Censors**p

A couple of weeks ago I was watching "Pulp Fiction" on cable. My first viewing of this movie was on cable. The last few times that "I've watched it have been on DVD, but I didn't think much of it.That is until one of the characters started cursing. it trough me off when I hear silence instead of the curse word I had heard when I would watch the DVD version. It's almost like I had forgotten the censorship of words on television. This made me give some thought about it. 

I honestly don't understand the reason behind censoring certain words on television in this day and age. I can wrap my head around the reason why people began to do this. When television was invented people were more strict when it came to the media. Parents were upset at the fact that women in comic books were drawn with curves. This was surely a different time. There was no rating system for any content at that time. There was no way for inappropriate content to be shown to only certain age groups. It was just shuned away instead. 

We live in a very different time now. I don't understand who we're keeping these things away from anymore. Who is going to be offended by the foul language of "Pulp Fiction"? Children? If so, then why would you be showing them such a violent film in the first place. Some adults find using these words to be offensive, but there is no reason they would be watching this either. I can't think of a single person that would gasp at the sound of "Samuel L Jackson" dropping an "F Bomb", yet at the same time be alright with watching a man's head explode. 

There are certain channels that do let it all out. "HBO", "Starz", and "Showtime" can show whatever they want without any censors touching there content. Is this because these are extra channels? Channels that not everyone needs, but can be bought for an extra price. But can't you say the same about thing about most cable channels? Yet they do not have the privileges that the movies channels do. 

I simply want to know who we're protecting when we censor curse words. I feel that their aren't many people to protect anymore. Maybe I'm wrong and there are people out there who prefer their content censored for them. For now I'll just enjoy the content that television has provided me. Censored or not.

Tube Talk Recommends: Luther

It's no secret that "BBC America" has become more popular over the years. The credit of this channel's success goes to a few different shows that are widely popular around the world today. Arguably, the most popular of the bunch is "Doctor Who", which would be followed by "Sherlock" and "Top Gear" respectively. I'm not writing this to recommend those shows. That would be redundant, since those shows are already popular. Today I'm recommending my personal favorite "BBC" show, "Luther". 

I stumbled on to "Luther" last year when I was looking around "Netflix" out of bored'em. I had heard of the name before, but I had no idea what the show was about. That's when I decided to just jump into the show, blind. Not knowing what to expect, I was completely surprised with what I saw. "This was not just any crime show", i thought to myself. "Luther" was and still is like nothing I've ever seen before. 

"I can not recall ever seeing a pilot for a television show this well made. I don't think I have ever been invested into within the first 20 minutes of a show before." This is what running through my mind while watching the first episode of this revolutionary crime drama. There are only a handful of shows that I can hold up to this level. I'm not sure what I can describe about the show without giving anything away. It might be best to go in blind like I did. All you need to know is that the show is about the title character "John Luther", who has a very complicated life that gets involved with his career as a detective. 

In my opinion the buzz around this show should be larger then it is now. Up to this point it has only had brief glimpses in the spotlight with a couple of "Golden Globe" nominations and one win. The first two seasons of "Luther" can be found for stream on "Netflix". The third season is expected at the fourth quarter of this year.     

Streamin' In The U.S.A.

Last week I talked about the difference between network and cable dramas. In that blog post I had mentioned the low ratings, yet large of those cable shows. This may seem like a contradiction, but it actually isn't. This is due to the fact that a sizable number of people don't watch television, but still enjoy watching certain cable programs. This is where the popular and convenient choice of streaming comes in.

There are many websites and platforms where people can easily stream television shows and movies from. For some people this is a replacement a cable box or a satellite dish. Those people are tired of the old methods. They don't want to wait for a certain time every week to watch a show they enjoy. They want the power to watch it at anytime and with the help of smart phones/tablets, in any place.

The convenience and availability of streaming can be great. A lot of people enjoy the fact that they can watch an entire series at their own pace. No matter how quickly or slowly they want to watch their shows. For example: My family and I watched the entire first season of "American Horror Story" in a week. Streaming also helps people avoid the hurt of cancellation. What's the point of getting into a new show if it will be cancelled before the first season ends? Most shows gain a strong following before they're streamed, which helps avoid the fear of a show cancellation.

There are a lot of positive things about streaming, but I feel like there are just as many negatives. With more people turning away from traditional television, shows can be cancelled quicker because of even lower ratings. If you don't watch it when it airs, then how will it even reach "netflix" or "hulu"? In some cases it won't. Television shows can't grow without someone watching. 

For some this might be a positive. There are people that don't like any of the shows airing on the channels. Several companies out there understand this fact. "Netflix" and "Amazon" have already created shows that are only available through their services. The majority of viewers have stated that these are quality programs they are putting out. Does this mean that traditional networks will have to adapt to these ways? Can the internet take over as the main source for home media? Only time will tell.           

Tube Talk Recommends: Chowder

Welcome to "Tube Talk Recommends". Every Wednesday I will suggest a television show that is under rated, unknown, or simply forgotten. Every suggestion is available to stream right now. Let's get started.

Nowadays "Adventure Time" and "regular Show" are the talk of the town by "Cartoon Network" viewers. That is not hard to understand when one watches these shows for one's self. They are witty and completely original. Not so long ago there was a cartoon that was just as witty and original as these two are now. Some or even most may have forgotten about "Chowder". 

"Chowder" Premiered all the way back in the distant year of 2007. It aired for three strong seasons, which spanned over 49 episodes. The show starred a colorful cast of characters. Each with their own food inspired name. This includes the title character, Chowder. The premise of the cartoon revolved around Chowder learning how to become a chef from his boss and teacher, Mung Daal. 

When I first saw this show, I thought it was great and I still do to this day. I have never seen another show like it and I'm convinced that I never will. The jokes and characters alike were quirky and unreal at times. Each character had their own personality and comedy style. I never grew tired of them and they stayed fresh even through the final episode.

There is not a person out there that should pass this cartoon up. Especially one with such imagination and style. It will have you laughing for hours. The first season of "Chowder" is now available for stream on "Netflix".        

Batle Of The TV Dramas

For decades the big four (ABC, CBS, NBC, fox) have captivated audiences and promptly kept their attention. Men and women have spent many hours standing around the theoretical water cooler. They speak of the latest episode of a Television drama that they saw the night before. Perhaps an episode of CSI, Law & Order, or even the newest episode of Bones. This is the era of network dramas or shall I say it was?  

 The truth is I should be speaking in past tense. The networks no longer have the hold on audiences that they once did. We are now in the are of the cable drama. I think last year's "Emmy Award" nominations made that apparent. For the first time there weren't any network dramas in the "Best Drama" category. Every serious contender belonged to an established cable channel. 

Award voters aren't the only ones who have turned their backs on the networks. Strong fan following have also the former powerhouses for something else. You can see this at any convention you were to go to. People dressing up as characters from shows like: "The Walking Dead", "Game Of Thrones", or the extremely popular "Doctor Who". Sure, "Once Upon A Time has it's own strong fan base, but that is only one of many network dramas that are on the air today.

If, you were to simply compare the ratings, then it would seem that the networks were still on top. "MadMen" only gets a fraction of the viewers that shows on major networks do, but there is more to it than that. Even though "Madmen"s rating seem low in comparison, they still have the worlds attention. People still discuss it, parody it, and stream it more than they do with network shows. That is the difference between network and cable television at the moment. Cable gets people excited and they get people talking. 

It doesn't have to be like this. The big four can get the audiences and voters back. They just have to do something that is very hard for them. They have to change. People want to hear stories and follow characters. The networks tell situation not stories. Audiences don't want to watch a repetitive crime drama with nothing new to say. They want something new and refreshing.  All people want is a story that they can follow. Not the same situation re-shown every week. Until the networks realize that, they won't be seeing that "Emmy" nomination anytime soon.