He says…

Beginning with, agreeably, a conservative and mathematics-dictated outlook, TV shows have significantly long running times. This past year saw the conclusion of Game of Thrones, which amounted to almost 80 hours of running time. Other classics like Friends and How I Met Your Mother go well beyond a 100 hours. Brooklyn Nine-Nine struck back and Modern Family got renewed for its 11th season!

Now, multiply all this by the hundreds and thousands of shows that exist in various languages and genres released through various time periods and you have a spot to put that in Aladdin’s cave. Once you enter, it’s hard to come back. Ironically, being a victim of this myself, in addition to identifying this, I can also catch on its positives and its importance in our lifestyle.

Lately, many TV shows have been very lucid in bringing forward relevant and integral issues that invoke necessary dialogue and awareness. Brooklyn Nine-Nine handled the topics of workplace sexual harassment, stereotypes and racism very well in the past few seasons. Series like Thirteen Reasons Why started debate about mental health and Modern Family introduced atypical families to us. The list is endless. Accepting that TV shows play a very significant role in determining what is normal, what is right and what is favourable, they are, perhaps, one of the most important tools we have to influence society for the better. They push us to be more accepting and inclusive, and hey, that’s brilliant!

Moreover, a balance of the right shows can bolster the development of a person. With the right integration of drama, biographies, documentaries, fantasy, thrillers etc, one can absorb and learn new things as well as express themselves better. TV shows, today, are a social node that one can lean on and build interactions on, much like, common sports, courses, choices and other interests. On the same note, this balance in life can make one more productive even when it comes to doing academic or professional work.

In conclusion, I feel that although TV shows do draw significant attention from the viewers, both in terms of the time spent watching and in terms of commitment to the storyline, if undertaken in moderation, it can really contribute to the social building blocks that are a part of all our lives! And yes, do suggest some good ones to me!!