TheCochese
Banned
It used to be you could watch TV and learn things outside of the news. PBS was a great example of this. This Old House, New Yankee Workshop, The Woodwright's Shop. You could learn gardening on The Victory Garden, learn from Justin Wilson or Julia Child how to make a fine meal, learn painting from Bob Ross.
Now, all of these have one thing in common: Public Broadcasting. But even in the early days of Food/Cooking, DIY/HGTV there were those who followed in their footsteps. Alton Brown, Ina Garten, Emeril, the DIY shows like Indoors Out, the early Yard Crashers, etc. You'd be entertained, but at the end of the episode you'd know how to actually do one thing because they took the time out to show how it was done. Or in the cooking shows, you could watch an episode and have confidence you could put a decent meal or dish on the table.
I was watching This Old House on Youtube when it struck me you almost don't see this anymore. TOH and ATOH are shining examples of it still being done, but otherwise it just isn't there by and large. Reality TV has gone almost solely to time-based competitions or challenges. You might have a cooking or renovation show on, but you aren't going to learn much of outside how much Johnny can screw up a baked Alaska or see the $200,000 pool someone put in with a swim-up bar.
Now, you'll say that it all moved to Youtube. Well, sort of. There's quite a bit of the home handyman type stuff, and I'm sure the cooking videos are there as well. None of it seems vetted. It seems to be way more based on how photogenic and bubbly you are vs any real skill. There are exceptions, particularly in the woodworking world, but there are a lot of hacks as well. You could learn something, but it may or may not be safe.
Not sure this thread has more of a point than me pining for some good quality instructional presentations. My wife turned me on to Nashville Flipped, where there is an occasional instructional item presented in the show, which further fueled this thought about the lack of such things.
Anyone else miss this sort of thing, and who do you turn to learn cooking, DIY, and other things?
Now, all of these have one thing in common: Public Broadcasting. But even in the early days of Food/Cooking, DIY/HGTV there were those who followed in their footsteps. Alton Brown, Ina Garten, Emeril, the DIY shows like Indoors Out, the early Yard Crashers, etc. You'd be entertained, but at the end of the episode you'd know how to actually do one thing because they took the time out to show how it was done. Or in the cooking shows, you could watch an episode and have confidence you could put a decent meal or dish on the table.
I was watching This Old House on Youtube when it struck me you almost don't see this anymore. TOH and ATOH are shining examples of it still being done, but otherwise it just isn't there by and large. Reality TV has gone almost solely to time-based competitions or challenges. You might have a cooking or renovation show on, but you aren't going to learn much of outside how much Johnny can screw up a baked Alaska or see the $200,000 pool someone put in with a swim-up bar.
Now, you'll say that it all moved to Youtube. Well, sort of. There's quite a bit of the home handyman type stuff, and I'm sure the cooking videos are there as well. None of it seems vetted. It seems to be way more based on how photogenic and bubbly you are vs any real skill. There are exceptions, particularly in the woodworking world, but there are a lot of hacks as well. You could learn something, but it may or may not be safe.
Not sure this thread has more of a point than me pining for some good quality instructional presentations. My wife turned me on to Nashville Flipped, where there is an occasional instructional item presented in the show, which further fueled this thought about the lack of such things.
Anyone else miss this sort of thing, and who do you turn to learn cooking, DIY, and other things?
