SPOILER WARNING: Prestige Television Discussion

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

I reckon there's a lot of prestigious television out there.

Its the Golden Age!

[atomic]

I don't hate gay men. What would give you that idea? I never claimed to be straight myself.

Yes, but it's not the 1970's anymore.

I've yet to hear an attractive gay man deny that assertion. We've got quite a few gay guys on this forum. Any comments?

that show is too gay . . . even for me.   oy vey.

Have you watched Looking?  Good? 

Its not bad but it continues to play up the stereotype that all homosexual men are indiscriminate hyper-sexual nymphos.

Same is true of attractive straight men.

Do you hate gay men because they get laid and you don't?

I would say you seem to by far the most anti-gay board member.

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

I would say you seem to by far the most anti-gay board member.

RatBastard?

[atomic]

Archer sucked again last night.  I am about to give up on it.  This whole season has been lame so far.  I did like the last episode of how I met your mother but when is he going to meet her?  Geez there are only a few shows left.

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

I did like the last episode of how I met your mother but when is he going to meet her?  Geez there are only a few shows left.

I know you've been fishing for this response for a few weeks, but you do understand HIMYM is pretty much the exact opposite of prestige television, yes?

[atomic]

I would say you seem to by far the most anti-gay board member.

RatBastard?

RatBastard doesn't complain about the gays getting married on TV.  Or how they are all whoremongers.

[atomic]

I did like the last episode of how I met your mother but when is he going to meet her?  Geez there are only a few shows left.

I know you've been fishing for this response for a few weeks, but you do understand HIMYM is pretty much the exact opposite of prestige television, yes?

It is the best show on TV.  Isn't that what prestige television means?  Don't tell me you watch lame ass bbc shows.

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

 Or how they are all whoremongers.

All gays hang around with prostitutes? Who has made that claim?

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

It is the best show on TV.  Isn't that what prestige television means?  Don't tell me you watch lame ass bbc shows.

Prestige television is a term used for highly stylized, "challenging" television shows, generally dramas, that only can reasonably hope to survive financially on pay-cable or an FX/AMC/Sundance style cable network. Examples of programs described in the press as prestige television would include Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Girls, Game Of Thrones, The Bridge, Top Of The Lake, Homeland, The Amerikans, Justified, Boardwalk Empire, etc.

Virtually no program on a broadcast network is considered prestige television as they're designed not to challenge a small, artsier audience but rather the broadest possible audience possible. HIMYM or Big Bang Theory would be considered literally the exact opposite of prestige television.

Other than Downton Abbey on PBS, I don't watch any BBC programing, although I would be interested in seeing that Black Mirror everyone is talking about (but I don't have DirecTv).

[atomic]

It is the best show on TV.  Isn't that what prestige television means?  Don't tell me you watch lame ass bbc shows.

Prestige television is a term used for highly, stylized "challenging" television shows, generally dramas, that only can survive financially on pay-cable or an FX/AMC/Sundance style cable network. Examples of programs described as prestige television would include Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Girls, Game Of Thrones, The Bridge, Top Of The Lake, Homeland, The Amerikans, Justified, Boardwalk Empire, etc.

Virtually no program on a broadcast network is considered prestige television as they're designed not to challenge a small, artsier audience but rather the broadest possible audience possible. HIMYM or Big Bang Theory would be considered literally the exact opposite of prestige television.

Other than Downton Abbey on PBS, I don't watch any BBC programing, although I would be interested in seeing that Black Mirror everyone is talking about (but I don't have DirecTv).

The only show that you mentioned that doesn't suck is Girls.  I think we can have our own definitions of what Prestige televison.  I think most of the shows you list are just bad HBO shows.  Downton Abbey is a badly done Soap Opera.  None of the shows listed would I consider Artsy.

I do like Big Bang Theory. It is funny. Do you not have a sense of humour, Julian?

[ggw]

Don't tell me you watch lame ass bbc shows.

Top Gear (the British version) is the best show on TV.

[K8teebug]

I'm with Julian.

although you should also be watching Sherlock.  And Orphan Black (which is more guilty pleasure, but still awesome)

[atomic]

I'm with Julian.

although you should also be watching Sherlock.  And Orphan Black (which is more guilty pleasure, but still awesome)

Sherlock is god-awful.  I want to punch that guy in the face.

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

The only show that you mentioned that doesn't suck is Girls.  I think we can have our own definitions of what Prestige televison.  I think most of the shows you list are just bad HBO shows.  Downton Abbey is a badly done Soap Opera.  None of the shows listed would I consider Artsy.

I do like Big Bang Theory. It is funny. Do you not have a sense of humour, Julian?

I didn't say I didn't like HIMYM or Big Bang Theory. They're excellent at accomplishing what they're trying to do.  I simply said they're not prestige television. Its not a term I made up, that's the accepted way its used by TV critics. Its not intended to mean "these are the best shows on TV," actually it started with a negative connotation that these shows had a certain "prestige" to watching them (e.g. that someone could brag and attempt to look intellectual by saying they watch Top Of The Lake, etc) among certain people who fancied themselves elitists.

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

Also, for the record, I think some of the shows I listed that are prestige television are awful, personally. I can't make it through ten minutes of Game Of Thrones, for example.