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It’s Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO

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Re: It’s Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO

#21
post #4

I find interesting that HBO, a US TV network, has become a worldwide brand name in a way that CBS,[1] NBC, and ABC didn't; only BBC has also transcended its home country this way, and did so with a 50-year head start. To global audiences HBO is associated with Game of Thrones , The Sopranos , and other top-quality TV; The Last of Us seems to be on its way to adding to the list. Outside TV networks, I would count Disn…

> The Last of Us

I watched an episode and a half of that and gave up. Had enough of zombie movies. They're all the same.

Re: It’s Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO

#22
post #4

I find interesting that HBO, a US TV network, has become a worldwide brand name in a way that CBS,[1] NBC, and ABC didn't; only BBC has also transcended its home country this way, and did so with a 50-year head start. To global audiences HBO is associated with Game of Thrones , The Sopranos , and other top-quality TV; The Last of Us seems to be on its way to adding to the list. Outside TV networks, I would count Disn…

Network TV makes bad shows. They have a very different business model that basically boils down to ease of access where HBO is trying to differentiate their content.

Re: It’s Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO

#23

I am a fan of hbo, and have been for a long time, but I do miss the adult content: sexo urbano, showgirls: glitz and angst, taxicab confessions, etc. I vote to bring that back.

It's mostly a generational gap. A lot of us grew up in an environment where it would be a national scandal and the FCC would open an investigation if someone said a bad word on TV. The main allure of the shows you mention was their taboo nature. Ask anyone under 30 today if they want the same, and they'll shrug and go "if it makes sense in the script, sure".

Re: It’s Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO

#24
post #4

I find interesting that HBO, a US TV network, has become a worldwide brand name in a way that CBS,[1] NBC, and ABC didn't; only BBC has also transcended its home country this way, and did so with a 50-year head start. To global audiences HBO is associated with Game of Thrones , The Sopranos , and other top-quality TV; The Last of Us seems to be on its way to adding to the list. Outside TV networks, I would count Disn…

> The Last of Us I watched an episode and a half of that and gave up. Had enough of zombie movies. They're all the same.

You miss out a lot. There is barely any zombies in the show. It deals mostly with things that would occur between human in the context of apocalypse. Distrust and love, losing a loved one in an instant and the following despair, not giving up and loneliness when no one can afford to care, and revenge and other stuff. It’s mostly a character story, and there are barely action scenes.

Re: It’s Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO

#25
post #4

I find interesting that HBO, a US TV network, has become a worldwide brand name in a way that CBS,[1] NBC, and ABC didn't; only BBC has also transcended its home country this way, and did so with a 50-year head start. To global audiences HBO is associated with Game of Thrones , The Sopranos , and other top-quality TV; The Last of Us seems to be on its way to adding to the list. Outside TV networks, I would count Disn…

> The Last of Us I watched an episode and a half of that and gave up. Had enough of zombie movies. They're all the same.

I felt the same after episode one. That changed by end of episode 2. I too am zombied out, but this show is fantastic.

Re: It’s Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO

#26
post #5

I am a fan of hbo, and have been for a long time, but I do miss the adult content: sexo urbano, showgirls: glitz and angst, taxicab confessions, etc. I vote to bring that back.

Twitter and Reddit have shown that the population doesn't care if porn is mixed in with everything else. It's fine, it's fun, and it's harmless. The American WASP prudishness needs to die. We love our violence in film and drama. We should love our sexuality too. Game of Thrones was better for it.

> the population doesn't care if porn is mixed in with everything else

Good luck bringing that up at the water cooler at work.

Re: It’s Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO

#27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The Last of Us I watched an episode and a half of that and gave up. Had enough of zombie movies. They're all the same.

You miss out a lot. There is barely any zombies in the show. It deals mostly with things that would occur between human in the context of apocalypse. Distrust and love, losing a loved one in an instant and the following despair, not giving up and loneliness when no one can afford to care, and revenge and other stuff. It’s mostly a character story, and there are barely action scenes.

I'm just sick of apocalypses, zombie or otherwise.

Re: It’s Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO

#28
post #6
post #4

I find interesting that HBO, a US TV network, has become a worldwide brand name in a way that CBS,[1] NBC, and ABC didn't; only BBC has also transcended its home country this way, and did so with a 50-year head start. To global audiences HBO is associated with Game of Thrones , The Sopranos , and other top-quality TV; The Last of Us seems to be on its way to adding to the list. Outside TV networks, I would count Disn…

Also Silicon Valley!

ATT fired all the old HBO leadership, so I have doubts if they maintain the quality of shows they used to.

Also, the new leaders at Discovery have a track record of saturating their viewers with shitty, low quality reality style shows.

Re: It’s Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO

#29
post #4

I find interesting that HBO, a US TV network, has become a worldwide brand name in a way that CBS,[1] NBC, and ABC didn't; only BBC has also transcended its home country this way, and did so with a 50-year head start. To global audiences HBO is associated with Game of Thrones , The Sopranos , and other top-quality TV; The Last of Us seems to be on its way to adding to the list. Outside TV networks, I would count Disn…

> The Last of Us I watched an episode and a half of that and gave up. Had enough of zombie movies. They're all the same.

I'd estimate there's been a total of about 5 minutes of scenes with zombies in the last... 3 episodes?

Re: It’s Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO

#30
post #5

I am a fan of hbo, and have been for a long time, but I do miss the adult content: sexo urbano, showgirls: glitz and angst, taxicab confessions, etc. I vote to bring that back.

Twitter and Reddit have shown that the population doesn't care if porn is mixed in with everything else. It's fine, it's fun, and it's harmless. The American WASP prudishness needs to die. We love our violence in film and drama. We should love our sexuality too. Game of Thrones was better for it.

Game of Thrones got a little too "rapey" for many (myself included).
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