They don’t make ‘em like they used to: Is TV getting better or worse? 

With new releases aired daily and too many streaming services to count, is modern day television worth the hassle or have we moved too far away from the good old days of TV? 

It’s no secret that most of us have a comfort show- a series we could watch again and again without tiring, something to bring us back down to earth on our bad days. Potentially the most important criteria for the perfect comfort show is a long run time, being hooked from the first episode and knowing there's a stack of seasons lined up to watch after.

There are plenty examples of shows fitting this nature from the 90s and 2000s-take everyone's favourite med drama ‘House MD’ for example. Viewers seem to crave a steady plot and time to get to know their favourite characters, but lengthy shows are harder to come by these days. With streaming services aiming to crank out as much content as possible, the limited series seems to have replaced the long runners. That’s not to say they can't be good. Series like ‘Fleabag’ for example secured some die-hard fans- it's a short and not so sweet show with major re-watch-ability points.  

Another notable difference in TV over the years is the plot vs quality debate, which I find most evident in the horror genre. Older shows like ‘The Twilight Zone’ pack a thrilling plot though admittedly the visuals don’t necessarily sell the fear that the storylines are attempting to convey. On the other hand, now that TV has gotten its claws into better tech, viewers can see the horror on screen as if it were real, only now shows are recycling ideas and programmes can be predictable. Take the TV show ‘Chucky’- an 8^th instalment of the child’s play franchise-as if we needed any more. So really, it just depends on whether your preference leans towards story or aesthetics.  

Now, to raise a point that is almost universally agreed as the downfall of modern TV: television’s obsession with the reboot. So many brilliant shows have suffered from a bruised reputation after producers couldn't just quit. Iconic series like ‘Sex and the City’ and ‘That 70s Show’ are tarnished with unrecognisable plot lines and beloved characters replaced by ones which could never compare.  

Whilst the oversaturation of shows is undeniably diluting the quality for the most part- some real good TV has managed to slip through. ‘From’ is an ongoing series perfect for fans of small-town mysteries, or for those who prefer reality; ‘Jury Duty’ is a recent release from 2023 following a juror weighing in on a completely staged court case- not all hope for TV is lost.