I'm with you here. They used to carry some decent original programing and good re-runs. Now except for the first couple rounds of The Masters, I cannot recall the last time that I watched USA.

Agreed. Even their USAM and USA Laughternoon line-ups aren't that good anymore. Talk about a fall from grace.

das

Aren't they the place where NBC-Must-See-TV 8:30 & 9:30 failures get repeated until the tape breaks.

The one and only. It's like Heaven for Eternia who lives for those shows.

das

Those channels are there because SHVA regulations that say 4% of your channels must be educational/informational. If it were up to DISH, they wouldn't be there.

My choice-AMC. It used to be my most watched channel, and then about 2 years ago something happened. Since then it's become so bad that I only watch the Rascals. They have even turned me away from my beloved Stooges with that Stooge Playhouse crap.
I also like the USA pick and echo Jeraden's comments. I had pretty much forgot how much I watched USA until it was mentioned, and now I don't watch at all.

Even if you like The Next Generation, you cant tell me that they arent oversaturating themselves with it. Everytime theres a holiday, they have a marathon. I mean, cmon...how many mothers care about Star Trek? As far as previous programming, World of Outlaws racing does reach a national audience (the series races coast-to-coast...and the one region that they dont race often just happens to be the southeast).

ENDContra, while I support your lack of support for TNN (see my rant), I find your reasons more of a whine than a rant. As a Winston Cup fan, I can’t think of a thing that TNN has really done for the sport. Your passion for ASA is obviously not shared by, and certainly won’t bring in as much ad revenue as, WWF fans. Hell, if I had my druthers, I’d pick Outlaws over WWF. But for that matter, I’d pick inlaws over WWF, too.

[Wizdar pauses, admiring his own brilliance, smiles at das]

But you’re gonna have trouble finding folks to share your point of view when you start raggin’ on stuff like TNG. Don’t piss off Star Trek whores! We (I think it’s safe to say “we”) HATE that The Neanderthal Network has the franchise, and few of us (with the possible exception of mikehunt ) are fond of seeing the same ones over and over and over. But until the end of the year, when our DVD collections are complete, and for those of us just too damn lazy, it’s the only place we got for Trek in the foreseeable future. As Red Dog pointed out, I never watched TNN before…



I’d like to point out that, as I predicted in my other thread, the “you are too stoo-pid, so we’re gonna tell you what program you’re watching” thingie has caught on. Although they don’t have the full banner across the bottom like TNG on TNN does, in LA I’ve seen it in the left-side short-term (but quite LARGE) “bugs” on shows on UPN (Buffy), Fox (X-Files), WB (Angel), and prolly more that I’m not paying attention to.

But this is just a smoke screen. While the average TNN viewer might actually HAVE to be reminded (constantly) what program they are watching, these left-side bugs are just the beginning. They'll eventually change to a less subtle form of advertising. Just like the right-side bugs...





das, give it a rest with your anti-Sci Fi stuff, already. They’re showing all the B5 movies this weekend. Besides, I think yours is a solo, albeit noble, cause.

"We at the Sci Fi Channel feel it's important to avoid shows that take place in space." - Bonnie Hammer, circa End of the World.

If I can't take shots at that channel in a thread called "Worst Cable Network," we have a problem. Hey, I love B5 as much as the next guy, but they're only showing all the movies (at a particularly bad time for newcomers to the series, no less) because they've already purchased the rights to air it. It's little more than a cost-free way to show something other than Pumpkinhead and Children of the Corn 666 for a brief moment.

ENDContra, not unlike Wizdar, I fully support your lack of support for TNN; however, like I said before, I think channels like MTV offend on a much larger level. TNN could do a much better job with what they have, but at least they have it. Besides, I must show them some small measure of support considering their televising of my forearm and elbow.

das

das, consider this site.



[Wizdar lets go of the chain he's yankin' on]

Yank all you want ... I'm sure you're aware that I can keep up this pace for years.

As for B5, I spoke with Tracey Scoggins this weekend, and she's of the belief that there is more in our not-too-distant future. Her confirmation of the absolute death of Crusade and Rangers shows that she's not just being blindly optimistic. She seemed to know something but didn't want to talk about it until the ink had dried. If a new series/telefilm does happen to be on the horizon, on what network would you like to see it air?

das

Well, you KNOW how I'm gonna answer that one!

In all seriousness, though, I would go with whatever net would support the project (whatever it is). That would likely be Sci Fi. On the other hand, if exposure was an important factor, I’d go with FX. Given their recent 50+ airings of True Lies…

However, the only “B5” project I’m interested in is the series going to DVD. I think, as I’ve posted elsewhere, that JMS has shot his wad on this one.




There seem to be a lot of anti-MTV responses. I’ve had very little interest in music videos, so have never paid much attention to MTV. But aren’t they the ones who started the “bugs” and popups and banners?

And we seem to have a passionate hate thing going (for MTV and/or TNN), but that doesn’t seem to keep us from watching.





I STILL have yet to see the infamous Monkey arm...

Originally posted by Wizdar
In all seriousness, though, I would go with whatever net would support the project (whatever it is). That would likely be Sci Fi. On the other hand, if exposure was an important factor, I’d go with FX. Given their recent 50+ airings of True Lies…

Considering the "support" they gave I-Man, an original show that was their second highest series ever, only slightly behind Farscape when accounting for both airings of each show, I don't have much faith in those guys. You mention FX, and I actually was thinking about them earlier; they've shown great support for The Shield so far.

However, the only “B5” project I’m interested in is the series going to DVD. I think, as I’ve posted elsewhere, that JMS has shot his wad on this one.

Could be. Considering the quality of Jeremiah so far, I don't think JMS is a one-trick pony like some other popular television writers, but it's difficult to tell whether there's any left in his B5 tank.

And we seem to have a passionate hate thing going (for MTV and/or TNN), but that doesn’t seem to keep us from watching.

Actually, it does. While I love so many of the shows on TNN, I only tune in for Mad TV repeats. If the channel weren't so damn_annoying, I'd likely tune in much more frequently for classics like Miami Vice and The A-Team, and I'd blindly watch TNG every evening. But it's just too annoying and I end up finding something else to watch. The same can be said for Xena on Oxygen. It comes on at a pretty convenient time, and I'd likely tune in while making dinner every day if it weren't for their squished image and annoying "tips" at the bottom of the screen.

I STILL have yet to see the infamous Monkey arm...

This saddens me. Maybe I'll call the POP Hotline and see if I can get back on the air.

das

While it wont affect thier viewer #'s much i have personally boycotted MTV.

It wouldnt make me sound to good if i say "MTV Sucks" and i turn right around and watch it.

The only reason i know about the dumb things that network does is from the complaints i hear from others and what i remember from when it used to semi-watch it.

First, I've given up on what others think about me a long time ago.

I find nothing wrong with bitching about the problems with programming, and yet continuing to watch. It’s part of our right as ‘mericans to do bitch. (And without that right, this board would be a dull place indeed!) As long as I find TNG on TNN watchable, I will continue to watch – when there ain’t nuttin else on. If it ever gets to the point where I’m constantly gritting my teeth…

The das boycott of Sci Fi, though hard-core on the surface, if fraught with problems. He freely admits that there is nothing left on that net that interests him, and anything else he might be tempted to watch is available by other means. (This doesn’t sound too supportive, but I do understand his anger and am ultimately on his side. As I am with other tilters of windmills.) In order for a protest/boycott to have a true meaning, IMHO, there must be something sacrificed.

ENDContra sounds like he would be much less mad at TNN if it would devote more time to the motor sports events he enjoys. I wonder if this thread would have been started if ASA and WoO were a regular feature.

You are mistaken, dear sir. It's a hassle and a half to "acquire" the shows through "other means." I also miss coming home from work and watching the 5pm Babylon 5 episodes. Keep in mind that my boycott is against the channel, not the innocent television shows who are unfortunately licensed by the channel. Farscape, for example, has almost zero ties to the channel, other than that they air it here in America. My sacrifice is in spending countless hours arranging to acquire the few shows left on the channel that I am interested in, whereas without the boycott, I could simply watch them at my leisure. Also, as I'm sure you're aware, I watched Babylon 5 every single afternoon from the moment the channel began airing it until my boycott. Now I have to pop in my VHS tapes when I want to keep up with my friend who's watching the show for the first time. While only a minor sacrifice, it's still a hassle. With the new programming arriving this summer, my resolve will be tested as I'll have to increase my efforts to follow these shows while not watching the channel.

Yes, I may be all alone in the desert without even Sancho Panza to hear my cries; but though I likely won't tilt any windmills, I fully intend to stand here and piss on this one for as long as I can.

das

I stand corrected. The depth of your sacrifice had escaped me, although remembering the time change from 6:00 brings it home.

However, don't try to convince me that being on a quest doesn't have its rewards. A purpose. A new meaning to life. Ad nauseam.
I purposefully avoided mention of SG-1, not wanting to dull the point of your lance.
Long may "it" wave!







Edited to add:

Hmmm. das Quixote de la Monkey. Has a nice ring to it.

Aw, come on, surely I'm not the only one who thinks Lifetime is the worst network ever? They shouldn't call it "Television For Women", they should call it "Television For People Who Like Really Horrid Television and Vapid Made-For-Bad-TV Movies."

Wizdar, I probably would have still started it...I just would have brought up the bottom line more. I dont have a problem with TNG...its a great show. My problem is that it just seems like it has turned into The Star Trek Network. Its like the suits there at TNN said "We paid $5 million for the rights to TNG, and by-golly-wolly, we are gonna get our moneys worth". Maybe if instead of having a Star Trek marathon on every single holiday, they switched it up some...how about an A-Team marathon? or Miami Vice? Besides, TNN also forsake the original series just to show TNG (at least, I havent seen the original series on there in ages).

The best part is how they line these shows up. I mean, I dont think Star Trek and WWF draw from the same crowd. Im sure that at 1105 on a Monday night, everyone is either switching to TNN or switching away...no one just hangs around. When I see a football game on ESPN and someone has the "Sportscenter is Next" sign in the crowd, I just want to go to RAW with my "Star Trek is Next" sign.

"WHAT??"






Hey, MAYBE I could see YOU on TV?*


Wait. I don't watch WWF. Never mind...


(BTW, there are some who enjoy both Star Trek and wrasslin'.)




*I've given up on ever seeing the infamous das arm...

MTVJAMS

Gee thanks MTV for taking away MTVX so you could put another r&b, rap channel. Its not like you play that kind of music nonstop anyway on your other channels.

MTV

If anyone watches this please be advised that they are targeting 13- to 17-year olds. If you fall outside of that range....

MTV2 is good but they ROTATE THE SAME DAMN VIDEOS each morning. All this week it's been Rakim, No Doubt, Zero 7, Ja Rule and Mary J. Blige.

Ugh.