Pondering the way I watch television shows

[wednes]

As you must know, I do watch the occasional TV drama series. I enjoy tuning in each week to see what new plot and character developments will unfurl. LOST, for example, provides a gold mine of things to ponder and speculate about. Then there's the anticipation of watching each new episode as it airs. I enjoy getting caught up in the ferver of a great show and being part of the viewership, discussing the show with others who watch it, etc.

So when I rent an entire season of something and watch all the eps in a row with basically no break, I feel like something is really lost in the translation. I don't mean rewatching, I mean it's your first time seeing something and you watch a whole season in a week (or two days, if it's an HBO season). Rushing through it like that just seems like a bummer. Technically, you are seeing every episode, but not the way the producers/directors/writers/cast intended.

For better or worse, people used to schedule thier week around TV. The first time The Godfather was shown on TV, NYC traffic was as light as it normally was on Christmas day. Everyone was at home watching. When I was a kid, the night they showed Wizard of Oz every year was like a holiday. Now, with so many options to see everything later, viewing times barely matter. In some ways, I find that sad.

Then again, I tend to pay more attention to TV as a concept than many people. I just find TV to be such an accurate indicator of where we are as a society, I guess.

Comments

[wednes.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know what you mean.
I watched the first 2 season of Smallville in about 2 weeks. It was okay, but not nearly so fun as watching the next 2 seasons weekly with the rest of the fans.

Then, sadly...Smallville turned to crap.

How is Dollhouse, BTW?

[groovesinorbit]

I'm enjoying it. It's not as lighthearted as Buffy or Firefly. Rather dark and delving into uncomfortable subject matter, good cast, interesting. It started out a little flat, but it's picking up steam.

[wednes.livejournal.com]

I'll have to check it out.
Can I just jump in or do I have to catch up?

[groovesinorbit]

I'd suggest to at least start with last week's ("Man on the Street"), if you don't want to watch all of the first slew of eps. The first 5 eps are standalone eps, but now things are getting more complicated. "Man On The Street" is a good bridge, I think.