I have tons of channels but it keeps getting harder to find anything on that's not a reality show

WELL HELLO! tv wouldn't be getting "worse" if you actually watch excellent shows like Friday Nights, Arrested Development, etc. THERE would be great shows every night. BUT majority decides to keep mediorce shows on like According to Jim, Two and a Half men for examples. AND those that deserve to be on TV are getting canceled because ratings aren't so good.

I haven't really watched TV like THAT(as in sitting down every day and having must-see prime-time shows) since about three years so I'm not an accurate judge. I just know that when I do turn to the networks I used to watch a few years ago, they really suck. MTV, The History Channel, TCM, Style Network...ugh

While I like some of the comedies and dramas; I hate these game shows. I'm just sick of them being on. Same goes for shows like American Inventor, Real World, Kid Nation, Who Wants To Be ( A or Next) Superhero. I mean, it's stupid.

Primetime television is getting worse, on the other hand the cable stuff is getting better

I think it is worse than ever before. Reality television is taking over all the networks and writers are becoming less creative every season. I admit there are a few good shows on but not much else.

OMG we were just discussing this in my screenwriting class.And my professor was saying he believe the reason why there are not that many great shows is because there's so much competition as well as popular demand for reality television.
I think there are really good sitcoms/dramas on tv right now. I'm really looking forward to some of the new series that are coming out soon.

Reality television is mostly garbage, but what about shows like Friday Night Lights, Weeds, Ugly Betty, Big Love, The Office, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report ...

i think there's some really smart writing -good shows, but they are few. tv's been bombarded with dumb, quick for entertainment and shock. i wish they tv execs would start realizing they have a responsibility to the people to not have crap on tv... quick question though, don't you feel that they introduce a lot of shows in the middle of the season and they end really quickly after like 5 episodes? what's up with that?

I think that network TV has been on a steady decline for a few years. But most of the original cable series I've watched lately (Big Love, Weeds, Dexter) are first rate.

Yes, it's worse. Too many stupid reality shows and ridiculous "comedies" are not worth my time. If I watch tv, I pretty much stick to HGTV design shows, the Style Network, a little E!, sports and a couple other shows I Tivo. Otherwise, I'd rather surf the net, play video games or watch my Sex and the City dvd collection.

It's gotten pretty bad--so bad that I haven't watched it in about 3 months.

Basically, it's not worth my time AT ALL.

I can hardly stand TV anymore. Even the news in the morning is more about entertainment and less about the actual news. I am sick of hearing about Anna Nicole Smith too. I am sorry that she died, but I don't care about it anymore either.

i'd say theres no doubt that in general, the quality of tv is depleating. with all of the crazy channels and ridiculous reality shows, theres too much on tv and none of it is good. everything gets cancelled anyway! so new shows just keep coming out and all of it is crap. there are only about 4 shows on tv i think are good, and i'm sure there are others, but there can't be enough good tv to fill up 800 channels! (ok, ok... forget the movie channels...) but seriously, its all awful.

Yes definitely. More and more shows are starting up and over half of them get canceled before the first season is over! It's sad!

exactly - the good shows keep getting cancelled so that new crappy stuff can get made or keep being on tv! i am sad about veronica mars, especially, at the moment!

I have gotten to the point that I don't even turn my TV on. I loved Veronica Mars too! But quite honestly I am sick of seeing and hearing about certain celebrities that are only celebrities because of their money. I think the media has gone crazy over these people and who really cares?

Almost all of my favorite TV shows have already gone off the air...Friends, Gilmore Girls, Sex and the City, Alias, etc. I have given up on watching Lost anymore, so pretty much the only returning show I'm going to watch is Grey's Anatomy.

This is a pretty loaded question. People don't collectively watch TV in the same way. A key question was not asked - whether the people have cable/satellite television or not. It's easy to say that television has become saturated with uninteresting shows when a person has a hundred+ channels to choose from.

This year, from looking at the broadcast networks alone, we really do have a renaissance in television. We've almost done away with the sitcom - a feat that should indicate even better days ahead. A few years ago we did get bombarded with reality TV and game shows that in most cases can be worse. Luckily those seem to be petering out.

And looking at the output of HBO and Showtime, the material is incredible! But when you add 200 more channels each targeted toward many diverse demographics, it's all of a sudden very easy to think television quality is on a downfall.

Yes it's worse. There are way too many reality shows on.

Unfortunately for my brain's decreasing activity, I find we only record reality shows (that are new). I find that I've shifted my interests to tolerate shows such as The Pick Up Artist, Mission Man Band, Next Top Model, etc.
The only real (non-reality) shows I watch anymore are allll reruns.
I'm counting on Gossip Girl to change my opinion of TV.

It depends. New sitcom formulas (30 Rock, The Office) are making for better comedy. Dramas are getting more complicated and multi-faceted (Grey's, Heroes, Lost) and some reality and documentary are innovative (Project Runway). But there are so many copy-cats out there and extensions of genres that have already been done so there is definitely a lot of crap. And money and marketing has seeped it's way into everything as has the demand to keep up with the digital age i.e. "to see more of this program go on to our website at..." so, it's a toss up for me and I am a TV lover who barely discriminates against anything!

Read "Everything Bad Is Good For You: How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter" by Steven Johnson. It really opened my eyes to how TV/movies/video games have developed and poses an interesting point of view that instead of beign bad for us, these things are actually getting more complex and challenging us in ways they tey did not before. It is a definite read before you engage in any debate over the merits of today's TV world.

sadly it doesn't stop people from watching

network t.v. blows chunks so badly it's embarrassing

Reality shows are definitely ruining Tv, a majority of them. I really miss Nickelodeon from back in the day (Doug, All That, Kenan and Kel, etc.), But I will say there are good dramas and sitcoms that keep the balance, so there's actual good shows worth watching. Can't wait fot Moonlight and Gossip Girl.

I would have to say its the same, there are good show out there like:
Big Love, Weeds, Mad Men, Bravo Shows, Dexter, Survivor, Greys anatomy, Heroes.
You just have to look and watch and give them a chance.

Reality tv is killing tv...its too ridiculous...I miss Lost

Most of the new tv shows are boring.

There are some great shows out there but overall I think tv is getting worse. Just look at the shows that MTV broadcast......

Nope, it's getting better