disney in years so can't comment.
Discovery is getting kind of... eh but I still enjoy it for the Mythbuster marathons they have every now and then.
Ummm.... Syfy is amazeballs. It's one of the only clear nerd hubs on cable, so it gets my undying love. UNDYING.
EDIT: Just wanna say... think they switched from Sci-Fi to SyFy because it was obvious that they already had content that was not specifically science fiction.
EDIT: Just wanna say... think they switched from Sci-Fi to SyFy because it was obvious that they already had content that was not specifically science fiction.
Hands down MTV is the bigger disappointment. I mean as Dan and Kyle said...... "Everyone watched MTV" and " It was a longer fall." Those two reasons alone gain it the spot of winner, or in this case, loser.
I think this thread should have come with a poll of: "When was the last time you watched MTV?"
I miss watching Guns & Roses Welcome to the Jungle on MTV, that was cool. Snookie? UMMM REALLY!!!!?????
I think this thread should have come with a poll of: "When was the last time you watched MTV?"
I miss watching Guns & Roses Welcome to the Jungle on MTV, that was cool. Snookie? UMMM REALLY!!!!?????
Crappy Sci-Fi movies are great drinking movies. Warehouse 13, Alphas, and Eureka are great shows and they really do good work with their mini-series.
It exists, but it's not really what it used to be. It's still got the Star Trek series, Stargate series, and various other current/recent sci-fi shows, so I'd say it's doing a lot better than syfy. But I kind of liked Space a lot more back when it first came on the air. Back when they were brand new, they didn't seem to have a big budget and didn't have the license to show a lot of current shows, so instead they showed all of the Star Treks, some then current sci-fi TV, and then the rest was all kinds of 15-50 year old sci-fi TV and movies. A lot of the movies especially were fairly obscure genre pieces and it was awesome. I was exposed to so much stuff I never even knew existed in the first few years the channel was on the air. And it used to have short interview/science news segments which were really cool in between shows too.IamLEAM1983 said:
Now it's the place I go to watch Stargate and Star Trek re-runs when nothing else is on.
MTV brought back Beavis and Butt-head and it was actually better than it used to be. That gives MTV one show that I'm interested in and they did it right. SyFy just has nothing for me and I love sci fi.
I was going to post this. As a history enthusiast the fall of the History Channel has been painful to watch, Discovery is on its way too, but they at least have Mythbusters and Shark Week to hold them afloat. I mean the History channel hasn't been great for quite awhile, it seemed like for most of the last decade the only thing they decided to show was World War II documentaries, but at least that's something. Looking at their current lineup, it's fucking embarrassing, Ice Road Truckers, Pawn Stars, Axmen, and lest we forget... Ancient Aliens *shudders*.Drazi said:
Growing up in Canada we didn't have MTV, we had MuchMusic which actually was pretty good, in the sense that you didn't have to pay extra to watch music videos. They would just show the godawful crap that was popular at the time, but given the Canadian Content Law you did at least occasionally get glimpses of good stuff like The Gandharvas. VJ George Stroumboulpoulos also made damn sure to include a lot of good stuff on when he ran MuchLOUD and even The Wedge had some good stuff.
Still I think it should be said that there were some really good TV shows that originated on MTV like Beavis and Butthead, Celebrity Deathmatch, Clone High, and my personal favourite, Undergrads, which is easily the most truthful depiction of college life I have ever seen.
As for the Sci-Fi channel... well besides offering up the occasional cult horror movie (where I first saw Dagon), I don't think the channel has ever been anything other than it is now, a dumping ground for bad original movies and the occasional decent TV series.
Man, was I excited to see this debate, as both networks are completely disappointing.
However, in a pure debate stand-point, the Sci-Fi side lost me. Why? Because my favorite era of Sci-Fi was the MST3K era, when it was more about showing movies and classic science fiction shows. In fact, the Sci-fi original series that were used as a crux of the argument are the very thing that I feel led us to where the Sci-Fi channel is now.
Likewise, I feel that MTV never really disappointed me as much as MTV2. By the time I had cable in my youth, MTV was already on the downslide. However, MTV2 was pretty awesome. I discovered many of the underground punk/metal/alternative bands I still listen to today from MTV2. Like was mentioned, it was the same downfall, but MTV2 was timed closest to my musical formative years, so I'm more personally affected by its suck-ening.
I respect the outcome of the video.
However, in a pure debate stand-point, the Sci-Fi side lost me. Why? Because my favorite era of Sci-Fi was the MST3K era, when it was more about showing movies and classic science fiction shows. In fact, the Sci-fi original series that were used as a crux of the argument are the very thing that I feel led us to where the Sci-Fi channel is now.
Likewise, I feel that MTV never really disappointed me as much as MTV2. By the time I had cable in my youth, MTV was already on the downslide. However, MTV2 was pretty awesome. I discovered many of the underground punk/metal/alternative bands I still listen to today from MTV2. Like was mentioned, it was the same downfall, but MTV2 was timed closest to my musical formative years, so I'm more personally affected by its suck-ening.
I respect the outcome of the video.
I'd go with G4; it actually had quite a few video game-related shows, and now it has only one video-game-related anything (which may itself be headed down the toilet soon), and a whole lot of Cops and random other things that don't have any possible connection to games. Cartoon Network probably shows more video game-oriented material.
Sy-fy has sci-fi on it, even if most of it's terrible, and MTV has always had a pop culture component to it (it's just that pop culture itself has gone down the drain a bit in recent years), so the existing content on them now is at least tangentally relevant to what they should be showing, even if the quality has taken a nosedive.
Sy-fy has sci-fi on it, even if most of it's terrible, and MTV has always had a pop culture component to it (it's just that pop culture itself has gone down the drain a bit in recent years), so the existing content on them now is at least tangentally relevant to what they should be showing, even if the quality has taken a nosedive.
Quebec's got Canal Z as well, but it's like Paramount never pushed for the Trek series to be dubbed. I don't mind watching Trek stuff on other English-speaking channels, but I'm kinda curious to see if and how they dubbed Benjamin Sisko and Kathryn Janeway. Z's production company, Astral, tends to mostly option dubbed BBC material for some reason.Vivi22 said:
So I've got Torchwood, Doctor Who, Being Human and Sherlock - nevermind that it doesn't really fit in with Sci-Fi material. We otherwise tend to get failed series that are more or less disowned by their parent comapanies and licensed off for cheap. Like, say, Painkiller Jane amd XIII.
It's gone to the point where if I'm sure a series has been critically panned and is up for a swift cancellation in the States or Albion, Canal Z's going to pick it up and label it as one of its "hot new acquisitions" by the end of the fiscal year.
Which makes it a small wonder why nobody picked up the Dresden Files series. Damn, did I want this project to work. Jim Butcher deserves better.
I've never liked Mtv it always sucked. for my whole lifetime it was never anything but worthless, self important, vapid fluff, and that hasn't changed.
but Sci-Fi used to be awesome! all my favorite shows were on that channel, but now it sucks so hard that I don't even look to see what's on.
but Sci-Fi used to be awesome! all my favorite shows were on that channel, but now it sucks so hard that I don't even look to see what's on.
I really used to like History Channel. Then I switched over to History International when the regular History channel got so bad with stupid shows like "Ancient Aliens" and all the reality TV junk. Then they renamed History International to H2, then it quickly went downhill after that. Common dammit! I watch you because it's HISTORY!!!!
I can't tell you how much I despise "Ancient Aliens." Discovery is headed down that path too.
I can't tell you how much I despise "Ancient Aliens." Discovery is headed down that path too.
Much music out of canada was way better than mtv even when mtv was decent, concerts (live portishead was awesome ty much music), good music, heavy metal blocks, etc. all the things mtv rarely or never did or quit doing years before. many some of you candaians can shed some light if much music is still going and if it sucks or not anymore.
reality tv is cheap, it is why so many stations just went full bore reality, fewer writers, fewer costs for lighting, crew, catering etc etc.
getting rid of headbangers ball and the advent of the real world killed mtv, and those of us that found lest the first few seasons of trw somewhat fun to watch. then we got road rules then we got 100 other reality shows and less and less music as time went on.
scifi had wrestling before the name change, scifi had bad movies before the name change, scifi let its good shows die out..SGU specifically, that show was good, do not care what the rabid sg1 fans because it was not stargate, it was solid scifi, good characters, and got killed just when it was getting really interesting, and was miles better than atlantis which was just trying to recreate sg1 characters and plot wise. never forgive or forget
.
discovery and history channels are going downhill fast, my favorite channels for doing nothing was a mix of discovery, science, history, and news channels, now its just flipping the channels trying to find something that wont make my brain rot watching it.
reality tv is cheap, it is why so many stations just went full bore reality, fewer writers, fewer costs for lighting, crew, catering etc etc.
getting rid of headbangers ball and the advent of the real world killed mtv, and those of us that found lest the first few seasons of trw somewhat fun to watch. then we got road rules then we got 100 other reality shows and less and less music as time went on.
scifi had wrestling before the name change, scifi had bad movies before the name change, scifi let its good shows die out..SGU specifically, that show was good, do not care what the rabid sg1 fans because it was not stargate, it was solid scifi, good characters, and got killed just when it was getting really interesting, and was miles better than atlantis which was just trying to recreate sg1 characters and plot wise. never forgive or forget
.discovery and history channels are going downhill fast, my favorite channels for doing nothing was a mix of discovery, science, history, and news channels, now its just flipping the channels trying to find something that wont make my brain rot watching it.
I will have to agree with the episode's judgement. Why?
Because MTV was/is global - 'syfy' channel isn't. A lot of young people in europe, asia, even africa know of MTV.
I remember when I was... what? 11? (around 15 years ago) sitting in my parents living room, watching music videos. That was awesome!
now?
A while ago at my college dorm in the common room I walked by as a girl was watching some 'reality'-ish show on MTV. I hadn't watched MTV in over a decade.
Curious, I sat down and watched. And it was a true horror.
it was dating-show kind of deal, never got the name of it. A guido and some normal looking guy were both hot for a girl, set in some generic east coast not-south suburb. girl can't decide. So she does the derpy mtv thing and has the two guys come stay with her, her mother and her aunt for the weekend - so the mother and the aunt can judge the two and pick a winner
at first this didn't seem that bad... but damn, it got bad. we're talking ME3 ending bad.
first the two guys were sat down and given a CSI style interogation. basic stuff. then the two guys were made to do some gardening. guido didn't like getting his hands dirty, other guy was ok with it.
next day the producer of the show obviously took acid. because the aunt was a clown (not working for a circus, she just liked to dress up as one...) and had the two guys dress up as circus clowns - the giant shoes, rainbow afro wig (cirkus afro!), makeup
the guido up and left when tasked with this. as would any sane man
normal guy did as told, was then transported to some strip mall where he and the aunt clowned around and waved at cars driving by
the final act was the aunt and mother giving final judgement. this was done in the form of giving the remaining guy a key. if it opened the front door he was in, if it didn't he was out.
now, since there was only one guy left this should be a no brainer - right?
remember when I said ME3 ending?
they gave him the bad key. He was judged not worthy.
the show ended with the girl shouting at her mother and aunt for being stupid idiots for not thinking that the cute guy should date her, then storming off to her room. roll credits
I can't imagine the insanity that went into this. now, being a european (scandinavian no less) I've never my self seen a family where the parents exert right to choose who their kids date. sure, my parents have adviced me and my sister sternly not to date any unsavory or criminal individuals - but this?
and doing it on television?
in clown shoes?
the show, to me, appeared more to be a about how far can the mother and aunt could take the two would-be boyfriends - I mean, if I was ever given the ultimatum by some girl's mother "dress up as a cirkus clown and parade around town or you can't date my daughter" I'd call for a psych-eval and a straight jacket for her.
Because MTV was/is global - 'syfy' channel isn't. A lot of young people in europe, asia, even africa know of MTV.
I remember when I was... what? 11? (around 15 years ago) sitting in my parents living room, watching music videos. That was awesome!
now?
A while ago at my college dorm in the common room I walked by as a girl was watching some 'reality'-ish show on MTV. I hadn't watched MTV in over a decade.
Curious, I sat down and watched. And it was a true horror.
it was dating-show kind of deal, never got the name of it. A guido and some normal looking guy were both hot for a girl, set in some generic east coast not-south suburb. girl can't decide. So she does the derpy mtv thing and has the two guys come stay with her, her mother and her aunt for the weekend - so the mother and the aunt can judge the two and pick a winner
at first this didn't seem that bad... but damn, it got bad. we're talking ME3 ending bad.
first the two guys were sat down and given a CSI style interogation. basic stuff. then the two guys were made to do some gardening. guido didn't like getting his hands dirty, other guy was ok with it.
next day the producer of the show obviously took acid. because the aunt was a clown (not working for a circus, she just liked to dress up as one...) and had the two guys dress up as circus clowns - the giant shoes, rainbow afro wig (cirkus afro!), makeup
the guido up and left when tasked with this. as would any sane man
normal guy did as told, was then transported to some strip mall where he and the aunt clowned around and waved at cars driving by
the final act was the aunt and mother giving final judgement. this was done in the form of giving the remaining guy a key. if it opened the front door he was in, if it didn't he was out.
now, since there was only one guy left this should be a no brainer - right?
remember when I said ME3 ending?
they gave him the bad key. He was judged not worthy.
the show ended with the girl shouting at her mother and aunt for being stupid idiots for not thinking that the cute guy should date her, then storming off to her room. roll credits
I can't imagine the insanity that went into this. now, being a european (scandinavian no less) I've never my self seen a family where the parents exert right to choose who their kids date. sure, my parents have adviced me and my sister sternly not to date any unsavory or criminal individuals - but this?
and doing it on television?
in clown shoes?
the show, to me, appeared more to be a about how far can the mother and aunt could take the two would-be boyfriends - I mean, if I was ever given the ultimatum by some girl's mother "dress up as a cirkus clown and parade around town or you can't date my daughter" I'd call for a psych-eval and a straight jacket for her.
Personally, I'm a HUGE Sci-Fi nut. And, once upon a time, Sci-Fi channel was swimming in quality Sci-Fi shows, both older gems like Twilight Zone, Star Trek, and Outer Limit, but lots of new programming, like Battlestar Galactica, Farscape, Stargate, and more.
But now? Seriously, if I want to turn to a channel proudly showing quality Sci-Fi programming, where to do I turn? At least MTV was made obsolete by Youtube, but when you want original Sci-Fi programming, what do you do?
I mean, seriously. If Sci-Fi Channel wanted to, they could create the most kick-ass Sci-Fi line-up of all time. Just imagine a channel dedicated only to showing and promoting Star Trek (all incarnations), Star Wars, Farscape, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly/Serenity, Terminator: Sarah Conners Chronicles, Futurama, Stargate, Doctor Who, Earth: Final Conflict, V: The Series, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Outer Limits, Twilight Zone, MST3K, Lost in Space, The Bionic Woman, My Favorite Martian, The Jetsons, Andromeda, Quantum Leap, Dark Angel, Flash Gordon, Logan's Run, Sliders, Tripping the Rift, Babylon 5, X-Files...
... And if they wanted to dip their toe into Japan's pool, we could add in everything ranging from Power Rangers and Ultraman to Gundam and Robotech/Macross to Evangelion and Appleseed, Ghost in the Shell, and Cowboy Bebop.
I would watch the living hell out of an actual sci-fi channel line-up again... but, alas, we got Syfy (which sounds like venereal disease) and WRESTLING.
But now? Seriously, if I want to turn to a channel proudly showing quality Sci-Fi programming, where to do I turn? At least MTV was made obsolete by Youtube, but when you want original Sci-Fi programming, what do you do?
I mean, seriously. If Sci-Fi Channel wanted to, they could create the most kick-ass Sci-Fi line-up of all time. Just imagine a channel dedicated only to showing and promoting Star Trek (all incarnations), Star Wars, Farscape, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly/Serenity, Terminator: Sarah Conners Chronicles, Futurama, Stargate, Doctor Who, Earth: Final Conflict, V: The Series, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Outer Limits, Twilight Zone, MST3K, Lost in Space, The Bionic Woman, My Favorite Martian, The Jetsons, Andromeda, Quantum Leap, Dark Angel, Flash Gordon, Logan's Run, Sliders, Tripping the Rift, Babylon 5, X-Files...
... And if they wanted to dip their toe into Japan's pool, we could add in everything ranging from Power Rangers and Ultraman to Gundam and Robotech/Macross to Evangelion and Appleseed, Ghost in the Shell, and Cowboy Bebop.
I would watch the living hell out of an actual sci-fi channel line-up again... but, alas, we got Syfy (which sounds like venereal disease) and WRESTLING.
I loved this episode. Was a bit worried with the idea that Chris would be out, but I'm now convinced Dan could be a worthy replacement!