Why do I Like So Many "Bad" TV Shows?

My wife and I binge on several TV shows on Netflix, which have been popular on TV. These include: Doc Martin, Upstairs Downstairs and its modern equivalent Downton Abby, Breaking Bad, Alias, and currently we wrapped up the previous seasons of Sandal. They are bad shows.

When I say bad, I don’t mean they are poorly done, on the contrary they are extremely well written and well acted and fascinating with characters who are easy to care for. When I mean bad, I’m thinking of the typical Tom Clancy novels in which the leading character is always an antihero; an immoral jerk. Let me go through these shows one by one to demonstrate.

Doc Martin, has no social graces, acts like a total bonehead to everyone including the ones he loves. But we find him funny and love all the weird supporting characters. But he is in essence a morally bankrupt character we somehow expect to get better despite all evidence to the contrary.

Upstairs Downstairs and Downton Abby and again extremely well acted and visually pleasant. But they extol the virtues of a class system continuing the belief in noblesse oblige of the wealthy upper classes to run society better despite their inabilities to do so. They advocate conservative values that keep all but the upper classes down in order for the few to live lives of extravagance.

Breaking Bad, was one of those shows we never watched when it began but became addicted to on Netflix. But it is what the title says, about a man breaking bad. A man when faced with life’s difficulties turns to evil means to provide for his family. He is a drug maker and seller who lies to those closest to him until he drags them into his web of evil intrigue compromising their moral integrity as well. But he is so well played along with the rest of the cast we end up rooting for him and hope all will turn out well, despite his killing people in the long and short term.

Alias is a bit more fluffy with Jennifer Gardner getting to play dress up constantly as she puts other actions heroes to shame with her athletic exploits. But it has one level of evil intrigue built upon another. It scares the crap out of us who believe these things might and probably do happen in the world behind political intrigue and espionage. It is hard to differentiate between the humanely used tranquilizers guns and guns with real bullets that kill friend and foe alike. And we will cling to the ridiculous hope that she and her hubby after a life of lies and deception will end up on a beach cuddling with their children. Right.

And finally, Scandal starring the gorgeous Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope who is the brilliant and most competent “fixer.” It begins with her and other selling their collective souls by fixing voting machines to rig an election so that her love interest conservative presidential candidate will win the election. She is so loyal to her misfit friends that we can’t help but like her and want her to marry her boyfriend president and live happily ever after. So, it comes at the expense of all types of immorality, doesn’t she have a good heart and aren’t the others she combats even worse that she. It reflects the morality of, well others are doing it why shouldn’t we because our cause is just…

As I said, we watch them with great enthusiasm, sans commercials on Netflix and delight in the acting. But each and everyone one of them is a moral quagmire based on the morality of expediency not right. And perhaps that is one reason they are popular. They reflect us and our values perhaps to a greater extent or level; but I fear most in this country and in others buy into the morality of expediency. It is right if it gets me to where I want to go and gets me what I want to get.

It’s sad, but like the news, bad news sells better than good news and we elect politicians who smear their opponents better than they are getting smeared.

Human beings are very strange creatures who persist in believing we are capable of greatness and goodness despite all evidence to the contrary.