How I learned to appreciate the qualities of television narratives
I remember endless nights as a child, when my curfew was 9pm or so, and The Simpsons would be on. My brother and I gazing at the television, begging our parents let us stay up long enough to watch the couch gag. Our mutual love of The Simpsons and the fond memories of watching TV remains something we hold in common, even up to the present day- many, many, years and many couch gags later. Looking back at this memory, it has become clear to me that the effect television has had on my life is tremendous. Although now it may hold a different significance to me than it did when I was watching mindlessly with a bowl of cereal and PJ’s on, the potential television has in shaping perspectives of viewers remains consistent.
I’ve always enjoyed television and the ways it produces affect within the viewer. While constantly watching re-runs of Seinfeld alongside the occasional Family Feud binge, my television experience changed when I entered my first year of university.
As I began studying English and Philosophy, I fell in love with the critical theories presented in texts- examining the underlying factors and positions people take when arguing specific views. By no means am I an expert, but in shifting my perspectives and interpreting stories, poems, and philosophical texts in a new light, I was able to start looking at television under this same scope.
The first show that I critically engaged with was AMC’s Mad Men. The show caught me completely off guard, and almost immediately I fell in love with the writing, the scenery, and the characters. The show starts off really slowly- it’s not action packed or filled with dramatic cliffhangers, and at times I wondered why I kept on watching. Huddled up in my small South residence room, staring at a 15-inch screen, however, I became encapsulated by the story presented by Mad Men.
As seasons progressed, I began to notice more and more intricate details within the show – narrative techniques, skillfully placed camera angles, character arcs, and even the odd red herring. One episode in particular had an extreme effect on my perception of the power of television as a serious medium, as opposed to an outlet for entertainment. The episode involved a new drug cocktail that was controversial, but was supposed to increase work productivity. While all the major characters in the office were administered this drug, the storylines of each character then diverged into separate timelines. Each character had their own distorted, frantic, and seemingly arbitrary view of their experiences. Euphoria permeated individual narratives; coupled with intentionally distorting cinematography, the episode left the viewer disoriented and dazed.
I am placing emphasis in this particular example because, at first, this episode left me confused and unimpressed. As I looked back at the episode, I realized what had happened to me that made me feel this way. The episode itself was structured as a drug trip. It masterfully induced the viewer into the same state of mind of the characters – evoking confusion, disillusionment, and disorder. It was only until after, when I saw that the episode was titled ‘The Crash’, that I knew what had been done to me. The episode’s narrative came to a grinding and unexpected halt just as if we were crashing. Single-handedly, the episode produced enormous affect in me and I’m sure, within the many other viewers at the time. Never have I been so aware of the power of television; it became evident to me that television provided new and unique means for producing affect, and manipulating viewers into specific mindsets.
Of course, now that I have started watching more shows with a critical view, there are redeeming qualities in many television shows presently on TV. Anything from The Wire to Arrested Development, the amount of quality and brilliant storytelling among television shows has grown exponentially.
Over the years, television has become way more accessible to the public – especially through Netflix and torrenting, creating greater overall exposure and a demand for high-level production. Enormous blockbuster shows, like Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead have reached audiences on a massive scale. While I’d argue that these shows are far from the best ever, the storytelling they provide and the connections they make with the audience resonates powerfully.
I have, increasingly, I have found myself gravitating towards television shows as opposed to movies, and quite frankly, I suggest others start doing the same. The level of high-quality production in television shows is on the rise. Incredible storytelling and complex, meaningful cinematography permeate throughout the narratives of morally ambiguous characters (I’m looking at you, Walter White).
Prominent Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey sees the rising trend of accessible television and sees it as a priority for the future of the industry. Starring in Netflix’s hit show House of Cards, Spacey is becoming heavily involved in the advocacy of high-quality television, and the need to make this emerging medium of storytelling more accessible.
“So I predict that in the next decade or two, any differentiation between these platforms will fall away,” Spacey said. “Is 13 hours watched as one cinematic whole really any different than a film? Do we define film as being something two hours or less? Surely it goes deeper than that. If you’re watching a film on your television, is it no longer a film because you’re not watching it in a theater?“
“If you watch a TV show on your iPad, is it no longer a TV show? The device and the length are irrelevant. The labels are useless. Except perhaps to agents and managers and lawyers, who use these labels to conduct business deals. But for kids growing up now, there is no difference.”
What Spacey points out is the evident need for the televised medium to become accessible in as many ways as possible. With higher budgets and brilliant new narratives waiting to be told, audiences continue to flock towards the TV as a way to destress and enjoy a well-told story.
With fond childhood memories of enjoying The Simpsons, to watching True Detective and marveling at the narrative techniques used to compose a delineated, cohesive storyline, my television watching experience has dramatically changed throughout the years. Through being aware of the ways that a show can produce affect, a new and profound level of appreciation can be found within the emerging medium of television.