Okay, the question of the day is not "How do we solve the crisis in the Middle East?" or "How do we fix the global economy?", but rather "When did popular culture jump the shark for Gilligan?". It's actually a pretty interesting thought - let me map it out for you.
The 1970's
I literally lapped up everything pop culture had to offer.
I loved everything in the theaters: Grease, Star Wars, Smokey and the Bandit, Superman, Escape to Witch Mountain... I loved it all. I was similarly satisfied with TV- I watched everything from In Search of... to Sanford & Son and was begging for more. And don't get me started on the music. Whether it was my dad's Steely Dan in the car, or The Bee Gees on the radio, I was perfectly happy and would have never dreamed of complaining about the state of popular music.
The 1980's
I continue to mindlessly gorge at the pop culture trough without even taking a breath.
For the duration of this decade, I still had no real complaints in terms of what theaters had to offer. I happily went to see Ghostbusters, Gremlins, Friday the 13th Part V, and The Breakfast Club. I adopted the styles without question - I unashamedly wore Swatches, parachute pants, and a big puffy acid washed jeans jacket. I had no beef with the boob tube: Family Ties, Night Court, MTV, and Silver Spoons were A-O-K with me. The music was great too- I went through various phases (heavy metal and new wave) but there was plenty of good stuff in each niche to keep me happy.
The early 1990's
Yes, I'm still devouring pop culture without the slightest hint of dissatisfaction. I loved The X-Files, Twin Peaks, Seinfeld, MST3K, 3rd Rock from the Sun, and Friends. Grunge music and even hip-hop was cool with me.
The mid to late 1990'sKA-BLAM!!
Once Kurt Cobain died, I basically stopped listening to contemporary music. I'm not sure why, it might've happened around this time anyway, but the radio was turned off in April 1994. I hung on to a few musicians, but the thrill was gone. I started rediscovering the 1970's in 1995 and that was all she wrote.
Cheers was cancelled in 1993 and once the X-Files movie came out, it killed my love for the show entirely. Friends started getting lame, and I never got on board with the whole reality show craze. Seinfeld literally became the last show I still could enjoy, and once that was cancelled, the TV went off.
I'm not sure if cinema ever really jumped the shark for me. I certainly much prefer movies from the 1970's to today's selection, but there's still seems to be plenty of good stuff out there.
I think my story is probably similar to a lot of people my age. I certainly wasn't the only kid who gobbled up movies, TV and music in the 70's and 80's like no tomorrow. How many kids do you know who have discerning tastes? None. And I think it's only natural to become a bit more discerning and critical in adulthood. One thing that's not natural, however, is my deep and abiding passion for the 1970s, but that's another story...
One last thing, lest you get the impression I'm just a cranky curmudgeon always bitching about new shows and music. Not in the least - I prefer stuff from the 1970's, but that's not to say I'm not open to new things. For instance, The IT Crowd (2006 -) is one of the most hilarious shows I've ever seen - a perfect example of why it's important to keep yourself open, while at the same time maintaining a love for our pop culture past. Amen.
The 1970'sI literally lapped up everything pop culture had to offer.
I loved everything in the theaters: Grease, Star Wars, Smokey and the Bandit, Superman, Escape to Witch Mountain... I loved it all. I was similarly satisfied with TV- I watched everything from In Search of... to Sanford & Son and was begging for more. And don't get me started on the music. Whether it was my dad's Steely Dan in the car, or The Bee Gees on the radio, I was perfectly happy and would have never dreamed of complaining about the state of popular music.
The 1980'sI continue to mindlessly gorge at the pop culture trough without even taking a breath.
For the duration of this decade, I still had no real complaints in terms of what theaters had to offer. I happily went to see Ghostbusters, Gremlins, Friday the 13th Part V, and The Breakfast Club. I adopted the styles without question - I unashamedly wore Swatches, parachute pants, and a big puffy acid washed jeans jacket. I had no beef with the boob tube: Family Ties, Night Court, MTV, and Silver Spoons were A-O-K with me. The music was great too- I went through various phases (heavy metal and new wave) but there was plenty of good stuff in each niche to keep me happy.
The early 1990's
Yes, I'm still devouring pop culture without the slightest hint of dissatisfaction. I loved The X-Files, Twin Peaks, Seinfeld, MST3K, 3rd Rock from the Sun, and Friends. Grunge music and even hip-hop was cool with me.
The mid to late 1990'sKA-BLAM!!Once Kurt Cobain died, I basically stopped listening to contemporary music. I'm not sure why, it might've happened around this time anyway, but the radio was turned off in April 1994. I hung on to a few musicians, but the thrill was gone. I started rediscovering the 1970's in 1995 and that was all she wrote.
Cheers was cancelled in 1993 and once the X-Files movie came out, it killed my love for the show entirely. Friends started getting lame, and I never got on board with the whole reality show craze. Seinfeld literally became the last show I still could enjoy, and once that was cancelled, the TV went off.
I'm not sure if cinema ever really jumped the shark for me. I certainly much prefer movies from the 1970's to today's selection, but there's still seems to be plenty of good stuff out there.
I think my story is probably similar to a lot of people my age. I certainly wasn't the only kid who gobbled up movies, TV and music in the 70's and 80's like no tomorrow. How many kids do you know who have discerning tastes? None. And I think it's only natural to become a bit more discerning and critical in adulthood. One thing that's not natural, however, is my deep and abiding passion for the 1970s, but that's another story...
One last thing, lest you get the impression I'm just a cranky curmudgeon always bitching about new shows and music. Not in the least - I prefer stuff from the 1970's, but that's not to say I'm not open to new things. For instance, The IT Crowd (2006 -) is one of the most hilarious shows I've ever seen - a perfect example of why it's important to keep yourself open, while at the same time maintaining a love for our pop culture past. Amen.
