Who's bored of the '80s? VH1 isn't. [R]

[christopher d]

OK. So I've watched "I love the 80s". I've watched "The 80s strike back", and now I have "Retrosexual: The 80s" DVRed for like all five one-hour episodes. Twenty-five hours of watching the wittyiest minds of my generation destroyed by flashback. I'm so hooked. Born in '71: the 80s were my teen years. Not just that, but we GenXers had the best music to grow up on, the best movies to watch, the best TV shows... very little has come close since. So these shows are like crack for me reliving my childhood. Plus, after the Baby Boomers were everyone's favorite target market for about 2, maybe 300 years, it's good to be getting some attention for a relatively small generation, population-wise.

But I think they've just jumped the shark. There's no more deconstruction to be done. Gilbert Gecko? Check. Big Hair? Check. John Hughes movies? Check. Jim and Tammy-Faye? Check. It's like watching a televised episode of the Sports Guy column for ESPN.com. And they're really reaching with this "Retrosexual: The 80s" series. Fortunately or unfortunately, that their now doing their analyses with a focus could portend a whole bunch of such series. Like: "Saying anything: The 80s teen movies" or something like that.

Any other Xers as hooked on these as I am?

[Coach_McGuirk]

I'm right there with ya', brother. It sems that VH1 is actually catering to Gen X these days, what with the aforementioned 80's shows, plus the "new" (relatively) show "Bands Reunited" which basically just reunites 80's New Wave bands (Flock of Seagulls, The Motels, Haircut 100, etc). Most of the Gen X'ers are in their mid to late 30's with kids, so I guess they figure we stay home and watch more TV now...

[352klr]

I want to punch Hal Sparks in the face. A lot.

[royalstilton]

I want to punch Hal Sparks in the face. A lot.
---
typical misplaced aggression...

Remember Culloden Moor!

[Mr Fish]

My former roommate edits these shows at VH1. They're incredibly inexpensive to produce (the biggest fees are for clearance rights of the music & video) and provide VH1 with their highest ratings of the year when they air. In short, they're a goldmine.

[Claymore]

I've grown bored with them, as well. How many times can you watch Boy George?

I lived through it, don't need a reminder.

[spejic]

I was also born in 1971, but I was an extremely unobservent, self-involved nerd in my teens (and since, I guess), so I like to watch these shows to see the stuff I should have been interested in way back when. I have become a big fan of New Wave music since I started watching the VH1 shows.

[KDdidit]

I've liked most of the "80's" shows on VH1, but not this one. It seemed like VH1 made some stuff up and really stretched the truth on a lot of things to fill 5 hours worth of time (it was 5 shows, right?).

[FearM9]

I can't get enough of "Metal Mania" on VH1 Classic!!!

Ahhhh Britney Fox's "Girl School" vid was just on...GREAT STUFF!!!

[scaryice]

we GenXers had the best music to grow up on

Wow, you must be on crack.