In my opinion, television is a form of entertainment. However, it is only entertaining if it meets certain criteria and is tailored to one’s opinions or personal interests. Henceforth comes the practice of picking and choosing your own TV shows (and movies) to watch that entertain you.
In the episode “Lost Connection” of Modern Family, similarly to the rest of the show, diverse and different perspectives are represented, and sometimes clash, to form a hilarious and relatable comedy. Relatability is something that I value in television. Whether it is to a specific character or a situation, it’s nice to know that your personal high and low points don’t go invalidated. I could relate to the show and the specific episode; overprotective parents and family that jump to conclusions could probably apply to most teens. The fast paced and rapid movement of the episode also kept the viewer interested and engaged.
However, not all TV is fast paced, and every episode can’t draw major conclusions about the overall plot line. The concept of a “serial narrative”, while interesting and suspenseful for live TV, is not a factor that I need to have in play when electing what show to watch. Netflix, for one, debunked the practice of the serial narrative greatly, but not altogether. Though it is possible to “binge watch” certain shows (such as Friends) from the beginning, Netflix does not release all the seasons of one show at a time, and still upholds the “waiting your turn” values.
Also with Netflix comes a big conflict of interest for the person watching. One of the best things about Netflix (for me) is the fact that there are no commercials. I personally am not drawn to the commercial nature of TV and would rather have all my focus on the show. In this way, I suppose I adhere more to the “modern” standard of TV.
