Conversation

Realizing it wasn’t just USA network. SyFy also had a few middlebrow innocence shows during the same period. Eureka (2006) and Warehouse 13 (2009-14) had the same sunny, cheery vibe. They were like campy X-files seem from the other side, from inside the secret deep state orgs.
Quote Tweet
Middlebrow “Blue Sky” USA Network shows ~2006-14 are an Age of Innocence preceding the Great Weirding. Psych (2006-14), White Collar (2009-14), Burn Notice (2007-13). Charming recession escapism. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_Netwo"Characters_Welcome",_the_"blue_sky"_era_(2005–2016)
Show this thread
Replying to
When all this is over, the Obama era/recession will turn out to be more interesting than the great weirding. That’s when things got set up for world metamorphosis. The TV shows I like from that period are almost like eulogies for the good side of a world we knew was dying.
1
11
Imagine remaking all these shows now. They’d be impossibly dark and drenched in culture war bile: Psych Burn Notice White Collar Monk Royal Pains Eureka Warehouse 13 I can imagine great weirding versions of all of them. Notably USA Network switched gears with Mr. Robot.
1
16
Psych would have chaos magick themes Monk would get embroiled in autism stuff White Collar would be about evil bankers and oligarchs Royal Pains would be about 1% healthcare amid Obamacare, drug prices, and opioid crisis Burn Notice would be about Snowden, Wikileaks
7
Replying to
Man, I have such fond memories of both those shows. Cozy winter nights spent with my family, old dog on the sofa. Feels like neither would last a day in the jungle of the Weirding.