Have Your Tastes in TV Changed?

Recently I’ve noticed that my tastes in TV have started to change. Or maybe they’ve been changing for a while and I just haven’t realized it.

I typically watch one show at lunch and 40-60 minutes of TV at dinner. The dinner slot is perfect for longer, scripted shows.

Yet I find myself wanting to fill that dinner slot with 2 comedies or competition shows (Survivor, American Ninja Warrior, Top Chef) instead. My TiVo has started to accumulate episodes of superb scripted dramas like The Expanse and The Terror. I even stopped watching The Walking Dead earlier this year.

I’m not sure why this is. It’s not that I’m not interested in serious, well-written fiction–after all, that’s what I read every night before bed. In fact, I’m hesitant to say that my tastes have changed; rather, it’s more about what I actually decide to watch.

To put a positive spin on this, thank goodness for Kimmy Schmidt Season 4 launching today. I’m 2 episodes in, and I’m loving it.

Have your tastes in TV changed over the years? Can you put a finger on why?

8 thoughts on “Have Your Tastes in TV Changed?”

  1. I’ve noticed the exact same thing for me! I’ve attributed it to getting older (which typically comes with increased stress and responsibilities) and seeing all the sad and tragic events in the world lately. I don’t want more seriousness from my entertainment. I want something that’s an escape!

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  2. Thanks for the heads up on Kimmie Schmidt. Eager for the new season. We tend toward comedy and 30 minute shows because at the end of the day we tend to be wiped out. On the other hand, we started watching Gotham recently and have become big fans. Avoiding commercials helps when we watch on Netflix.

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  3. My tastes haven’t changed. What the networks decide to put out has changed. Perhaps it’s not that your tastes have changed so much as your available options have changed and your interaction with the world, for better or worse, has changed. The drama of the 24 hour news cycle and the consumption of literally everyone’s drama (social media) has filled your space for well scripted interesting drama with the every day BS of the entire world.

    I highly recommend running through the expanse if you already have it on your DVR. One of the few good shows out. There’s a reason Amazon picked it up almost immediately after it was cancelled.

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    • Nik: Oh, I’ve watched The Expanse–it’s awesome! For some reason I just haven’t chosen to watch it much this season.

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  4. I don’t watch much TV, but I think sometimes, the big scripted dramas with running story lines require too much investment from the viewer. So they are great for binge watching in a short period, but if you try to watch them over the course of several months, it gets exhausting to have to keep track of the plot between episodes. Short comedies and reality shows require less mental overhead between episodes. Lately, I’ve been enjoying Alex, Inc. on ABC.

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  5. I notice this happening to me when my stress level is high. In those moments, I just want to relax and watch something light.

    I wouldn’t say that my tastes have changed. I still prefer a story and characters that have depth and develop over time, but it takes energy to engage fully, so sometimes I choose the lighthearted comedies as well.

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  6. I would say that my desire to watch TV, less than my tastes, have changed in the intervening years. I watch absolutely nothing on the primary networks and I consume most of my “TV” watching via Netflix and HULU…and more specifically, I watch series, such as Narcos or The Crown. I can binge watch if I have the time or simply watch one episode over dinner before I get back to work.

    Cheers,
    Joe

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