MovieChat Forums > The Cable Guy (1996) Discussion > "Somebody has to kill the babysitter" is...

"Somebody has to kill the babysitter" is the most realistic lines ever!


Spoiler's below:

When I was seven years old and I saw this movie for the first time, I didn't understand what he meant when he said "Somebody has to kill the baby sitter". Today, not only do I get that line, but I think it has a strong meaning for the world that we live in today. He referred to TV as his "babysitter" because his mom could go out and do whatever she wanted and knowing that he would not move from the TV. In today's world, there are so many kids that are allowing their lives to pass them by and they don't even realize it because they are too fixated on TV, video games, computer's, tablet's, and cell phones. Meanwhile, a lot of parents don't bother with trying to pay much attention to their kids because they are "occupied" with these electronic's therefore the parent themselves has more time to do the things they want to do. And it's the kid's who are suffering in the end because when they look back on their childhood they aren't going to see fun and happy memories with their friends and family, but instead just have useless thoughts about the technology that use to entertain them. Like the Cable Guy says, while it's too late for a lot of adolescence who's lost so much time with machines, there's still a lot of little boys and girls out there who still has a chance....if someone will kill the babysitter.

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I have no cable in my apartment. I don't think I ever will again.

Can't stop the signal.

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Netflix streaming and Hulu on Xbox 360 and other things like Netflix on newer TVs have greatly reduced any need for cable. Huge variety of things and for cheap. Haven't used crackle yet.

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Netflix/streaming IS the new cable, for our times.

That's the message - media flowing from a glowing screen (whether a solid state console television set, a handhold screen or a video game) is not a healthy substitute for real human interaction.

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Me neither, but does that mean you don't consume mainstream entertainment? Or do you just use a different delivery system? The 'babysitter' doesn't need to be cable.

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Me neither, but does that mean you don't consume mainstream entertainment?


That wasn't the issue. The issue was whether the kids, or even adults, are just plopped in front of the tv for hours without doing anything else.

Can't stop the signal.

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I agree - it's actually a profound message about how much we allow television/media to govern the way we think and receive information. Television - not religion - is the true opiate of the masses.

I would highly recommend Charlie Brooker's shows about television, particularly How Television Ruined Your Life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqeBcvHhA9M

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It's quite ironic, because children are just as needy and clingy as the Cable Guy. Sometimes just plopping them down in front of the TV is only way to get them to stop.

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