EW’s TV Critics discuss the smallscreen’s new age of empty decadence.
That also meant sifting back through twelve months of television shows thatwerent very good.
A common theme emerged, leading to this discussion.
Credit: Myles Aronowitz/Amazon Studios
Netflix launched special-effectsy megashows likeAltered CarbonandLost in Space.
Amazon countered by filming on location in what looked like nine continents forJack RyanandThe Romanoffs.
Welcome, Julia Roberts!
Netflix
Dont hurt me, Sean Penn!)
Can you explain your name for this trend?
KRISTEN:Behold the era of Blank Check TV, Darren!
Bigger isnt necessarily a bad thing, but bigger with no boundaries is.
For me, the purest case study of Blank Check TV in 2018 isThe Romanoffs.
And sometimes the excess has nothing to do with money.
There were shows this year that were clearly given the be as controversial as you wanna be!
directive and it ruined them.
What are the shows that exemplify Blank Check TV for you, Darren?
And it was all just sopointless, familiar decade-old stunts resurrected in a miserable new context.
Not all excess is created equal; I kinda liked theSense8finale.
And the last time we saw Rick he was… in a helicopter!
Can we get heavy here, Kristen?
New iterations ofThe X-FilesandAmerican Horror Storyrefracted hysterical visions into post-coherent pulp.
But I know Im part of the problem, since I kinda liked one-fifth of theX-Filesreboot.
Were there TV series that stood out to you as GOOD examples of Blank Check television, Kristen?
), the viewers will come.
(Wont they?)
(See:The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,The Deuce.)
The Blank Check ethos can work, when applied with discipline.
Tis a gift, pure and simple.
