Reflections of new economy in TV programming

[mtnlaurel]

I was vegging out earlier this week with some junky TV after a busy weekend with house guests and saw 2 things on TV back to back that really struck me.

1) On Clean House New York after cleaning out and redecorating a family's apartment, as a special gift the show offered to pay one months rent since financial pressure was one of the biggest problems the family was experiencing. (In the past this show might occasionally offer a family cruise or something, now it's paying rent.)

2) On How Do I Look after make-over the show offered to pay off half of amount owed on the participant's home, as she was very close to losing her home.

Other than the obvious, OWS -- what are you all observing out there that reflects the new, mean economy?

[jania]

On "The Middle" this week the family started to notice more families in the neighborhood losing their homes and they contemplated getting out of their house and moving into an apartment, due to their own financial crunch.

[Alan]

If the OWS movement was inspired by the Arab Spring, as some media commentators say, I saw a troubling parallel last night on the news. It was a short video of a beaten, bleeding, but obviously alive Muammar Gaddafi being dragged off the hood of a truck and into the street, where he was then presumably shot in the head by someone in the cheering mob.

The natural progression of Occupy Libya.

[JaneV2.0]

Sure--just like the "Occupy Lunch Counters" movement in the 50s' South led to protesters beating their oppressors. Oh, wait...

[peggy]

And the brutal, violent Gaddafi is exactly like an investment banker....yea, great comparison..

[mtnlaurel]

There is no doubt in my mind that we are sitting on a tinderbox

And I do NOT blame OWS for that

that's the whole deal though - and my whole point of thread --- reality is even seeping into la-la land

[AmeliaJane]

To get back to popular culture, on Parenthood one of the couples had the husband out of work for a long time--he ended up starting a business with his brother. The grandfather lost a lot of money in a real estate deal (similar to many people who ended up upside down on mortgages) but they seem to have dropped that plot line.

Parks and Rec last season had a plotline where the city underwent a major financial crisis and they had to close down municipal government for some time.

[Alan]

And the brutal, violent Gaddafi is exactly like an investment banker....yea, great comparison..

I was thinking more along the lines of mob mentality rather than the focus of their attention. Mobs are scary.

[Wildflower]

Have been watching a show recently called Downsizing about a family who lost the majority of their income due to the economic downturn's effect on the Dad's construction business and in turn they lost their home. Show is about how this large blended family is learning to live and cope on a much lesser income.

[peggy]

I was thinking more along the lines of mob mentality rather than the focus of their attention. Mobs are scary.

I agree. The tea party mobs with SIDE ARMS prominently displayed are very scary! Displaying guns is a direct threat of violence!