Thursday, December 25, 2008

Another reason I don't like TV...

So I spent Christmas day all alone in my apartment, watching DVD after DVD.  Except for one voicemail I don't think I spoke all day. 

This is not a cry for sympathy.  I'm actually okay with how the day went. It's kind of a relief not to have to be all social and have to pay attention to people. 

The bulk of my DVD watching was season seven of Smallville.  Yeah, I watch it. I've always been a Superman fan.  If you'd been in my family, you would be too. Shut up.  

Anyway, I'm watching and I gotta say this season has left me underwhelmed.  I finally figured out what was really bugging me about it: Blatant and gratuitous product placement.  

I mean, seriously -- they don't even try to hide it anymore.  They make special camera cuts specifically to display products.  They may as well have the actors stroke the things, a la Vanna White.

Yes, they have always done that, it's true. Even from the pilot episode when Clark opens the fridge (this is two minutes in), displaying rows of Mountain Dew and Coke.  But that was funny, because he totally disdained the soda and grabbed a bottle of milk instead.  So that wasn't so bad.  And yeah, they've kept on since then. Every now and then you'd notice. 

But I think they're getting worse.  I mean, in season seven there's an episode that takes place in the Stride gum factory!  I mean, come ON. 

I'm only bitching because it's throwing me off, distracting me from the story.  Me no likey. I wanna watch my stories.

I thought at first that I'm only really noticing it right now because it's been a while since I've watched American programming. But then I thought, "No, I've been keeping up with House, Fringe and Chuck online and none of those shows are 45-minute commercials for Sprint Sidekick."  Although, to be fair, Heroes does push Nissan Rogue a little too hard. 

Anyway, I had to vent about that.  Besides, if I don't get ANY writing done today, I'll hate myself in the morning. 

2 comments:

  1. 90210 is one of the worst about that. Tim and I laugh every time.

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  2. I haaaaaate when it's all just a big commercial, although sometimes it is atleast done in an amusing way...though not too often

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