EW screws Dark Shadows again

[jimbo]

EW has another one of its lists-the Greatest Top 25 cult TV shows. Dark Shadows is left out but so is Star Trek. I just think EW loves to intentionally be so controversial thereby creating more publicity for themselves in an attempt to sell more copies. But they are making a joke of themselves in the meantime imo.

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20302134_20304619,00.html

[petofi]

True dat - but look closely at the woman in the "Police Squad" shot!

Petofi

[ProfStokes]

At least MST3K and "The Prisoner" made the list, but I never heard of some of the other shows ("Get a Life"?)

ProfStokes

[Mysterious Benefactor]

look closely at the woman in the "Police Squad" shot!

I love that ep - it's hilarious.  

As for the list, something tells me EW has some explanation for why DS and ST aren't on it - though don't ask me what the hell it is.    However, I have to say that I love almost every show that did make the list...

[Midnite]

look closely at the woman in the "Police Squad" shot!

Ah!

[The Doctor and K9]

I like Supernatural very much, but I don't think it should be on that list.  Unless we are defining the term "cult show" differently, I think it as defining a show that lived on through a loyal following after the show wrapped production  I think the jury is stilll out on Buffy.  Yes it was a great show.  I own every episode.  Will there still be a following in ten years?  Twenty?  I think there will be, but I could be wrong.  Then again, as I said, it could be my definition is different from theirs.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Having been a reader of EW for quite some time, I think I can say with certainty that EW's definition of a cult show is one with a very loyal following but without a huge following. And it doesn't matter to them if the show is currently on the air (like CHUCK, SUPERNATURAL, DOCTOR WHO, etc.) or has been off the air for decades (like BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, POLICE SQUAD, THE PRISONER, etc.). The shows on that list would fit that profile. And now that I think about it, that could explain why ST isn't on the list...

[jimbo]

That may be true MB but how does The X-Files's inclusion fit into your take on how EW defines the word "cult". The X-Files has a huge following. I do think you are right but the name of the article's title,  The 25 Greatest Cult TV Shows Ever is very misleading. I think they took liberties with the words "greatest" "cult" and "ever".

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I'd have to go back to see what the X-Files ratings were like back in the day to give a definitive answer. But by the standards at the time it was on, and from what I do recall, we can probably say the show had a healthy following - but I don't know about saying it had a huge following...

[jimbo]

Star Trek's ratings were poor during its 3 year run in the 60s and it was only years later that it developed into a cult following. That is why I don't think EW can offer a disqualifer to this list. If the X-Files made it why didn't Dark Shadows make it? Actually my question is really for EW because we can only guess as to what its explanation can be. I guess this is exactly what EW had intended when they published this article-to create publicity, controversy, buzz or whatever to sell more copies.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

The new issue won't be out until tomorrow, so I can't be sure - but I suspect that list is only intended for the Web site because most of their lists only appear on the Web site. And most of the results of the lists on the Web site are very strange indeed. It's basically like no one over 25 has any input whatsoever.    But I also suspect that that's the demo they're going for with the Web site, whereas the magazine also targets an older demo...

[Gerard]

I haven't even heard of around half those shows.

Gerard

[nightshadows342]

I've just about given up on EW. They were the ones reporting that Lost was going to get canceled and all this bullcrap a couple of years ago. Then the finale of the show came out and EW changed their tune as if they had never written articles about Lost and some other shows being over rated. Meanwhile promoting this lousy show that's probably going to get canned.  Ptsh.

 

[Charles_Ellis]

Looks like no one over 30 works at that rag, which explains why so many shows from the 50s-80s were left out!

[quentin-channing]

I just think EW loves to intentionally be so controversial thereby creating more publicity for themselves in an attempt to sell more copies. But they are making a joke of themselves in the meantime imo.

Abso-freakin-lutely. I used to be a loyal subscriber but haven't read the mag for at least two years. Another thing they do that irks me is, like nightshadow said, they contradict themselves all the time. In a movie preview issue they'll print how great upcoming releases are, and then review them and trash them like they knew all along they weren't great 3 or 4 months later.

The writers and editors there desperately want to be hipsters and it shows.