{"id":12045,"date":"2014-10-01T14:32:16","date_gmt":"2014-10-01T14:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/challengedetroit.org\/blog\/anniehakim\/?p=4"},"modified":"2014-10-01T14:32:16","modified_gmt":"2014-10-01T14:32:16","slug":"why-you-should-watch-more-tv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/challengedetroit.builtrare.com\/blog\/why-you-should-watch-more-tv\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Watch More TV"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/challengedetroit.org\/anniehakim\/files\/2014\/09\/Walter-White-final.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-10 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/challengedetroit.org\/anniehakim\/files\/2014\/09\/Walter-White-final-300x114.jpg\" alt=\"Walter White final\" width=\"300\" height=\"114\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Critics suggest that TV is better than ever before&#8230;<\/strong><br \/>\n<em><br \/>\n\u201cThese are, people like to say, the golden days of television, which really means we are seeing a renaissance of <strong>serialized, long-form drama<\/strong>: &#8220;House of Cards,&#8221; &#8220;True Detective,&#8221; &#8220;Mad Men,\u201d \u201cBreaking Bad&#8221; and on and on.\u201d\u2028(Chicago Tribune, 2014)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cTelevision Is Better Now Than Ever Before\u201d \u2028(Complex Magazine 2013)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cTV&#8217;s first Golden Age played out decades ago on old-fashioned console sets topped by rabbit ears. In the view of many critics, <strong>television&#8217;s second Golden Age is NOW<\/strong>.\u201d \u2028(CBS News 2013)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Are today&#8217;s TV shows really <em>that<\/em> good?<br \/>\n<\/strong>As an avid TV watcher, I can\u2019t help but agree with the critics quoted above, but can their claims be substantiated?<\/p>\n<p>Recently, I was tasked with creating a mini TED-talk to present at the orientation for the new fellowship program that I am a part of this year: Challenge Detroit. I decided to conduct some research to see if the Golden age of TV (specifically TV dramas) is truly upon us. Below is a breakdown of what I found.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> <strong>Qualitative assertions of the distinguishing traits of the &#8216;Golden Age&#8217; TV dramas:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cA renaissance of serialized, long-form dramas [with] several plot strings moving at once.\u201d (Chicago Tribune)<\/li>\n<li>\u201cIncreasingly complex characters\u201d , noticeably evolving throughout the course of the series and often oscillating between hero and antihero. (Complex Magazine)<\/li>\n<li>Golden shows get\u00a0better and better (ratings) as the show progresses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> But can we quantitatively prove this \u2018Golden Age\u2019 of TV dramas? If so, when did it start?<br \/>\n<\/span><br \/>\n<\/strong>Based on unprecedented TV rating trends, the short answer is yes!<b> <\/b>IMDB (International Movie Database<strong>) <\/strong>viewer rating trends concretely represents the key distinction between the Golden Age dramas and excellent dramas that preceded them.<br \/>\n<em>**Critically acclaimed serialized dramas began to debut in the early 200os- for the sake of this research, I analyzed post 2000 Emmy nominated TV dramas.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Top Pre-Golden Age Dramas Distinction:\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<\/strong><strong>Average<\/strong> <strong>viewer ratings consistently decline<\/strong> from the first episode to the last episode of the series. (The Sopranos, The West Wing, Lost)<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Top Golden Age Dramas Distinction:<\/span><br \/>\n<\/strong>Average <strong>viewer ratings consistently increase<\/strong> from the first episode to the last episode of the series. (Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones)<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_11\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/challengedetroit.org\/anniehakim\/files\/2014\/09\/331781.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-11\" class=\"wp-image-11 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/challengedetroit.org\/anniehakim\/files\/2014\/09\/331781-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"331781\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-11\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">**The first Emmy nominated show from 1999-2014 (with at least 4 seasons) to qualify, as a Golden Age Drama was Madmen in 2008.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong>Top Pre-Golden Age, critically acclaimed Dramas:<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/span>Average IMDB <strong>viewer ratings consistently decline<\/strong> from the first episode to the last episode of the series.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/challengedetroit.org\/anniehakim\/files\/2014\/09\/graph2.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-19 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/challengedetroit.org\/anniehakim\/files\/2014\/09\/graph2-300x181.png\" alt=\"graph2\" width=\"300\" height=\"181\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Top Golden Age (2008-present) Dramas<br \/>\n<\/strong>Average IMDB <strong>viewer ratings consistently increase<\/strong> from the first episode to the last episode of the series<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/challengedetroit.org\/anniehakim\/files\/2014\/09\/graph1.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-20 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/challengedetroit.org\/anniehakim\/files\/2014\/09\/graph1-300x181.png\" alt=\"graph1\" width=\"300\" height=\"181\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/challengedetroit.org\/anniehakim\/files\/2014\/09\/Screen-Shot-2014-09-30-at-6.44.11-PM.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/challengedetroit.org\/anniehakim\/files\/2014\/09\/Screen-Shot-2014-09-30-at-5.25.17-PM.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n<\/a><strong><br \/>\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Which other Emmy nominated shows are \u2018Golden\u2019-just keep getting better?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Additional, current \u2018Golden Age\u2019 shows with <strong>viewer ratings consistently increasing<\/strong>:<strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>True Detective, Scandal, The Good Wife, Louie, Orange is the New Black, The Daily Show, House of Cards, The Colbert Report, Real Time with Bill Maher<\/li>\n<li>Current shows that don\u2019t make the \u2018Golden Age\u2019 cut (<strong>declining viewer ratings over time<\/strong>):<br \/>\nBig Bang Theory, True Blood, Greys Anatomy, Dexter<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong>Reasons why the \u2018Golden Age\u2019 is likely here to stay!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Demand has changed 2014 Neilson ratings show that viewers 18-49 increasingly want more scripted series, and less reality shows<\/li>\n<li>Digital platforms like Netflix, HBO GO, Apple TV, Amazon etc. make it easier for viewers to watch (often binge watch) and re-watch their favorite shows without missing an episode\/crucial components of the complex plot twists in Golden Age Dramas. They also make it easier for great shows to exponentially grow a fan base.<\/li>\n<li>Some examples of record breaking Golden Age Drama viewership trends: Breaking Bad approx. 700% viewer increase (from season 1 to season 4) Game of Thrones approx. 500% viewer increase (from season 1 to season 4)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>***None of the Emmy nominated pre-Golden Age Dramas ever saw positive rate of change in viewership greater than 400% in their first 4 seasons- and beyond.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Golden TV is more original, and more affordable than feature films<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http:\/\/challengedetroit.org\/anniehakim\/files\/2014\/09\/Untitled.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-16 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/challengedetroit.org\/anniehakim\/files\/2014\/09\/Untitled-300x180.png\" alt=\"Untitled\" width=\"300\" height=\"180\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> Production cost of Golden Age Dramas:<br \/>\n<\/strong>Game of Thrones: 6 million per episode<br \/>\nBreaking Bad: 3 million per episode<br \/>\nMad Men: 3 million per episode<\/p>\n<p><strong>Production Cost of feature films:<\/strong><br \/>\nAverage Hollywood Blockbuster 50-60 million\u00a0per movie<br \/>\n<strong><br \/>\nTV vs. Movie DVD sales:<br \/>\n<\/strong>DVD sales for movies (about $20 a pop) are on the decline<br \/>\nDVD sales for Golden Age TV series (about $100) are on the rise<\/p>\n<p><strong>Profit Margins:<br \/>\n<\/strong>Hollywood Powerhouses (Viacom, Disney, Time Warner, 21<sup>st<\/sup> Century Fox, NBC Universal) now make 60% of their profits on cable TV<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong>What does all this mean?!?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Now, more than ever, is a great time to be a couch potato!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/challengedetroit.org\/anniehakim\/files\/2014\/09\/potato.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-15 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/challengedetroit.org\/anniehakim\/files\/2014\/09\/potato-300x165.png\" alt=\"potato\" width=\"300\" height=\"165\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Critics suggest that TV is better than ever before&#8230; \u201cThese are, people like to say, the golden days of television, which really means we are seeing a renaissance of serialized, long-form drama: &#8220;House of Cards,&#8221; &#8220;True Detective,&#8221; &#8220;Mad Men,\u201d \u201cBreaking Bad&#8221; and on and on.\u201d\u2028(Chicago Tribune, 2014) \u201cTelevision Is Better Now Than Ever Before\u201d \u2028(Complex [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/challengedetroit.builtrare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12045","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/challengedetroit.builtrare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/challengedetroit.builtrare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/challengedetroit.builtrare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/challengedetroit.builtrare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12045"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/challengedetroit.builtrare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12045\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/challengedetroit.builtrare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/challengedetroit.builtrare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12045"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/challengedetroit.builtrare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}