The Fall Geek TV Lineup 318
An anonymous reader writes "Wired has an article looking at this Fall's bumper crop of geek TV. McG, who directed the pilot for the show Chuck, opines that the appearance of nerd culture on network television is a long-overdue reflection of real life. From the article: 'Hollywood, he said, is playing catch-up with IT culture. "The classic shape of the computer geek is over when Bill Gates became the (richest), most aspirational, coolest guy in the world," he said. "He is the original thick-glasses, pocket-protector guy. Now who doesn't want to be like Bill Gates?"' They have reviews of the lengthy list of shows, for clues as to what to watch and what to miss."
Uneven Shows (Score:5, Interesting)
Chuck: Fun like Burn Notice and Psych but not very nerdy. It's got the nerd culture in it, the socially inept folks and close friendships get good grades from me. However, some parts are very poorly executed: magical images that contain steganography that the brain decodes, an HD explodes from a 4' drop inside the case and a few others that fell flat to me. Oh, it's got Jayne so that's a plus.
Big Bang Theory: Imagine, as someone one EZTV said, Revenge of the Nerds written by mindless jocks. It's crap, crap, crap, so much crap that I was insulted by it.
Journeyman: I thought it was an interesting story, maybe we've seen it before (Quantum Leap) but we haven't as he's not leaping into other people nor is he shifting into the distant past so I think it'll have mainstream appeal (for a few episodes at least). Disclaimer though, I like Kevin McKidd, for a guy in his early 30's he had a lot of heart in his Vorenus character.
The IT Crowd (UK): I watch the show and I have a lot of laughs with it but I'm a sucker for UK comedies. As for geek culture, I have to say it's not perfect but it comes close. In case you've never watched it, the references are the stickers in the office, Roy's t-shirts and Moss' and Roy's personalities (they're socially challenged). I guess that it does come close as, being a practicing nerd, I'm not always talking about gadgets and geeky sites nor am I obsessed with computers and science so I guess it's more organic.
Re:The IT Crowd (Score:3, Interesting)
"nerd" sure covers a lot of ground (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:I don't want to be like BIll Gates (Score:5, Interesting)
You probably heard that most lottery winners end up feeling the same as they did before hand. After a major life-altering event for the good or the bad people will generally settle to the same level of happiness within 6 months to a year. Those that are generally happy with there life will generally maintain that happiness even if getting paralyzed in a car accident, and those who are miserable will maintain misery even after winning the lotto.
Re:Why does the media still call tech folks nerds (Score:1, Interesting)
Avoid the Big Bang Theory like the plague it is (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:The Fall Anti-Geek line-up (Score:5, Interesting)
The difference is that House isn't about "geeks", it's simply about competent smart people. Shows about "geeks" are never about competent smart people, they're gimmicks built around a stupid stereotype. The few TV shows in which computer types are portrayed positively tend not to have them as central characters, and then they are usually hot chicks (I'm thinking here of "Las Vegas" and "Standoff", both of which feature very attractive female hacker types in secondary / support character roles). I'm all for hot chick computer types, but can't we ever have male hackers who are not either socially incompetent, evil, or both?
Re:Uneven Shows (Score:3, Interesting)
Dennou Coil (Score:3, Interesting)
And I did like Rainbow's End, but it didn't hook me on the concept of AR like Dennou Coil has. Rainbow's End showed why the concept would be useful, Dennou Coil showed how it could turn the world into a giant game. I mean cubes of water floating in the sky? I would love to be walking along, look up, and see a digital fish flying around.
Re:and to think I can't even fscking stand the wor (Score:3, Interesting)
In particular because one has to really work hard to get a solid grasp of any science, and most people just aren't into the subject enough to do so. Especially at an age where the knowledge would really sink in and be most applicable to their everyday life. The result is a culture where almost everyone is surrounded by sciences and technologies they don't understand, feel a constant stream of intimidation as a result of, and really, really, want a reason to superior to the people who do. I think it's one of the driving factors for alternative medicine as well, "Those doctors, with their books. My mothers gut feeling is going to make a far better diagnosis!". Humans, as a rule, don't like feeling powerless to change their environment. And, increasingly, that's becoming the norm for all of us. It's not too surprising to find ill-will directed at people perceived to have more freedom to do so.
Re:Why does the media still call tech folks nerds (Score:2, Interesting)
No, it used to mean that you bit the heads off of chickens at the carnival for a living. I don't care if you don't believe me, but that is the true origin of the word. As for what it means now, it essentially amounts to "You've been given a 'negative' societal label based on assumed differences between you and 'the average'." Thanks, I'll take that difference with pleasure. You don't even WANT to know the statistical averages for education, wages, IQ, etc. in this country. I'll take being ostracized along with fellow 'geeks' over that alternative any day of the week.
So sure, they can sit in front of their tv sets and laugh all they want. We'll even be laughing with the poor bastards. The only difference happens to be the most important one of them all; they laugh in terrible ignorance, we laugh in wondrous comprehension.
Ahh once again Meriam-Webster & Wikipedia come through for me, look at those last two definitions for Geek; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geek [wikipedia.org]. Just proves what I already figured. They may have created the stereotype, but in the end, we decide the definition. Praise to the 'Geeks' who wrote the Webster definitions and the Wikipedia article.
Placing my bets... (Score:3, Interesting)
I'm betting that "The Big Bang Theory" will either be canceled quickly or otherwise never make it past one season. The biggest strain to credibility in this sitcom is the studio audience knowing enough quantum physics to get the jokes and laugh that loudly at them. I've seen the pilot.
Also, like the TV series Ferris Bueller, I expect The Sarah Connor Chronicles to fall... but not as hard. Maybe more like the series Starman, or Tracker [imdb.com]. I understand the characterizations already break with continuity. Coming in mid-season is an established "Lack of Confidence"-labeled nail in its coffin.
I think Reaper may have a chance, or at least make for an entertaining one-season run. Tyler Labine continues to amaze me in finding good and steady work after portraying the delusional Croker in Evil Alien Overlords [imdb.com], but so far it was the only bad thing I've seen him in. Still, it seemed he was having fun doing it.