On Videogaming TV Shows And Vitriol

Thanks to GameSpy for their 'Sole Food' editorial discussing the vitriol directed against videogame-themed television programs, or, more specifically, the game-themed digital cable/satellite channel G4. The writer laments: "You'd think that people that enjoy the gaming lifestyle would be all over the only channel dedicated to their passion. Sadly, that's not the case", and goes on to suggest "there's been an enormous amount of improvement" in the channel, and comment: "my favorite thing about [G4] is that it will bring new people into the [videogaming] fold." Are there any game-related TV shows, either on G4 or elsewhere, that you think are being done just right?

Comments

Time Commanders - a BBC show , pretty good

[Viol8]

Theres a new BBC show called Time COmmanders that doesn't actually focus on video games but uses a game engine as a method to allow contestants to
re-enact historic battles. The BBC don't have a page on it (figures , battle isn't politically correct so the vegan lentil eaters who do their
web site wouldn't be seen dead writing about it) but there is a page run by the company who did the software:

Total War

G4 Good And Bad

[crashdavis]

When the average age of viewers is probably about 16 and the average age of the posters "hatin'" is probably about 13, what do you expect them to say? I never met a 13 yr old boy who liked things because he appreciated their potential.

However, a lot of the criticisms are totally valid too for the current state of affairs.

- Ronilyn on Pulse could be a blowup doll considering the mechanical way she reads the teleprompter.

- Diane Mizota does a better job, and is hotter, but it is pretty clear she never touched a computer game in her life before getting her gig on Filter.

- What's with all the freakin' one word show titles? Pulse, Portal, Filter, Arena, Blister, Sweat, Cheat, . People should watch Judgement Day just to show G4 we can handle two word titles of shows.

- What kind of budget does this channel really have for making shows? Arena must cost them about $8 per show to film, and they've only made about 25 shows in 3 years. They should do that one like Wheel of Fortune and shoot 10 a day. It would also be much better if they actually bracketed the teams and made true champion each season instead of "win 3 shows and join the Hall of Champions".

- I would probably nominate Portal as the worst show on TV, on any channel in existence. Anyone have a worse one?

The two shows that are at least making an effort to be fun and informative are Judgement Day and G4TV.com. Pulse is ok if you can ignore how Ronilyn reads and just focus on her "assets". Arena is worth watching if nothing else is on just to hear all the nicknames for Stacy Barcelata. Other than that, you'll have more fun and learn more watching the gold necklace show on QVC than anything on G4.