G4/Tech Tv: Revival/Reincarnation Possible?

[crimsonspear4D]

Growing up in probably one of the most turbulent times in media I find myself reminiscing about all the shows and channels I've watched over the past decade and a half. From Fox box and Kids WB to Toonami and Jetix, everything that I've watched over the years have left their mark on me in some fashion. Nostalgia's a *****, ain't it?

However, I think one channel in particular has probably had the most influence, the most iconic sense of intrigue and wonder in my life...

I'm of course talking about the legendary, the insurmountable, and as influentially brilliant as it was funny, The CNN for Geeks and Nerds...

Spoiler: Fanfaaaaaaaaare!

It's eventual, and yet sudden, downfall and cancellation was just painful and hit me in a place that wouldn't see that amount of tragedy till the cancellation of Toonami, then I was like "man, fuck all of this life". Then as if by a sudden burst of nostalgia I was watching for videos of xplay and attack of the show on youtube (since the G4 is tragically little more than a zombie at this point) and saw this video...



It got me into all the backstory and hidden goings-on behind the scenes of the eponymous gaming and tech channel. It had literally everything a video game nerd like me could ever want and to know it was shitted all away to nothingness by corporate greed and incompetence is just... disheartening.

But it did get me to wonder would it, is it even possible, for a channel soley devoted to gaming, technology, and other geekdom? I mean, I'm sure it'd be colossal and abysmal undertaking, but can it happen? I for one refuse to believe that the internet is the superior end-all, be all, epitome of media. Mostly because with how whole internet business works, like inconsistent and sometimes poor coverage, etc. That might sound petty I know, but sometimes T.V. is just a better option.

Sometimes I think the Escapist could rise up to the challenge. Hell, Jim Sterling, Yahtzee, the guys who did unskipplable and feed dump, that cosplay series could pass for their own shows, and invite other personalities like Angry Joe, jontron, the game grump guys, their good too. You could even give cory and grey a chance to turn Critical Miss and EDA into an original show, god knows shittier cartoons have been put on t.v. (not saying CM or EDA is shit, they're good, just needed an example).

I know this sounds kind of like fan desparation, as I've seen it too many a time. But it's that after three years since it's end a channel is needed for gamers and fans of other interests now more then ever. Maybe I'm wrong, delusional, or both as there probably should be more diversity in gaming, tech, and comic journalism and critiquing and this would just muddle things up but it's a thought.

Ladies, gentlemen, and those in between or neither, what do you think?

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

Unless they bring back shows like Icons/Game Makers I'd be estatic.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

Well fortunately, G4 is well and thoroughly dead, it was truly terrible anyways, aside from ninja warrior, unfortunately so is TechTV...

[HEADING=1]HOWEVER!!![/HEADING]

The spirit of TechTV lives on with Leo Laporte's own site: https://www.twit.tv With special note given to The NEW Screen Savers [https://www.twit.tv/shows/new-screen-savers] among tons of other geek and tech stuff that abounds on the site. Also if you want to stay on top of the latest security developments, then visit Steve Gibson's https://www.grc.com, and download the Security NOW! [https://www.grc.com/securitynow.htm] podcast.

 

[Fox12]

Where else am I supposed to watch cops and the Jamie Kennedy experiment?

Honestly, I think the network is the product of a bygone era.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

Where else am I supposed to watch cops and the Jamie Kennedy experiment?

Honestly, I think the network is the product of a bygone era.

When games were simpler with barely any online interference and all you had to do is buy them from a store?

 

[Fox12]

Where else am I supposed to watch cops and the Jamie Kennedy experiment?

Honestly, I think the network is the product of a bygone era.

When games were simpler with barely any online interference and all you had to do is buy them from a store?

Yeah, pretty much. A show centered around cheat codes, or even game reviews, would be redundant in today's world.

Besides, I'm not sure Adam sessler is very popular anymore, and he was the best thing about that network. It doesn't really fit in a post internet world, much less a post Gamergate world.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

Where else am I supposed to watch cops and the Jamie Kennedy experiment?

Honestly, I think the network is the product of a bygone era.

When games were simpler with barely any online interference and all you had to do is buy them from a store?

Yeah, pretty much. A show centered around cheat codes, or even game reviews, would be redundant in today's world.

Besides, I'm not sure Adam sessler is very popular anymore, and he was the best thing about that network. It doesn't really fit in a post internet world, much less a post Gamergate world.

I really hate how much thunder G4 stole from TechTV, especially when they laid off the core TechTV staff who didn't want to move to LA from San Francisco. G4 Destroyed TechTV, despite keeping Morgan Webb and Adam Sessler, there is nothing they could have done that would allow me to forgive that either. Worse is the vast majority of stuff they put on air, like the gossip crap fest that was Attack of the Show... G4 was a relic when it hit, taking TechTV out in the process... I honestly hope everyone who was responsible for G4 is in the poor house now, and that they never get another network to work at again. Losing the original Screen Savers ruined my television schedule for over a year... That's not to mention that G4 canceled every single good show they managed to bring along, leaving those to languish in reruns... G4 was terrible when it started, it was the single worst thing that happened to TechTV, in buying up TechTV then gutting it... It was also no resource for gamers, except those on the causal fringe, who lacked internet access of any kind.

 

[crimsonspear4D]

Where else am I supposed to watch cops and the Jamie Kennedy experiment?

Honestly, I think the network is the product of a bygone era.

When games were simpler with barely any online interference and all you had to do is buy them from a store?

Yeah, pretty much. A show centered around cheat codes, or even game reviews, would be redundant in today's world.

Besides, I'm not sure Adam sessler is very popular anymore, and he was the best thing about that network. It doesn't really fit in a post internet world, much less a post Gamergate world.

Obviously there would be new content, as your right, cheat codes, game fails, and cutscenes and clips for a game would be pretty boring, not to mention nonexistant, in this day and age of youtube. I'm not saying it has to be a faithful revival or clone otherwise it'd be an ancient relic of its former glory. Also, I'd argue that a post-gamergate world would be an advantageous time to have a video game talk show or something, like a real news channel. One of the MANY, many, many problems of that shit-show was that the discussions and controversies was largely handled behind the scenes in forums, chan boards, and the comment sections of dozens of game sites; and when it did have media coverage and make the news circuits, gamers were treated as "dangerous nerds" and such.

I'm just saying there is potential in the idea.

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

Ah, G4. I was interested in checking it out back in the pre-streaming-video days of the internet, but as soon as I got it in my area, people were already saying it lost its magic. I pretty much stuck with reading magazines and websites.

I kinda of have to disagree with OP here. A TV channel aimed at video game and tech geeks will probably never happen again. The younger crowd is known for "cutting the cable" (IE: canceling or never subscribing to cable or satellite TV service). It's solely internet for them. Making a new TV channel aimed at them is too huge of a financial risk.

A new media network in the spirit of the old G4 could be made, with spiritual successors to the classic shows. It would have to be on the internet in some way (its own website, or new weakly episodes released on other streaming services), though. That is not because the internet is a better medium than TV, but because most of the target demographic is on the net.

I don't even have high hopes of an internet based successor/revival. I believe most of the G4 crews are doing well with their own new ventures and might not be able to spare time on something else. Also, there's just so much competition with other video networks and individuals.

 

[BrawlMan]

Ah, G4. I was interested in checking it out back in the pre-streaming-video days of the internet, but as soon as I got it in my area, people were already saying it lost its magic. I pretty much stuck with reading magazines and websites.

I kinda of have to disagree with OP here. A TV channel aimed at video game and tech geeks will probably never happen again. The younger crowd is known for "cutting the cable" (IE: canceling or never subscribing to cable or satellite TV service). It's solely internet for them. Making a new TV channel aimed at them is too huge of a financial risk.

A new media network in the spirit of the old G4 could be made, with spiritual successors to the classic shows. It would have to be on the internet in some way (its own website, or new weakly episodes released on other streaming services), though. That is not because the internet is a better medium than TV, but because most of the target demographic is on the net.

I don't even have high hopes of an internet based successor/revival. I believe most of the G4 crews are doing well with their own new ventures and might not be able to spare time on something else. Also, there's just so much competition with other video networks and individuals.

Agreed. It's pointless to do another TV channel like G4/Tech-TV again. That ship sailed and sank years ago. The internet has so many options and platforms for all types of game media that going on TV would be pretty pointless. At best someone could do a Netflix show, but I don't even see that happening either.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

Ah, G4. I was interested in checking it out back in the pre-streaming-video days of the internet, but as soon as I got it in my area, people were already saying it lost its magic. I pretty much stuck with reading magazines and websites.

I kinda of have to disagree with OP here. A TV channel aimed at video game and tech geeks will probably never happen again. The younger crowd is known for "cutting the cable" (IE: canceling or never subscribing to cable or satellite TV service). It's solely internet for them. Making a new TV channel aimed at them is too huge of a financial risk.

A new media network in the spirit of the old G4 could be made, with spiritual successors to the classic shows. It would have to be on the internet in some way (its own website, or new weakly episodes released on other streaming services), though. That is not because the internet is a better medium than TV, but because most of the target demographic is on the net.

I don't even have high hopes of an internet based successor/revival. I believe most of the G4 crews are doing well with their own new ventures and might not be able to spare time on something else. Also, there's just so much competition with other video networks and individuals.

Agreed. It's pointless to do another TV channel like G4/Tech-TV again. That ship sailed and sank years ago. The internet has so many options and platforms for all types of game media that going on TV would be pretty pointless. At best someone could do a Netflix show, but I don't even see that happening either.

TechTV would be doable, because they weren't basically gaming BSery that was already on the internet at the time G4 actually got launched. Seriously IGN, GameSpot, GameFAQs and so many others had already been around for years by the time G4 launched.

TechTV on the otherhand was all about information technology and computer news, information, reviews, tips, tricks, tweaks, and several call in shows for tech help. To tell you how powerful the original show "The Screen Savers" was... Whenever they mentioned a website, it immediately went down due to the sudden massive increase in traffic. They actually called it "The Screen Savers effect".

 

[Arnoxthe1]

TechTV would be doable, because they weren't basically gaming BSery that was already on the internet at the time G4 actually got launched. Seriously IGN, GameSpot, GameFAQs and so many others had already been around for years by the time G4 launched.

TechTV on the otherhand was all about information technology and computer news, information, reviews, tips, tricks, tweaks, and several call in shows for tech help. To tell you how powerful the original show "The Screen Savers" was... Whenever they mentioned a website, it immediately went down due to the sudden massive increase in traffic. They actually called it "The Screen Savers effect".

Yeah, this.

G4 was lame as hell. TechTV however... Bring that shit back. I have no idea why it was subjected to so much bloody executive meddling when it was doing just fine at the time. I daresay I may even watch TV again just for TechTV.

 

[soren7550]

I loved G4 back in its heyday, but with the way media consumption is now, it would probably only survive as an online dealy-o. And in some ways, it kinda has moved onto that.

- Adam Sessler (host, X-Play) went on to review games for Rev3 for a while. Then he quit (burnt out for doing the same job for so long I think), but now I think he's producing a show being made by Reed-Pop or something of the sort.

- Kevin Pereira (host, Attack of the Show) has gone on to make his own podcast (Pointless I think it's called) and Twitch show (The Attack I believe). Can't really say anything about either as I haven't exactly seen either.

- Bruce Greene (segment producer, Attack of the Show) it's my understanding that he was a part of some sort of video game site before forming Funhaus and joining the Rooster Teeth family. Dunno much, as the few Funhaus vids I've seen, I haven't really been a fan of.

 

[Bat Vader]

I would like to see a revival but G4 can't have anything to do with it. They to me were the biggest reason TechTV died. They either cancelled or changed so many shows that made TechTV awesome. Cheaters, Cops, etc was complete garbage and didn't belong anywhere on a show about gaming and technology.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

I would love to see X-Play again, along with all the odd-ball shows that were on TechTV. Cheat, that show where they just showed game clips (Cinema-something), the weird anime that they'd dig up. Watching that channel back in the day felt like my own little secret world. It was fun, and they didn't take themselves too seriously. I mean, have you seen the X-Play review for Ninja Gaiden? Hilarious.

But that type of humor seems to be mostly dead now. We have to be 'edgy' and 'hip' and all those other words that just gutted the network. It was sad watching the fire go out of the network, and watching Adam and Morgan become shells of their former characters.
I tried to stay with the show, tried watching it, but I just couldn't. Gone were the days were it seemed like they reviewed EVERY game that came out, and instead we were lucky if we got one review per episode. And then, when I saw that they had switched their format to half stars, I knew the show, and finally G4, was dead to me, because that was something Morgan and Adam had swore they'd never do.

So yeah, I think it'd be great to have a channel like that again, but as so many people have already pointed out, it probably wouldn't survive in today's world. With the internet out there now, and so many people drifting away from actual television, the show would have to be something beyond amazing, and I think too many gamers are too jaded and get their info from other places for this to be done.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

TechTV would be doable, because they weren't basically gaming BSery that was already on the internet at the time G4 actually got launched. Seriously IGN, GameSpot, GameFAQs and so many others had already been around for years by the time G4 launched.

TechTV on the otherhand was all about information technology and computer news, information, reviews, tips, tricks, tweaks, and several call in shows for tech help. To tell you how powerful the original show "The Screen Savers" was... Whenever they mentioned a website, it immediately went down due to the sudden massive increase in traffic. They actually called it "The Screen Savers effect".

Yeah, this.

G4 was lame as hell. TechTV however... Bring that shit back. I have no idea why it was subjected to so much bloody executive meddling when it was doing just fine at the time. I daresay I may even watch TV again just for TechTV.

Well luckily, for those of us who don't like much of what's on TV today, TechTV lives on as http://www.twit.tv Leo Laporte, Patrick Norton, and friends. Lots of the old TechTV personalities are there too. Plus there's The NEW Screen Savers, which rocks!

Also the reason TechTV went down the tubes wasn't executive meddling. The original owner, as it was an independent cable channel, sold it, because he wanted to get out of the cable TV market. So G4 bought it up. Then told the original staff that to keep them, they had to move to LA... Which very few of them were willing to do, the few who did, like Yoshi, didn't last long. The only ones who lasted were Morgan Webb and Adam Sessler... See my response to Sniper Team 4 below to see what happened to them when Extended Play became X-Play.

I would love to see X-Play again, along with all the odd-ball shows that were on TechTV. Cheat, that show where they just showed game clips (Cinema-something), the weird anime that they'd dig up. Watching that channel back in the day felt like my own little secret world. It was fun, and they didn't take themselves too seriously. I mean, have you seen the X-Play review for Ninja Gaiden? Hilarious.

X-Play was the rebranded Extended Play from when G4 bought TechTV, none of the other shows were on TechTV, they all came with crappy G4's take over. When G4 took over Extended Play and made it into X-Play, they hired a staff to do review scripts for Morgan Webb and Adam Sessler... Half of those scripts were blatant plagiarism from other better review sources, like IGN, GameSpot, and Game Informer. Hell I remember several that were word for word theft from Game Informer reviews. Early on Morgan and Adam still got to do show writing, along with some reviews of their own, so they had energy to bring to the show. Then their material started testing bad with the "hip" and "edgy" dude-bro "gamers" who became the majority of G4's audience. Which is why Icons and other informative and interesting shows on the network died off, to the point where G4 became a husk of reruns mostly from Spike! TV and Ninja Warrior repeats.... It sucked the second G4 took over TechTV...

Also, back in the day? Back in the day it was TechTV, real geek stuff that was fantastically awesome! G4 was the shill jerks who took it over, changed everything, and ruined the channel.

 

[BrawlMan]

TechTV would be doable, because they weren't basically gaming BSery that was already on the internet at the time G4 actually got launched. Seriously IGN, GameSpot, GameFAQs and so many others had already been around for years by the time G4 launched.

TechTV on the otherhand was all about information technology and computer news, information, reviews, tips, tricks, tweaks, and several call in shows for tech help. To tell you how powerful the original show "The Screen Savers" was... Whenever they mentioned a website, it immediately went down due to the sudden massive increase in traffic. They actually called it "The Screen Savers effect".

I remember that moment quite clearly. I wouldn't mind a channel like Tech-TV again, but I don't see it in any profitable future. Many gaming sites, or independents persons or organizations on YouTube picked up where Tech-TV left off before the merger. Someone did mention many of the remnants of Tech-TV went on to form their own website, or work at another network.

I loved G4 back in its heyday, but with the way media consumption is now, it would probably only survive as an online dealy-o. And in some ways, it kinda has moved onto that.

- Adam Sessler (host, X-Play) went on to review games for Rev3 for a while. Then he quit (burnt out for doing the same job for so long I think), but now I think he's producing a show being made by Reed-Pop or something of the sort.

I bet a lot of people don't know or forgot that before X-Play, it was called GameSpot TV. Adam Sessler and another chick (she was only there for one season). Then it became Extended Play, and the hosts were Adam Sessler & Kate Botello. They were a duo for about 2.5 years, and Kate had a job offer at another network and left. At that point Adam hosted the show by himself for a full year until they brought Morgan Webb on board. I always preferred Kate over Morgan, she was more interesting and smarter than the latter.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

TechTV would be doable, because they weren't basically gaming BSery that was already on the internet at the time G4 actually got launched. Seriously IGN, GameSpot, GameFAQs and so many others had already been around for years by the time G4 launched.

TechTV on the otherhand was all about information technology and computer news, information, reviews, tips, tricks, tweaks, and several call in shows for tech help. To tell you how powerful the original show "The Screen Savers" was... Whenever they mentioned a website, it immediately went down due to the sudden massive increase in traffic. They actually called it "The Screen Savers effect".

I remeber that moment quite clearly. I wouldn't mind a channel like Tech-TV again, but I don't see it in any profitable future. Many gaming sites, or independents persons or organizations on YouTube picked up where Tech-TV left off before the merger. Someone did mention many of the remnants of Tech-TV went on to form their own website, or work at another network.

You can find a ton of the old TechTV faces at twit.tv, they even got the rights to "The Screen Savers" and revived the show on the site. It's a fantastic place, and really great all around. Leo and Patrick on "The NEW Screen Savers" really warmed my heart, their on set chemistry is as good as ever. Really fantastic... Plus all of the episodes of "The NEW Screen Savers" are hosted, so you can just watch 'em whenever.

 

[BrawlMan]

TechTV would be doable, because they weren't basically gaming BSery that was already on the internet at the time G4 actually got launched. Seriously IGN, GameSpot, GameFAQs and so many others had already been around for years by the time G4 launched.

TechTV on the otherhand was all about information technology and computer news, information, reviews, tips, tricks, tweaks, and several call in shows for tech help. To tell you how powerful the original show "The Screen Savers" was... Whenever they mentioned a website, it immediately went down due to the sudden massive increase in traffic. They actually called it "The Screen Savers effect".

I remember that moment quite clearly. I wouldn't mind a channel like Tech-TV again, but I don't see it in any profitable future. Many gaming sites, or independents persons or organizations on YouTube picked up where Tech-TV left off before the merger. Someone did mention many of the remnants of Tech-TV went on to form their own website, or work at another network.

You can find a ton of the old TechTV faces at twit.tv, they even got the rights to "The Screen Savers" and revived the show on the site. It's a fantastic place, and really great all around. Leo and Patrick on "The NEW Screen Savers" really warmed my heart, their on set chemistry is as good as ever. Really fantastic... Plus all of the episodes of "The NEW Screen Savers" are hosted, so you can just watch 'em whenever.

Thank you, sir or madam. I bookmarked the site.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

Well luckily, for those of us who don't like much of what's on TV today, TechTV lives on as http://www.twit.tv Leo Laporte, Patrick Norton, and friends. Lots of the old TechTV personalities are there too. Plus there's The NEW Screen Savers, which rocks!

Also the reason TechTV went down the tubes wasn't executive meddling. The original owner, as it was an independent cable channel, sold it, because he wanted to get out of the cable TV market. So G4 bought it up. Then told the original staff that to keep them, they had to move to LA... Which very few of them were willing to do, the few who did, like Yoshi, didn't last long. The only ones who lasted were Morgan Webb and Adam Sessler... See my response to Sniper Team 4 below to see what happened to them when Extended Play became X-Play.

Fair enough. I checked out TWiT and I think the only thing they're missing would probably be, of course, a version of Extended Play. Now, having said that, I don't quite know if it would be the best idea to restart that in this day and age since they would have to start competing now in that field with the likes of TotalBiscuit, Jimquisition, Extra Credits, and etc. You know what though? I would just hire both EmceeProphIt and Noah Caldwell-Gervais and just start with them. They're both masters at analyzing story and gameplay respectively. They would together deliver something awesome other outlets aren't providing at the moment.