I got into an argument with Tom last night about television. How he and many others can watch so much of it and then REWATCH it on DVD is beyond absurd to me. I would rather watch movies, which (to me) are more thoughtful, deliberate, and provocative.

People who make television dramas are usually people who would like to work in movies but aren't good enough to do so. They are usually people who USED to be sought-after movie actors whose careers are seeking revitalization in the TV business just to get some regular work. It is junior varsity.

Granted, there have been improvements in television and there even have been some great television shows, but with the expansion of networks and television programming, the overwhelming majority of things on television are pure crap.

And watching crap makes me feel stupid. And I hate feeling stupid.
Movies have more permanence. Nobody is going to remember "that one episode of House" ten years from now. Nobody is going to care about most of the LAW & ORDER or CSI spin-offs. People remember movies. Movies make characters that resonate with people and change their lives.

The only thing that ever brought me to tears on television was when Hulk Hogan lost the belt to King Kong Bundy. I was eleven and I hid it from the rest of my family.

Movies dig deeper. They say more in less time. They tell truths in new ways. They have the ability to do things that TV shows CANT do, like wild stunts, expensive CGI, and incredible feats of artistry that people in television wish they had the opportunity to do in the movies.

Most of what I see in television is a reflection of what I see in the movies, an attempt to capture in a small square box what I saw in cinematic color and splendor.

Of course, with the advancement of HDTV even total crap shows like CSI Miami look good. I can't help but glance in on the show when I flip through the channels because it looks so awesome in HD. Watch these three clips and you will see what I am talking about.






Twin Peaks Season 2 comes out on DVD soon. That one I will watch, because it was ground-breaking. It is because of that show that great shows like The X-files, Lost, Six Feet Under, Heroes and countless others even exist.

This led me to think that there are other shows that were good, too. But the sea of crap is so deep, that finding a morsel of food that isn't covered in poop is nearly impossible.

So, I came up with a list of shows that I thought were worth watching.
1. Twin Peaks. The thing that made this TV show so groundbreaking and cool was that it was made by a real filmmaker. A movie guy that made TV shows. He was really the first of his kind. It was short-lived but it ended where crap-shows like Lost should have--with an ending to the story.
2. Dark Angel. James Cameron's venture into television with new starlet, Jessical Alba. The action was great and she was smokin hot. It was futuristic and dark. Awesome
3. 24 (season 1 only) It was ground-breaking and awesome at the time. But, just like any other cash-cow, it was played up over and over again until it lost its flavor.
4. The Wire (HBO). Here was a great show that showed the underbelly of life in the inner-city. Whether you liked it or not it really showed you how real life is for these kids in these gangs and how life is for drug-addicts and how politicians and police play a big part in all of it.
5. The Sopranos. Even though I never got totally into it, I appreciated the originality of the characters in this kind of story, the relationship the main character had with his therapist, and all the dynamics of the family life of the mobster.
6. The X-Files. Yes, David Duchovney and Gillian Anderson are making a second movie! Thanks to the hole left in our hearts after Twin Peaks ended the X-files made another quirky FBI investigations show that made us "WANT TO BELIEVE" that "THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE!"
7. Law and Order: Criminal Intent (only. none of the other versions of the show and only seasons with Vincent Donofrio). This show featured an incredible actor playing a likable character who viewed crimes from a different angle.
8. The Office. A docucomedy that made me gut-laugh. It explores the office, the politics and relationships involved in the business environment. It really exploits every quirk and frustration that is involved with working with other people.
9. South Park. The cartoon with balls. It took everything that was good about the Simpsons (irreverant social commentary, cultural criticisms, etc.) and gave it teeth. What was great about this show was how popular actors and artists would try to get guest parts on the show (George Clooney who played the dog) would also get destroyed by the show on a regular basis.
10. The Chapelle Show. This was so funny to me because it made fun of modern racism. It also ended when the creator felt like it was off track.


Then I also have a list of modern shows that have promise but I just haven't had time to watch.
Jericho
Pushing Up Daisies
Dexter

TV has the advantage that it reaches more people much more cheaply but in the end it is mostly drivel that keeps you awake and disengaged from your mind just long enough to get you to bed without killing yourself.