60 Million Dollar Show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ixEWrTLiZg

HBO executes a game plan that has been highly effective for quite some time. Their high budget series, usually executive produced by someone whose name will ring enough bells to generate viewers, are almost always brutally addictive. Whether it be The Sopranos, Sex And the City, Six Feet Under, or Summer Heights High, HBO is able to consistently produce series that immediately capture attention. The newest craze is Game of Thrones, a dungeons and dragons-esque show revolving around a fictional country undergoing a civil war. As someone who has never found these shows or subject matter to be of my particular interest, HBO is able to glamorize the show enough to make you invested in its characters, many of which share qualities of over-aggression, a tendency towards sexual abuse, and a laundry list of other undesirable traits. It seems to share similar artistic and aesthetic qualities to Rome, which was once HBO’s most popular series. Research shows that the show costs a pretty penny, with the first season budgeting at about 50-60 million according to Wikipedia. Are these shows truly worth the financial devotion they receive? Although there is an obvious fanbase for the genre, should we really be prone to putting out shows with budgets that could cure many of our economic issues. It seems our obsession with prime time television has driven networks to the point of no return, where high budgets equal high ratings, in many instances minus any real material. Although Game of Thrones is highly entertaining, watching every minute of the episode makes me feel like I’m sitting in an obnoxiously large house with overly priced furniture, and it makes me uncomfortable knowing that this is what our media culture has become. - C.S.

A (Temporary) End to an Era

It has been announced that HBO will premiere a condensed season of Entourage, with only about six episodes, to kick off the summer. Entourage remains one of HBO’s most popular shows amongst a wide array of viewers, including fans of all ages, gender, and interests that I know personally. Entourage is and has always been a feel good show, the story of an actor’s rise from nothing and ability to overcome turmoil. Yet for HBO, the show is far more formulaic. Although production credits go to Mark Whalberg, who has stated the show to be a very loose representation of his own “crew”, it is obvious that HBO has a definite say in the final product. Whether it be the constant cameos from an onslaught of currently popular celebs, or slick examples of product placement, Entourage is a prime example of the political economy within premium channel television. In order to the keep the audience interested and loyal Entourage continues to style its characters in the newest attire, surround them by the freshest stars, and keep them in new cars. Be that as it may, there are many like myself who are true Entourage fans, and for us it is sad to see the show coming to a close. For the past 7 years Entourage has served as almost another group of friends of mine whom I’m able to check in with weekly. For HBO there is one more season to milk the cash cow, and then a final bow taking a page from SJP’s (Sarah Jessica Parker) and capping the series off with a movie or two. Only to keep the viewers honest, right? Or to keep pouring in money off the same generic formula while the scientists craft the next show craze that will capture our attention every Sunday night. – C.S.

Old vs. New

This picture is a satire on the advance of technology. During the past two decades, we have seen a major change in the way we consume media. The move from cassette tapes to IPods happened within a ten year period. I remember being five or six years old, listening to my cassette player, and by the time I turned 15, I had an mp3 player. This shift occurred congruent to the improvements made to computers and the internet. The cassette player in this pic represents the older view of new technology being something dangerous and delinquent, and the IPod represents the view of the younger generation which is a “Nobody cares” sort of attitude. The older view is stuck in the past, and not realizing the benefits of “youth” or in other words “new technology” because at some point in time all old technology were “new technology,” but instead of empathizing, we see ridicule and judgment. Many view new things as something dangerous because they do not know how to take in all its “newness.” This pokes fun at the idea of the past being so much greater than the present and not to mention the future. If instead of highlighting the disadvantages of new technology (all technologies have their disadvantages), we focus on what new and old technology have in common or why new technology is beneficial, then we will be that much closer to bettering ourselves as a society. I say this because technological advance reflect where we are as a society.

Is Trying to Sell Selling-Out?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PTDv_szmL0

During the late 90’s and early 2000’s it was painfully easy to become at least a one-hit wonder in the rap game. Every week it seemed a new artist or group was coming out with a catchy single that would lead to a subpar album. Yet for a while, people still purchased these albums. With music downloads skyrocketing to an uncontrollable rate, many rappers suffered as their fan base was short of dedication, and their album’s were short of true material. Fast forward to 2011 and the rap game is still dealing with many of the same problems, but some offer different solutions. The most popular rappers right now, at least for radio’s sake, are the likes of Kanye West, Wiz Khalifa, Big Sean, B.O.B., and Rick Ross. Only two of those names had put out any cd’s prior to this year worthy of consideration, and just last year the other 3 were “who’s that’s?” But the method for success that these young guys have taken seems to work, constantly flooding the Internet with new mixtapes and throwaway songs, while waiting for that big hit to break. But the big hit is no longer a club anthem, or a ladies song, but instead the rap-pop. Wiz Khalifa’s “Roll Up” and B.O.B.’s “Nothing on You” share many similarities although the two are drastically different, and rapping about two completely different topics. Both songs feature some displays of lyrical ability, but sound like something made for Z100 before Hot97. And that is exactly what these artists, or at least the executives pushing and printing their work, are looking for. Some would call it selling out or not real Hip-Hop, but it definitely has mainstream appeal. Unlike the many mixtape rappers who have serious content in their work, these are the guys who are being heard by the masses, something that was easy to gain just a few years back. If you want your album to be purchased rather than downloaded, there seems to be a need for this rap-pop. Although personally not a huge fan, I can see why these young artists who put their heart and soul into the music game would like to see the rewards of their effort, and this may just be the only way. -C.S.