Debbie:
Ever since we did our column on fluff TV a couple of week ago, I’ve been thinking about what makes certain shows seem like fluff to some, but not to others … beyond IQ, that is.
Seriously though, the precise reason that I don’t watch many of the shows you consider quality, non-fluff shows is because for me, TV is a form of escapism. I don’t even watch the news because I don’t want to know about the violence out in the world: why would I partake in The Wire as a recreational activity? I don’t want to watch Walter White‘s family fall apart around him because of the bad decisions he’s prone to making … it’s a downer. If a show takes itself too seriously (or could possibly jar me back to reality), in both topic and mood, it’s not for me.
There’s nothing about my life or this world that even closely resembles The Vampire Diaries, Psych, Supernatural or any of my other favorites. It’s pure escapism to watch something for the enjoyment alone. I guess it doesn’t have to boil down to whether or not it’s funny, or smart or fluff — if I can love the hour I’ve spent watching, than it’s been a good hour.
So do you watch TV for other reasons than escapism?
Bob:
First off, I feel obligated to ask what part of your life you see in The Wire or Breaking Bad? What are you doing when I’m not looking?!?
Yes, I watch television for escapism, but it’s an escape from the monotony of my life, not an escape from thinking or being challenged (though, I recognize those are fair reasons to watch TV). To use your examples, The Wire is so incredibly deep and engrossing that it is an escape. It is so well done that you really are transported to those streets of Baltimore. Plus, at its core, it is about the society we live in, all levels of it. It challenges, entertains, and educates about our world. How can you pass that up? As for Breaking Bad, as I said last week there is a certain catharsis in watching the every man break out of his life and refuse to take shit from the world anymore.
I like shows that challenge me to think, shows that present real, deep characters who are interesting and flawed. It almost doesn’t matter what Don Draper is doing, it’s interesting. It’s fascinating to me to delve into a person like Draper, to explore his motivations, his poor decisions, his self destructive, self loathing nature.
So, yes, there is some escapism to my viewing habits, but I look for thought provocation too.
Debbie:
HA! Good question … You don’t really think I’m making soap with all that sodium hydroxide, do you, oh naive little brother!
Actually, it’s not about me relating to The Wire or Breaking Bad as much as the fact that I don’t think I want my entertainment to educate me about the world. I’m at the point in my life where I want to do the television equivalent of putting my hands over my ears and singing, “Lalalalalalalalalala!” And that equals watching evil vampires going on a rampage or watching to see if I can pick up on every pop culture reference made in an episode of Psych or Community. An escape from all the challenges and thinking I do everyday, every minute away from the TV. The synapses are still firing, only in a very different way.
You know how people at risk of Alzheimer’s are supposed to try different things, like playing a new instrument or learning a new language, so that they use different parts of their brain? I think I can say that my TV viewing habits use completely different parts of my brain than the rest of my life requires … and that’s a welcome escape.
Bob:
Certainly. There is one other point that I want to make, however. For me, it’s really not just about being challenged, it is also about being moved. When something is so skillfully done that it can give me chills, make me shed tears, or even just feels intensely happy I can’t turn away. I get giddy when a new episode of Mad Men comes on. I get nervous and uncomfortable when things start to go bad for Walter White, and my heart breaks at the real pain in shows like Six Feet Under.
It takes a lot to get to my cold, cold heart, so when a show does, I know it’s worth watching.
Debbie:
I have the opposite of a cold, cold heart — I can cry while watching a trailer for a kids’ movie — so I’m really not looking to stimulate that portion of my brain. I cried when Brick made a friend last night on The Middle, for crying out loud. If it’s too reality-sad, I just can’t. You watch TV with your brain. Me? Not so much.
Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Feb 17, 2011 @ 16:22 EST5EDT
I think you’re both right. Pure escapism also includes an escape from the need to really think or process subject matter or complex ideas. If you were seeking some time to decompress in front of the television, a show like The Wire would make it impossible for you to just sit back and let everything go.
On the other hand, like a good book a really good series is a gateway into a universe not your own. It’s the ultimate escape to, whereas the first definition is an escape from. I think it all depends on what you’re looking for at any given moment.
That being said, there’s some TV that is truly art. Bob and I don’t agree on many shows, but The Wire, The Good Wife, Mad Men, Breaking Bad (regardless of the fact that I don’t enjoy the latter two) are all complicated and beautiful tales built on multiple layers and tiered levels. They can transport you … and that’s really what good TV should be all about.
Okay, pay attention because this might not happen again in our lifetimes: I agree with Aryeh. :o)
I think he’s hit the nail on the head about two forms of escapism. I watch Breaking Bad, but sometimes I’m in such a mood that I think I’ll never watch again, and that’s when I want to escape from reality with something light and fun. Other times I’m in the mood for tense, gripping and deep drama so I’ll forgo Psych for some meth cooking with Mr. White or fun innards munching with The Walking Dead.
I love to escape into TV like I love to fall into a big old bowl of ice cream; the only thing that changes is the flavor I’m in the mood for. “Sometimes you feel like some guts, sometimes you don’t!”