This hasn't happened in a lonng time, especially in comparison to those early seasons and look at just how dark and vast the fantasy world was then, now it's more narrowed and strained.
I never thought those first few seasons were masterpieces of gripping television but they were positively brilliant compared to what the show's doing now. I don't know if the fantasy world has gotten narrow -- if anything, it should be even richer now that there's a whole tableau of angels and demons and prophecies etc. I think the big difference between then and now is that back then, there was at least a feeling that the writers were fully invested in what they were doing. For quite some time now, I've just gotten the feeling that they think it's all one big joke -- and I don't know if they think the audience is in on the joke with them, if they think we're too stupid to notice, or if they've just decided (like Chuck said in the season finale) that the audience "will bitch" no matter what, so our criticism doesn't have any merit.
I feel like the writers are confusing the words "respect" and "masturbate"
Personally, I think the people behind the show have developed a very real disdain for the audience. This meta-masturbation is strictly for themselves -- an episode like "The Real Ghostbusters" seemed to have been written entirely as their own inside joke and this season's upcoming meta laff-riot does not sound any different. I know that there are still some viewers who see these sorts of episodes as affectionate nods to the audience. I don't at all agree on the "affectionate" part -- but even if these meta episodes were humorously well-meant, they just don't contribute anything to a show that, by now, is desperately in need of some good, cohesive, serious storytelling. Somebody needs to crack the whip on these folks, and there just isn't anyone to do it.
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I never thought those first few seasons were masterpieces of gripping television but they were positively brilliant compared to what the show's doing now. I don't know if the fantasy world has gotten narrow -- if anything, it should be even richer now that there's a whole tableau of angels and demons and prophecies etc. I think the big difference between then and now is that back then, there was at least a feeling that the writers were fully invested in what they were doing. For quite some time now, I've just gotten the feeling that they think it's all one big joke -- and I don't know if they think the audience is in on the joke with them, if they think we're too stupid to notice, or if they've just decided (like Chuck said in the season finale) that the audience "will bitch" no matter what, so our criticism doesn't have any merit.
I feel like the writers are confusing the words "respect" and "masturbate"
Personally, I think the people behind the show have developed a very real disdain for the audience. This meta-masturbation is strictly for themselves -- an episode like "The Real Ghostbusters" seemed to have been written entirely as their own inside joke and this season's upcoming meta laff-riot does not sound any different. I know that there are still some viewers who see these sorts of episodes as affectionate nods to the audience. I don't at all agree on the "affectionate" part -- but even if these meta episodes were humorously well-meant, they just don't contribute anything to a show that, by now, is desperately in need of some good, cohesive, serious storytelling. Somebody needs to crack the whip on these folks, and there just isn't anyone to do it.