News broke over the week that X-Play and Attack of the Show, two staples of the G4TV network (and of my childhood), will be axed by the end of the year. My initial reaction was sadness; how do you feel?
Just as recent rumors predicted, G4 is making a network-wide shift toward "higher-end programming." I'm guessing that means less Cops and Cheaters marathons, which I'm completely in favor of. But it also means no more X-Play and AotS.
The shows were regularly criticized for objectifying women and catering to the dude-bro audience, and everyone seems to be cracking jokes now that they're going away. But for what seems like a very long time, they were also the only place for TV-watching nerds to see coverage of the games and technology that we were excited about.
That's certainly no longer the case, but the two programs still had a special place in my heart. Will G4 replace them with "higher-end" technology and gaming programs? What does that phrase even mean in the context of television?
Your guess is as good as mine, but I know one thing: X-Play and Attack of the Show will be missed—at least by me.
