Television Is the golden age of TV over?

[Fortitude]

Sopranos - Mad Men (end)

And all that went in between?

Has the era of golden TV ended?

Has the quality gone back to pre-Sopranos?

How many shows have come along outside of the proposed halcyon period that match those within it?

 

[OleBoiii]

Wasn't the term "The Golden Age of TV" first used around 2010? As for whether or not it has ended: well, it depends.... The Big 3(Sopranos, The Wire, Breaking Bad) are over, but there's still high-quality stuff right up there with those three. Mr.Robot just ended and it may be the best TV-series I've ever seen. Better Call Saul is still ongoing, and many feel that it's just as good as Breaking Bad.

I feel that the average quality of TV shows is much higher than it was 10, 15 and 20 years ago. But the best shows today aren't better than the best shows previously. It's about equal(at best).

 

[Fortitude]

Wasn't the term "The Golden Age of TV" first used around 2010? As for whether or not it has ended: well, it depends.... The Big 3(Sopranos, The Wire, Breaking Bad) are over, but there's still high-quality stuff right up there with those three. Mr.Robot just ended and it may be the best TV-series I've ever seen. Better Call Saul is still ongoing, and many feel that it's just as good as Breaking Bad.

I feel that the average quality of TV shows is much higher than it was 10, 15 and 20 years ago. But the best shows today aren't better than the best shows previously. It's about equal(at best).

Shows started after Mad Men ended.

 

[Siorac]

There is plenty of quality TV these days, you have an insane amount of choice so everyone can find what they're looking for.

 

[Volumiza]

Of course Sopranos was seminal but there are still great shows currently. There will always be shows that transcend though and I'm sure another one will arrive at some point. Sopranos, BB, GOT etc were just very special.

All sorts of other good stuff about though that will keep us going till the next biggie arrives.

 

[11101]

Every time a new style or format comes along there is a rush of creativity around it. The Sopranos and The Wire came along because of the then new 1 hour cable TV slots, but it's getting a little stale now. Much like the film industry they seem to have figured out how to continually rehash the same ideas to make money without putting much effort in.

Still, there is some good TV out there. Better Call Saul is arguably better than the show it's based on.

 

[The Cat]

Not sure how you can call any golden age as starting at Sopranos.

That is one of my favourites for sure but so is Minder and many others before it.

 

[Offside]

The golden age for TV ended when John Stape died on Corrie.

 

[Massive Spanner]

No way. Between HBO and the streaming services there's pretty much a full series of good TV to watch every week. It's never been better. Just because something as good as The Wire or Breaking Bad hasn't come along since doesn't change that.

I'd also argue that the likes of Mr. Robot and The Leftovers really weren't far off Breaking Bad in greatness, either.

Then you had Chernobyl and When They See Us last year too, two of the greatest mini-series ever.

 

[CassiusClaymore]

No.

 

[robinamicrowave]

There's too much TV for us not to be in a golden age.

 

[Redlambs]

Nope. It goes in fits and spurts, but all in all with the big streaming services continuing to ramp up the competition, there's no way it's over.

 

[BusbyMalone]

As long as Succession is on TV, then no.

 

[OleBoiii]

No way. Between HBO and the streaming services there's pretty much a full series of good TV to watch every week. It's never been better. Just because something as good as The Wire or Breaking Bad hasn't come along since doesn't change that.

Yup.

I think people underestimate just how shit TV used to be before 2010(ish). It was especially shit before 2000. Apart from comedy, which has always worked better on TV anyways, the average TV show back then was absolutely terrible by today's standards. Shows like Prison Break and Lost were considered borderline masterpieces, but they'd be considered average at best if they were made today(even if you boosted the production quality).

TV shows like Sopranos, The Wire and Band of Brothers were basically HUGE exceptions.