Musing On Viewing

by Bronwyn Jameson

Lately I've been musing on my changed TV viewing habits, because it seems that sometime (when I wasn't watching) there have been radical changes. What are these changes of which I speak/write/muse?

1. Nowadays I rarely watch live TV (except sport.)
2. More often I watch on-demand TV, sometimes on my computer, sometimes cast to TV.
3. I sometimes use Netflix to binge watch a mini-series.
4. My movie watching these days is 95% in theatres or on planes, not on TV or subscription/streaming services. 

I’m not sure when all this happened exactly. I wasn't an early-adopter of streaming services. I am basically old skool (aka a Baby Boomer.)  It’s likely been a gradual shift over several -- or many -- years. It could be linked to the quality of mini-series being made for TV and streaming services these days. Aside from the quality of acting, story-telling and production, I love the limited length. I know going in how many hours/episodes I’m committing to and that the storyline will be resolved.  Usually.

In the last year I’ve obsessively watched:

• The Crown
• Big Little Lies
• The Handmaid’s Tale
• Godless
• The Sinner
• The Fall

And recently I’ve binge-watched the first two series of Fargo and season 2 of UnReal before starting on the latest/last series of The Bridge. Some of these are quite (!) dark and I have to take care not to watch right before bed or *nightmares*.  Diving into my Kindle for some therapeutic romance reading before closing my eyes helps.

Have your viewing habits/preferences changed with the advent of subscription and streaming services? Are you a fellow devotee of the limited-length mini-series and — most importantly — do you have any recommendations?