#history of tv

[ineedahugtm]

Hello! This was into response about someone complaining about Hazbin Hotels (admittedly) pretty bad pacing so strap in for 8 paragraphs outlining the history of television and how Hazbin hotel’s terrible pacing fits into this.

So here’s a little (unneeded but still fun) history of television. So as we transitioned from the Radio Era a full season was 39 weeks (3 quarters of a year) and was preformed live, during the rest of the year that time slot would be designated for replacement shows because show hosts have to vacation at some point in their lives.

Anyways due to primitive recording techniques making reruns virtually impossible, the industry standard of replacement shows continued into television. Although finally by mid-fifties reruns were more possible and commonplace. From this point on the number of episodes began to decline, by the late 60’s the 46 episode standard season became 26 instead. (1ep per week is half the year meaning reruns for the other half so that every show could be repeated once a lot easier than the longer seasons of the past )

Essentially broadcast networks wanted more bang for their buck

Then came the miniseries format in the 70’s. Usually about 13 episodes telling stories week to week that were self contained (Think Phineas and Ferb, the episodes have no impact on each other) Also 13 is half of what a normal season was so networks would use this if a project was on the edge of cancellation.

Also in the 70’s networks would cancel shows mid year (now it’s after the November sweeps) so they’d order shows in 12 episode groups and if the ratings weren’t good enough a new one would replace it in January.

By the 90’s it kept getting shorter ordering shows in either 8, 16, or 24 episode seasons. For almost all new shows that a network isn’t sure about they give 8 episodes to test out the waters and see how fans react and that’s what I believe Amazon Prime did for Hazbin Hotel.

And so after an entire history lesson of television, let’s talk about Hazbin Hotel.

So let’s get one thing straight, yeah the pacing of HH is not great and definitely could be improved upon. From what it looks like, we’re supposedly watching a show that has a time span of about 6 months in between 8 episodes which gives no time to develop almost anything but plot relevant to the extermination. However like I just spent the past 4 paragraphs leading up to, season’s episodes are only getting shorter and shorter, not to mention that it’s up to the networks to tell the show how many episodes it’s going to be getting. So with 8 episodes to tell decades worth of planning a world out for Hazbin Hotel I’m sure that’s a little hard, especially with all of the characters that we love and want screen time for (remember how everyone was mad at Encanto for the pacing as well? The plot was there but the movie was too short for the amount of characters and stories that they wanted to tell)

Additionally it’s been said that the team didn’t know that the show was getting a second season until half way through production (I don’t have any sources to back this one up but I’ve heard it going around a few places) so it seems like this season was planned like it was the only season we would be getting which would explain why everything is so fast paced.

Hopefully with that second season (and maybe more) they will feel more fluid and organic but for now we need to understand that this is just the first season and that the rough start shouldn’t be entirely on the blame of the show itself. If your mad about something sure, I’m down to put the blame on those responsible- but I think instead of being mad at the show, or saying “I’m disappointed in the show” we should shift the blame onto the networks who put such small episode constraints on not just Hazbin hotel- but all new shows! Sure if you have a well thought out story that you can tell in 8 episodes then that’s great! But too many shows are forced to rush through their plot because of greedy networks enforcing restraints on the creativity of the shows their hosting

[motsimages]

I really enjoyed watchin Star Trek TOS because of the tv history, even more so than because of the plots or the characters. And watching it with my boyfriend, who used to work on tv and knows better than anyone how it used to be and how it is made it extra interesting.

I have commented about how the lighting and the music play along the characters and support their emotions and endevours. I have not mentioned how they often say the same thing that is happening on screen. They may look out a window and see something strange approaching them and say out loud "look at this window! There is a weird shape coming to us!". And the music sounds intriguing and the lights darken. It all comes from radio, and I could spot that much.

In radio you have to describe what is happening, and the acting and the music help drive the story in a non-visual way. Which is exactly what happens in scenes like that.

But Boyfriend pointed out that TVs at the time, the machine itself, was small and the quality wasn't very good. Plus, you would watch it surrounded by people. Maybe in the US every family had a TV but in Spain at that time, only some families had one TV and all the kids of the building or the neighbourhood would come and watch the show they liked. Watching tv like this, in a dark room, in a small TV, with lots of people who may comment or move, means that many details are lost to the viewers. So you help them: you state out loud what is happening while showing it.

And if Star Trek was a housewife series, it also works like this. Those women probably couldn't really sit a whole episode, maybe their kids came and go, maybe they were preparing food or ironing or doing some other chores, you need the extra help of a voice, and the music and the colours, and the light so you don't really miss much.

Boyfriend also pointed out that, at the time, TV and cinema were different experiences. TV was conceived to have interruptions. There would be ads, yes, but also, there would be noise and movement in the viewer's house. As I mentioned, family members that come and go, food that is burning, a postman delivering something. And people were not so used to consume audiovisual things. Radio? Yes. Video+audio? Not really. So you help them, with all the tools you have and the mechanics they are familiar with (radio).

And that is one of the things I enjoyed more of TOS, seeing all these devices working. Seeing how they basically took the viewers hand and showed them around the plot, step by step, because they know people weren't used to that, because the quality of a domestic TV wasn't good enough for many details, because life comes in the way of tv. And it was captivating, it was simple but so well done that you just can't stop watching, that you are intrigued and want to know more, even now, that we all watch series and movies and documentaries and interviews and whatnot.

[othervee]

Partner and I have a big TV collection that spans decades. 1950s right up until now. We still watch it! We still love it! We are in the middle of an epic rewatch of everything in chronological order RIGHT NOW and the number of great shows I have rediscovered the pleasure of is astonishing. Reliving laughs and gasps and loves and fandoms. It's great. I still reread fanfic that is 15 or more years old. It was good then, it's still good now!

Your show is only gone IF YOU LET IT GO.

Not to out myself as someone that’s been on tumblr for too long, but I’m so sad to see this new trend of people saying “I like this thing, even though the show isn’t airing anymore.” Like? That’s how things work! Keep enjoying them! Art doesn’t just vanish when it’s not airing, and it wasn’t made to be exclusively viewed live! 10+ years ago, the idea of saying “Ah, I’m still here in this fandom 2 years after the show was cancelled 😳” would have been BONKERS!

All these kids saying “It’s so sad the shows gone,” no it’s not!!! I saw your fanart yesterday! Last week you told me about my favorite character’s music playlist!!! I saw them running around in your AMV!

Where’s the longevity?? It was made for you!!! Not TV!!! It was made for keeps!!! Keep it!!! Please!!! That’s how art stays alive!!!

[kermitspussy]

like where did it come from i was literally doing a silly little art and craft

[gaykarstaagforever]

In 1959, Betty White was your age.

If you're like me this will really mess with your head: it's early color 2" video tape. So the aesthetics and production scream black and white film, but the colors and framerate look like something from ten or more years later (by the late 1960s, the major networks were doing nearly all their shows in color; but only about 15% of US television owners had color TVs, and a lot of network affiliates refused to upgrade equipment to air in color when they knew hardly anyone in their market could watch it).

So in actual fact, most people in America wouldn't experience broadcast quality like this until the early 70s. But here it is, during the Eisenhower administration (he was in fact the first president to be shown on TV in color, like the year before this).

[adam-scott]

JOHN TURTURRO as Irving B SEVERANCE (2022–)

[drulalovescas]

Cain: I committed masacre

Cas: 🧍‍♂️

Cain: I'll commit genocide

Cas: 🧍‍♂️

Cain: I'll kill Dean Winchester

Cas:

[noodles-and-tea]

Back at it with my enchanted merthur shenanigans

[daily-spooky]

These are called Witches Stairs. Allegedly, witches can't climb up them.

You will occasionally find them in very, very old New England homes.

[melomancy]

Kate Bush in 1979

[aethersea]

I do think Blazing Saddles handled its one depiction of native americans very poorly, and the full extent of its representation of chinese workers on the railroad is they were literally just there. not even one single speaking line. unclear if this is worse or better than the redface.

it's fucking phenomenal at lampooning antiblack racism though. extremely blatant, extremely funny satire, which is constantly and loudly saying "racism is the philosophy of the terminally stupid at best and morally depraved at worst, and we should all be pointing and laughing at them 24/7"

plus the main character is a heroic black man who has to navigate a whole lot of bullshit but is constantly smirking at the extraordinarily stupid racists and inviting the audience into the joke. the one heroic white character is a guy who was suicidally depressed until he met the protagonist and they just instantly became buds, and he's firmly in a supporting role the whole time and happy to be there. the protagonist saves the day with the help of his black friends from the railroad, and uses the position of power he was given to uplift not only those friends, but all the railroad workers of other minorities too, in an explicit show of solidarity.

anyone saying "Blazing Saddles is racist" had better be talking about its treatment of non-black minorities. it had better not be such superficial takes as "oh but they say the n-word all the time" or "they have nazis and the kkk in there!" because goddamn if that's the full extent of your critique I very seriously suggest you read up on media analysis. there is too much going over your head, you need to learn to recognize satire.

[waywardmillennial]

making puppet history gifs with no ulterior motive

[the-blueprint]

Sesame street makes it debut #forourculture #luthervandross appeared on the show in the earlier episodes

[mashhistorian]

Happy birthday, Alan Alda, M*A*S*H’s Captain Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce!

[emolionsrawr]

gerrard: buckley, what in the devils name are you doing?

buck, with a clipboard in hand: well, gerrard, i was going over everything in the firehouse and i noticed some things

gerrard: what is it buckley?

buck: well, you sir are in violation of the sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression discrimination act, over the past week i've noticed you refer to henretta wilson with slurs, very offensive slurs, as well as myself, due to this myself and mrs wilson have made note of each time you've done this, and reported it to our head HR representative, this here *hands gerrard a piece of paper* is a letter from the chief, requesting your presence for a meeting about your retirement

gerrard: you fucking fa-

bobby: i'd be careful if i was you gerrard, and get out of MY firehouse

gerrard: *screws up the paper and leaves*

chimney: see i told you all we needed to do was set clipboard buck on his ass

hen: look i know i'm a lesbian, but buck has never looked so good before

buck: i am the defender of lesbians!!

[avaisdramatic]

Putting this comment on here because I feel like I’m actually going insane…

It seems like nobody in the comments even watched the video, complaining about how paying for content is difficult in this economy, like, that's why they are doing this! They cannot continue to make the content they want for free based on ads and sponsors alone. If you have paid attention to the "Making Watcher"s of recent years, their company is not, and has not been profitable. They are so dependent on advertisers for funding that it is becoming a restriction to the content they want to make (y'a know, like Buzzfeed was), so they had to find a solution. I don't know why you all seem to think you are entitled to free content, I understand not everyone can afford it but Watcher doesn't owe you content personally. Frankly, I doubt they wanted to put their content behind a paywall, but if it's that or not make content at all, of course they are going to try to find a solution. So no, they aren't "turning into Buzzfeed” because the massive problem with Buzzfeed was its restrictions on creative freedom and exploitation of its workers. If Watcher wants to produce fulfilling content that gives their editors, designers, producers, etc full creative freedom and a livable wage, this is the best option. If you want them to pay their workers the bare minimum and tailor their content to advertiser interests just so you can watch it for free, that's fine. Just don't pretend that they are some evil media mega-corporation and you are the anti-capitalist shining hero for saying it. You don't have to like it, and you don't have to continue to support them, but don't try to shame and demonize them for making an already difficult decision.

Many of you DO have an understanding of the difficult position our current economic system puts people in because you have experienced it, but you are so unable to extend that understanding beyond your own point of view. Look past yourself for a moment and think critically, and maybe you will understand their perspective. Much love for all of the talented people within Watcher who are doing their best.

And just to add, their format going forward is almost IDENTICAL to CollegeHumor-Dropout's streaming service format (even down to the free premieres and advocating for sharing accounts with friends), which most people praise to high heaven as "the only ethical streaming service." As a huge fan of both companies the stark difference in response here is actually astounding...