[Scorcher]

Is the situation this worse?

[ByDesign]

Originally Posted by jai-uno-t

and other assorted bad characters..i'll explain.

my wife, god bless her, has an addiction, one that despite all my best effort i just cannot break, she's a tv serial addict. Zee, Star and Colors (btw, we aren't Americans, can't they spell it "Colours" like the rest of the world?) are all beamed in, and prime time is a never ending parade of bad acting, poor sets, and screaming.

Most of the plots appear to revolve around a variety of demonic mother in laws looking to stitch up the incoming bride of their baby boy, a grown man who appears deeply dysfunctional due to his mothers close attention. fathers fall into either deeply righteous or perverted lecher categories. The bride has to endure a never ending barrage of ire, plots to undermine her, and general nastiness from a old harridan.

the rest a bunch of deeply retarded shouty, dopey folls who get riled up by dinner being served 30 minutes to late, the bus leaving without them, or someone not calling them.

now i've been to india a few times, i've even stayed with my in laws, i like them! no really, i do. they aren't evil, although it would be nice if they lived in a mansion the size of wembley stadium like all these tv families do. no ones out to get me, and having spoken to the wife, none of my family are out to get her.

so what's my point? is it simply prime time tv in india is fascinated by this sort of cack? are families really like this? can someone shot ekta kapoor in the face and put her out of my misery?

i know, i'm ranting.

So clearly you're not Indian? I say this since you seem to not know about Saas Bahu serials, which are sort of the way of life here in India.

Now the point at hand seems typical, the tv show of any country's more or less indicative of the culture there. Like the previous poster said, everybody loves raymond, or my own example of desperate housewives, or as in your country, my family or two pints of lager etc. You O' Earl of Winchester, need to re-connect with your roots, Wembley Stadium!? How bout good ol' Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium? Or Feroz Shah Kotla?

Of course Saas Bahu serials are a demonic plague, of course they exaggerate things beyond proportion. It's a tv show man! I had to re-read your post to actually believe you were asking if families are actually like this here! Do all Britons look like Mr. Bean? Do you all have tea and crumpets day in day out and fence in the afternoon sun before you go pheasant hunting in your estates? Similar question. No point. Stereotyping. Huh.

PS: My post would be summed up to "No, its a damned tv programme. Life isn't really like that here" IF you actually aren't Indian and are of other descent.

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by Scorcher

Is the situation this worse?

That's a lot of tears!

[gd1418]

Very succintly put. But again then everybody is not "Naina ji" of Mann ki awaaz Pratigya. There are more of the "Thakurayin" types than that of 'Naina ji".

Originally Posted by ByDesign

So clearly you're not Indian? I say this since you seem to not know about Saas Bahu serials, which are sort of the way of life here in India.

Now the point at hand seems typical, the tv show of any country's more or less indicative of the culture there. Like the previous poster said, everybody loves raymond, or my own example of desperate housewives, or as in your country, my family or two pints of lager etc. You O' Earl of Winchester, need to re-connect with your roots, Wembley Stadium!? How bout good ol' Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium? Or Feroz Shah Kotla?

Of course Saas Bahu serials are a demonic plague, of course they exaggerate things beyond proportion. It's a tv show man! I had to re-read your post to actually believe you were asking if families are actually like this here! Do all Britons look like Mr. Bean? Do you all have tea and crumpets day in day out and fence in the afternoon sun before you go pheasant hunting in your estates? Similar question. No point. Stereotyping. Huh.

PS: My post would be summed up to "No, its a damned tv programme. Life isn't really like that here" IF you actually aren't Indian and are of other descent.

[mayankk]

@bydesign: chill bhai!
I think jai meant it in a much lighter vein.
he is indian, as far as his profile says.
and trust me, most of us have a similar rant about the serials, though if our life was like that, most of us would have hired a piper to make us jump off a cliff...
so, considering that we're still here-no, jai, life's not like that..

[jealousdiamond]

Originally Posted by jai-uno-t

i know, i'm ranting.

Nah you are not Ranting , its the quirk of fate that we are fed with the daily dose of high octane drama , first there was Star Plus and now to add to the agony "Colors" . .Was just wondering if Serialllls like this ever END .All I have seen is the rebirth , rebirth and rebirth ( just like sme avtaar coming over and over again )

[jai-uno-t]

i am of indian origin, via kenya and london

It just seemed to me that there is not much variety in the output of these channels, the shows, plots and cast are all interchangeable with not much trouble. The evil family theme runs strongly throughout all of them, yawn.. i know families aren't like that, so why make it so prominent in all of the shows? What is it about this idea that appeals so strongly to the audience?

I would have hoped for more variety, a bit of style, some decent acting, a lot less crash zooming!!! where is the local life on mars? CSI? entourage? scrubs? strong shows, solid characters, plot driven and great to watch.

oh look..another dance contest show...

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by jai-uno-t

i am of indian origin, via kenya and london

It just seemed to me that there is not much variety in the output of these channels, the shows, plots and cast are all interchangeable with not much trouble. The evil family theme runs strongly throughout all of them, yawn.. i know families aren't like that, so why make it so prominent in all of the shows? What is it about this idea that appeals so strongly to the audience?

I would have hoped for more variety, a bit of style, some decent acting, a lot less crash zooming!!! where is the local life on mars? CSI? entourage? scrubs? strong shows, solid characters, plot driven and great to watch.

oh look..another dance contest show...

heyyyy.....
see, its not as if the channels make shows, and stuff it on the telly.
"watch this, and this only!"
they only make what is selling.
so as long as dance shows/saas bahu are flavour of the month, they will be made.
we are "rangeen" people.
those shows work here cos you need zero brain activity to comprehend them, which is best.
for more intellect, we practise the art of remote-button-pressing.

to each his own.
its not as if all the 400 odd channels on DTH are pulling in 3 close-ups in every scene with accompanying clangs!
(hmmmm, seems i HAVE caught a bit of these serials!)

[Spitfire]

So who else watches uttaran on colors? I so love that spineless/dumb girl.

[jai-uno-t]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

So who else watches uttaran on colors? I so love that spineless/dumb girl.

is that gopi? who just went to switzerl....oh for crying out loud i know the plot!!! i've been brainwashed!

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by jai-uno-t

is that gopi? who just went to switzerl....oh for crying out loud i know the plot!!! i've been brainwashed!

Gopi?? No idea.

I just keep looking at her whenever she comes on screen and when she is no longer there I look at my plate.

If it helps she has got married to both brothers but the one dude got killed because he had a beard and the one she is with now is clean shaven and much cuter - as per my wife - I guess she doesn't watch it as much, why would some one kill somebody because of a beard?

But then we are talking about Indian Soaps, maybe its possible.

[bond_bhai]

Originally Posted by Mustang.101

Does anyone watch Family Guy, I find it better than the Simpsons and better than South Park.

Me watches it! I feel the same too, FG is better than Simpsons. Peter Griffin and the kid Stewie are awesome!

[sidindica]

Desi thrill aur full thok drama. X factor.

[bluevolt]

Taraak mehta ka oolta chasma and FIR on sab tv are my favourite serials. On weekends i watch taarak mehta ka oolta chasma whole day.

[khoj]

Used to watch Dexter, which went off air last month.
Now waiting for Glee to come back on but only to catch the hot blonde gyrating in the body suit and for the next season of Modern family.
Some other shows that I like to watch are The Garage, Wheeler Dealer, The New Inventers, Zaika India Ka, Extreme Engineering and Future Weapons.