How Bad Can It Get?

I realize summer isn't the greatest time to look for something to watch on television. Sure you might be able to catch an episode you missed of your favorite show. (I always manage to catch the ones I've already seen).

The last few years, many summer reruns have been replaced by short season shows that don't make the fall schedule. And some of those shows have run successfully for a few seasons, like The Closer which went off the air when Kyra Sedgewick decided it was time to move on. Her show was  replaced by its spinoff, Major Crimes (which IMHO is just as good). There are other good shows that have short seasons you wish they were longer. But that isn't my point here.

My point is made-for-TV movies. Last night there wasn't much worth watching so  TV viewing was switched over to the SyFy channel. Sharknado??? Okay, something in the line of disaster movies I hadn't yet seen. I'm usually willing to give a new title a shot.

Somebody should have shot it. Actually they did. The heroine was able to blow the heads off a couple of the big guys. (They were man eaters so what did she have to worry about <snicker>) These huge fish are transported throughout Los Angeles by means of a tornado? (Come on guys, hop on board. There's a huge buffet just waiting for us in LA).  In the meantime they're swimming around pools, sewer systems and flooded streets waiting for the next hapless snack.

I don't mind an occasional dumb movie but this one was the dumbest I have ever seen. Is there anything Hollywood hasn't yet done with sharks, crocs, piranhas and snakes? Either they need some new writers or they need writers who can come up with something that's a bit more thought provoking. Viewers (at least this viewer) wants to be entertained and occasionally challenged (with a good action, suspense or thriller) A good science-fiction would be nice, as long as it makes some sense and lets you ask "What if?"

For some years there's been a problem referred to as 'dumbing down America' in which the reading levels have been lowered and the challenge of reading is disappearing. It seems like the quality of many movies is following the same road. They really don't give us anything to think about. Watch it and forget it. If that's how it is, why bother?

Is there something to be done about it? I have no idea since there are so few complaints. In the meantime, I'll just go back to reading my suspense novels and watching "classic" movies.