The viewing patterns of Gen Z have generally marked a large shift away from traditional Freeview television channels to on-demand and streaming services, such as Disney+ and Netflix. With younger audiences typically becoming more engaged with a series created by the streaming platforms, like The Summer I Turned Pretty (2021) and legacy series such as Friends (1994). From initial perceptions, completely gone are the days of tuning into the television shows at the same time each week to watch one episode and then being left on a cliffhanger all week.
Yet one thing that I have uncovered through common conversation is that perhaps the style of showing that Gen Z is watching may be changing. Our use of streaming services has resulted in watching shows that are usually associated with older generations and whose viewer base largely comprises our parents. This is something I am taking as a sign of our frontal lobes developing. It has become increasingly popular to have a Saturday night in, drinking a bottle of wine each with the girls, instead of taking on the toon and hitting the club.
I know that I fall into the former category. Gen Z’s new viewing obsessions seem to take place across a variety of television genres, including reality TV, competition shows, and soap operas. Reality TV shows such as Big Brother (2000) and The Traitors (2022) have been able to work their way into mainstream popularity by creating a variety of public personas that Gen Z have created fan edits and memes around. The prime example being the icon Linda from The Traitors. These shows have been able to grip viewers with their twists, turns and capacity to recreate that chaotic standard of television drama, for example, the Jojo Siwa vs Mickey Rourke saga.
The more nighty-in accustomed Gen Z has become far more favourable to competition shows such as The Great British Bake Off (2010) and Strictly Come Dancing (2004), which have been core pillars of the British television industry for years. I think this down to the light-hearted nature of these shows and the consistency in programming that leads to university students becoming excited around September as the television calendar fills up. These shows have also seen their fair share of iconic British pop culture moments, such as when Alison Hammond was infamously perplexed as to “Where’s The Door Gone?"
I think this down to the light-hearted nature of these shows and the consistency in programming.
And yet even more obscure, some of Gen Z have arguably developed a fixation with British soap opera classics, with the likes of Coronation Street (1960) and EastEnders (1985). It seems that the shocking storylines and intense drama are something that cannot be replicated by the modern soap series. Without having to wait a year for a show’s next series of episodes, British soaps offer viewers consistency with their scheduling. Something that may keep younger viewers engaged in the show. Overall, what appears to be a surprising growth in Gen Z's discussion and viewership of shows typically associated with an older audience, could mark the beginning of a cultural shift in the type of media consumed by the younger generation.