Small Screen, Big Ideas
With the new series of Sons of Anarchy 3 episodes in, I thought it was an apt time to write about something that has been on my mind for a while: the recent boom of good Television drama in the last decade or so.
It’s used to be a perception that movie theatres was where the magic happens and TV shows were just there for people to tune in and pass the time. That’s not the case anymore, Television dramas, especially in The US is getting better and better and in some cases is surpassing anything that you can see on the big screen at the moment.
While the big film companies seem to be producing sequel after sequel with very few unique films come out each year, the so called small screen is a whole different kettle of fish. Original and fresh TV dramas come out each year pushing the boundaries of storytelling to mass audiences on a weekly basis.
You only have to look at the shows on Television right now, to see how much quality is pouring out of the TV each night. Shows like Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones and The Walking dead all had great first seasons. Then you have recurring drama such as Justified, Entourage and my personal favourite Sons of Anarchy all two or more seasons in with no sign of slowing down.
Were in a boom period for Television right now, there is no doubt about it. But the question is, why? The fact is, no matter how many gems are produced at the cinema, the big screen is a bit dull at the moment. Yes there are great movies out there, but the amount of sequels and remakes that flood cinemas worldwide is growing.
TV seems to be the place where the original stories are happening. Instead of seeing the same old same old, we are treated to new and intriguing stories almost every night. Interesting television concerning any subject matter is right there in the comfort of our own homes.
Add that to the fact that almost everyone owns a DVR right now, so TV is far more accessible than it was years ago. The days of missing a show because you dared to have a social life are over and you can thank that magic box underneath your TV. We can watch what we want when we want to watch it.
Easily accessible it might be, but we shouldn’t shy away from the fact that the quality of product is also impressive. TV is the perfect medium to tell stories. Due to the episodic fashion it’s easy to create an immediate story arch for an hour, while still building tension towards the series climax.
Also, with around 13 hours in a season, the writers are able to go in to a whole lot of depth to show. Not just on the main character either, but minor characters also receive in-depth stories and characters. What is created is great Television.
I’m not saying TV at the moment is perfect and everything on the small screen is gold, because to be honest, there is a lot of trash still around. However, definitely in this writer’s humble opinion, the screen maybe small, but the ideas are definitely big.
What do you think? Feel free to comment.
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Until next time, enjoy the Show.
Daniel Morris.
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