In television, most notably today, Fall premieres of "new" shows find themselves falling into almost predictable patterns: overly dramatic music clues the viewer to get ready, some important memory trigger is interrupted by something "suddenly" happening, etc. Have we come to a point where television has become lazy in delivery, instead relying on tropes it knows will work? Or have we just seen it all? Is there really anything that could be considered "new" television? Or is all television simply a collection of story lines that get revamps via setting, character, etc.?
Live-action dramas fall into these cliched and predictable cues because of how they are produced, and the audiences that typically watch them. So it is indeed a topic which must be explored further to understand why it might happen.
Animated shows, however, do not have these same issues. Plenty of animated series still fail to impress due to bottom of the barrel humor, and often completely unexplainable premises. But quite a few stand as some of the best examples of creative storytelling and character development on television today, and should not be discounted when discussing this particular topic. Perhaps at least a disclaimer somewhere in the opening paragraphs just to make sure they are given their due. – FilmmakerJ9 years ago