I seriously do not understand how people 'enjoy' this show. Dreadfully boring, and let me ask, is it all made up on the spot or what? It completely bites. Worst programming ever and it puts Canadian television to, well, even MORE shame...
You wanna play some word games, or do some experiments on me or anything?share
I find the show enjoyable. You spend half an hour everyday with the characters, you become comfterble with them. Its nice and relaxing, well for the most part.
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what the hell is so good about the story? honestly tell me one storyline that is the least bit unique or interesting. Cause i was really on the edge of my seat when Zach couldn't break up with his girlfriend. Riviting television. Plus its so realistic that everyday 6 completely different people meet and interact in the same train car discussing their most personal problems with people on the *beep* train. With great shows like "made in canada" and "kids in the hall" it disgusts me that here in canada money is being put into garbage like this. And they wonder why we all watch american tv. You said it yourself the acting sucks. Maybe i'm crazy but if i'm gonna put money into creating an original canadian show (which is a rarity in this country) wouldn't you take the time to cast the best actors for the roles? Now actors who even fans of the show say "suck"
sharewell put. kudos, superslick
Well...I proposed them to play roulette...Like we played...And I lost.share
I only klnow this from the commercial but if someone lost his job how come he still rides the Train?
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I think One of the only ways in which you would be able to find this show intersting is if you've watched from the beggining or actually sit down and watch it or a whole week...you have to understand the cahracters and once you get to know them, it's not such a bad show
first rule of fight club, is.....what we do in life, echo's in eternity.....SAVVY?
Train 48 is so bad I couldn't even laugh at how bad it was, it was just so very sad.
shareThis show sucks big time, I Laughed the first time i saw it. the acting is So Bad I Justwant to kick the person in the ass that made this show.
sharei just thought you guys talking about how much train 48 sucks would like to know some facts about Canadian televison and what it truly means in the context of Train 48
In order to keep their license/make money, Canadian private networks such as Global (owned by CanWestGlobal, one of the top 5 media conglomerates in canada) must have at least 8 hours of Canadian programming a week during prime time, which after new CRTC regulations, now is 7 pm-11 pm. Train 48 falls into this category.
Also, due to new CRTC regulations, Canadian produced drama now recieves a 150% credit. Because train 48 is considered a "drama" (crazy loophole when you dont add a laugh track), it is elgible for this standing. Why is this so important? because with a 150% Canadian Content (or CanCon) credit, one half hour episode of Train 48 actually turns out to be 1 full hour (!) What this all means is that without Train 48, Global Televison would not meet it's eight hour quota of Canadian programming (it does not even come close without Train 48) and subsequently would not be able to purchase and show American shows such as Survivor, The Simpsons, Freinds, etc. This is where Global makes its money, because Canadian viewers will watch American programming, and Canadian networks can pick up American programming for relitively nothing. In a private television network system, this means Global makes its money through advertsing when people watch the American shows.
Finally, this is what will shock you the most: The producer of Train 48 said in an interview on Global Television News that "in the same cost to produce 5 seasons of "Train 48", you can produce one episode of "Friends" Yes...because of their low budget, they can make 5 years of programming for one episode of American prime time telelvison programming, which is probably what seals the deal for the continuation of 'Train 48" on Global Television.
So, in the end, it's not whether the show sucks or not. It's come to a point where Global will probably still show it even if it sucks, until a new Canadian show comes around to fill its void, which will not be happening anytime soon. Train 48 is truly unique, that its low budget, and relies on captivating plots and "real" acting, and thats what gives it its cult following. In Canada, if you can produce a show that is original, and people like it, for practically nothing, you have a hit. It may not be a hit critically, but its definately a hit for the CEO and share holders of CanWestGlobal who can keep their money, and make even more by using Train 48 to meet the goverment standards and show they are great benifactors to the creation of canadian culture. Theoretically (key word), they can now use this money to make more Canadian programming. However, in a real sense, they can now go abouts purchasing countless episodes of "top-notch" American programming to fill their network schedule and their wallet.
Train 48 is *truly* Canadian.
Comparing the budget of this and "Friends" is retarded, there are also plenty of decent shows in the States which are produced for far less than Friends. They pay the cast $6 million per episode, that alone is enough to finance a good low budget movie, i.e. Donnie Darko. I'm sure that most shows could probably get a season or two out of the cost of producing friends. As far as Train 48 being *truly* Canadian, I have to disagree. I think we're a bit better than that... I think Mexico is a bit better than that. If you wan't to see what Canadian television is capable of just watch "Made in Canada", "The Newsroom", "Kids in the Hall", "Monday Report", and "This is Wonderland." All CBC shows I might add.
Saving money to import American shows is no excuse for putting garbage on television. I'd watch a rerun of "Made in Canada" against a new episode of "Friends" any day.
You know, for kids. - Norville Barnesshare
yeah...my math doesn't add up now that I think about it. now that i broke out my calculator on this, it turns out to be 1.25 hours credit. So, that is even more than what i had said, and just backs up my argument even more. (i'm writing an essay on this which is due in...oh lets say 4 hours). As for your argument about friends, i will agree with you, that Friends is an over priced show with overpriced actors, and you could maek a really good low budget film such as "Donnie Darko" with that kind of money. However, it is an academic understanding here in Canada that it costs at least $1 million dollars per hour (so that would be a drama) to make a prime time television program up to American production standards. We just don't have that kind of money though, especially the private networks. My argument was about the private networks, Global and CTV and not about the CBC which are all the shows you listed off as good Canadian television. I agree with you, "Made in Canada" is a hillarious show, "The Newsroom" haas got to be one of the most intellegent satires about the news media ever created (did you know it was filmed entirely in the CBC headquarters?) "Kids in the Hall", again, hillarious even today, "Monsay report", "This Hour has 22 Minutes", all extremely hillarious Canadian shows, because that is what we Canadians are good for, political satire. If you look at the closet thing the US has to what we have, its the Daily Show, and most of their writers are canadian, and more Canadians watch that show than American's do. hell, it got picked up by CTV, which is a major network here in Canada! "This is Wonderland" I have yet to see, but it looks really good. same with "Snakes (or is chutes?) and Ladders". These are all CBC Shows, and the CBC has that kind of money to spend to make good quality shows, because if they don't, no one will. It's in the CBC's mandate to make high quality programming that creates and protects our canadian identity. Priavte networks though...no such mandate. They are only it in for the money. Global has Train 48. CTV now has Corner Gas (which by the way, is hillarious, and very proffessionaly done), but still, the private networks have to buy american shows to make a profit, because all canadian programming (up until train 48...I'm pretty sure train 48 doesnt fall into this following category by the looks of things) is made at a loss, if CTV or Global didn't purchase and Air "Friends" oor "Survivor", they would go bankrupt. its as plain and simple as that.
shareI think you missed my point. I understand that Global and CTV have to air US shows to make money but I don't think that they have to produce poor quality Canadian shows. CTV is proving that with Degrassi:TNG, not as good as the original, but still a show of decent quality. Also according to you Corner Gas is a good show (haven't seen it yet... I'll have to check it out) that's professionaly done. The goal should be to change the trend of Canadian shows not making money by actually making something worth watching as opposed to sticking to "Pyramid" type productions.
You know, for kids. - Norville Barnesshare
well, it would be nice if canadian televison's goal was to make something worth watching. the fact that often they are underproduced is most definately unintentional because i doubt any self respecting person would want to produce a piece of crap. however, the fact of the matter is this (and you can argue this all you want, but its always going to be true until it changes):
Canadian private television is produced at a loss. Canadian networks therefore have to buy american shows or create/buy something cheap like "Train 48" to cut their losses in order to make a profit.
CTV seems to be creating good CanCon these days, but remember, they are owned by BCE who make alot of money in this relitvely small Canadian media market. BCE owns and operates Bell Canada, Bell ExpressVu, Sympatico, the Globe and Mail, and countless of television channels other than CTV. They have access to better equipment and talent because of the money they make, can be put into their programming and not lose it significantly. The same can not be said about Global TV though, who seem to be doing the exact opposite. Even though CanWest Global is one of the richest media companies in Canada, it is not anywhere close to the domination of its market as BCE is. CanWest only owns televison and newspaper holdings across Canada, and is lacking in the cable/satellite, telephony and internet market. The result is making money off the best possible situation they are in.
So, I honestly believe as well that they don't have to produce poor quality Canadian shows, but they do work with what they have, and Global TV doesn't have a whole lot to work with. In the end, thats all that really matters.
and about the math...i wish someone had told me that before i put it into an essay. eeeee.
This show makes us Canadians look bad; having this show on the air is bad taste.
Treat each day as if it were the last day of your life.
i hate this show
shareWorst show ever
Worst show ever? I guess you haven't seen many of the shows on television.
shareI saw an episode of this while visiting Ottawa from the States and I didn't think it was all that bad. It was a refreshing change of pace from all the "textbook" sitcoms we see here everyday. I'd watch this over an episode of "The O.C." anyday.
shareThis show wasn't the worst but I didn't think it was much good either, I guess I am in the anti train 48 camp.
shareThe Canadian TV system is broke and needs fixing!
I hated Train 48. Just my opinion though.
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