TV/Video/Movie
Televison
My Television Habits Have Changed Drastically
I was thinking the other day about how much television I used to watch. I used to sit down about a month before the new TV season began, just after Labor Day, and map out all the new shows—what nights they were on and when they were starting—so I could watch them. I would then make a note or create a makeshift calendar for when the TV shows I watched were returning and check out new shows.
Then, in the days when I had a TiVo and later a DVR, I made sure everything was set to record each episode in case I was working, so I could watch it when I got home or had time off.
I barely watch TV anymore, and when I do, it’s usually reruns of old TV shows on live TV. Most of the new series I watch are on streaming platforms, but even that is becoming less frequent.
The main reason streaming is falling off for me is that there’s no longer a set month or day for new seasons to return. It can take over a year or even two for a new season to come out. Then, when they do drop a new season, many streaming services only release one episode per week. This isn’t like traditional TV, where there was a set schedule with other shows or programs in time slots before and after. With streaming, just give me the whole season, and let me watch as I please. I do applaud Netflix for this—they drop the entire season at once, and you can binge-watch it all at your own pace.
Now, with streaming, you’re lucky if you get 8 to 10 episodes. As I mentioned earlier, the next season is often 1 to 2 years away. This is a far cry from the old days when TV series seasons consisted of 15 to 25 episodes, often with a bonus episode or a Christmas special. The season would start just after Labor Day, take a small break around Thanksgiving, and then return in January or February, depending on the Super Bowl. After the “Big Game,” it would return and end just before Memorial Day in May. Then, there were a few short new shows that returned for a couple of months. Streaming originally filled this gap, if I remember correctly. But now, with streaming, by the time the new season starts, I’ve either forgotten about the series or moved on.
Today, TV series as a whole have a discovery problem. It used to be that new shows were advertised heavily, with TV networks holding specials detailing upcoming TV series, offering previews, or providing news stories on the web about what was coming. If they still do this, I don’t see it anymore.
I say all this to explain why my TV habits have changed. I find myself watching less TV than ever before, and when I do, it’s usually an old TV series. I also find myself watching more YouTube. Most of my YouTube watching is dedicated to learning about things like how to make use of my Raspberry Pi for home servers, networking, web development, and computer-related topics. I wish I could truly learn to code and write programs.
Well, this rant is over. Have your TV habits changed in the last few years? I think the TV industry is failing to adapt and be creative for this new generation of TV watchers—and it’s losing them as a result. Part of the problem is not taking into account how people want to watch, and not having enough content and seasons ready to go in a timely manner. I know that many schedules were disrupted by COVID-19, but it has been two years since the pandemic officially ended, and life has returned to normal. Some industries and occupations, however, have not readjusted. I also think the issue is partly due to greed—viewers are tired of the relentless push for more ads. Every service I subscribe to, I purposely choose the ad-free version. But now, even ad-free isn’t truly ad-free, and that turns me off. To make matters worse, the constant price increases add to the frustration. Some services are raising prices multiple times in a year, not just every year or every few years.
I honestly don’t know if any traditional TV will be left in the next few years.
#tv #streaming #entertainment #tvshows
The Chosen
I have been watching the series on Amazon Prime Video The Chosen. I am at the beginning of the second season. It is a wonderfully done series. It may not be exactly 100 percent accurate but the message is 100 percent accurate and on point. If you haven't watched it you should. Can not recommend it highly enough. The Actors and Actresses are doing an excellent job.