CHOICE ON TV IS BETTER THAN EVER
5 MARCH 2022
On page 28 of today’s issue we take a look at some of the female actors who we expect to make big waves on screens big and small over the next few years. Some of them were familiar to me, some I hadn’t yet heard of. But it struck me while going through the list how impossible it is to keep up to date on TV nowadays. From Netflix to Amazon Prime, Apple TV to Hulu, the options for content provider are endless, never mind the actual content itself. Then of course there’s catch-up TV on the likes of RTÉ Player or All4, the Channel 4 service. As a nation, we are still locked out of the BBC iPlayer, but with a bit of technical know-how, you can watch it via a VPN. How on earth could you keep up with it all? It used to be that watercooler conversations were about the one show or series that everyone was watching, but now it’s so diverse that after each one I feel like I’ve another ten shows to add to my list. A list that’s becoming increasingly neverending. I’m also a huge sports fanatic so trying to fit in all of these shows around live sport is nigh on impossible. I feel like TV is becoming the new fashion – you assume people are looking down on you if you’re not up to date with the latest trends. You detect a tone of astonishment when you tell people you haven’t seen whatever their latest ‘must-watch’ series is. Conversations continue on without you if you’re not on top of the latest instalment. Then, with horror, I realised that I’m part of the problem. I tell people that they have to see Ted Lasso (they do) or that Squid Game is bonkers but brilliant (it is) or that I Am Georgina should be moved to the bottom of their list (it should). Of course, one of the main problems is that entertainment is so subjective; what I would like might be utterly alien to you. Some of my best friends are fully invested in shows I will never watch and vice versa. The pandemic also contributed too. When we were stripped of almost all other entertainment options – live music, cinema, sport etc – we turned to TV and it got us through those seemingly endless days of lockdown. However, I do feel like there’s a danger that quality is being sacrificed for quantity. Providers are so desperate to launch the next big thing that they’re simply throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks. Shows that have been backed by massive publicity campaigns and endless ads and interviews are mediocre at best, while some unannounced gems are being unearthed by those with the time to dig a little deeper. As the outside world becomes such a big part of our lives again, with ferrying children around, nights out and weekends away part of the agenda, our downtime will once again become a precious commodity, so we have to choose what we watch wisely. I won’t become that person who tells you what you should be watching, I’ll just say to use social media and watercooler talk to help you decide. Oh, and don’t miss Ted Lasso!
Enjoy the issue.