Television Trends: Consuming Content in the Digital Age

Matt: [00:00:00] so welcome back to Write Out Loud the podcast where stories take center stage and creativity knows no bounds. And joining me as always is the captivating, clever, and contagiously. Charismatic. Christina.

Christina: You're gonna run out of alliteration. Things to to say eventually.

Matt: Oh, never, never, never. She is the queen of quips, the conqueror of compelling characters and the curator of countless creative conundrums.

Christina: Oh yeah. Oh

Matt: Today we're gonna be talking about TV show release schedules and whether the all at once dump that Netflix kind of made famous is the way to go or does the weekly release have the advantage and why? How does that shape up? So sit tight, grab your favorite warm beverage and let's get right to it.

So yeah.

Christina: And

Matt: Wow.

Christina: I'm gonna make some correlations too with publishing and, does the person who publishes a year have a disadvantage over somebody who. Publishes more frequently, 

Matt: [00:01:00] mm-hmm.

Christina: not necessarily once a month, but like quarterly or something like that.

So

Matt: Sure.

Christina: some correlations with that as well. So, this topic came to me because I started to realize that, I was going through a little bit of a bad time. Uh, we talked about a little bit in, in our opening that I've had, know, some difficult times. My aunt passed away and just recently my my beloved dog of 17 years died. and so I was not reading. Couldn't focus and so I kind of start binging TV shows

Matt: And

Christina: I realized that

Matt: I.

Christina: I was actually counting on media to find my TV shows. And what do I mean by that, other than, everybody else is looking at it. I started to notice I was finding TV shows. From social [00:02:00] media, but they were all weekly release shows.

Matt: Mm. Okay.

Christina: And the fact that I got so heavily involved these people, I don't know, online, and became that water cooler talk of old I

Matt: I.

Christina: back in the days when I worked for Borders before social media. The guy in the cube next to me watched Lost, and I watched Lost.

And we would come in every single morning and be like, oh my God, did you see last night's episode? and the thing is, what I noticed with. Online now this year with the pit? I'm trying to think of, oh God, there were a slew of 'em that were this year that I didn't start thinking about watching

Matt: Mm.

Christina: until I saw people reacting to it and they were all these weekly releases because it's so much more [00:03:00] difficult to talk about online in the same way the dump shows.

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: the dump shows. Not everybody watches 'em in the same timeframe. Example, the Diplomat, great show, wonderful, but I never really got to talk to anybody about it because some people hadn't seen it or we were on, different parts of the binge and I didn't wanna be online and have it ruined.

Matt: Sure.

Christina: so I really started to notice. I like the shows have the slower week by week release for several reasons. A, it was already being talked about, so I kind of had a verification

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: that it was gonna be good and not a okay, I am going into this show and I have no idea if it's any good or if anybody has seen it or, anything like that.

Matt: Right?

Christina: With the slow release, [00:04:00] also really did. Build up week to week

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: the anticipation. 'cause they still have that kind of cliffhanger ending that

Matt: That

Christina: binged it, you'd

Matt: you still

Christina: into the next episode. Yes.

Matt: Yep.

Christina: But like for the next week you got excited and was like, okay, when does the episode drop?

Matt: Know,

Christina: does this streamer release it? The night before,

Matt: right? Right.

Christina: a little bit of a late night person. I usually don't go to sleep until 11 or 12 at night. And so in that short window there I go, okay, which streamer has this on? Now, kinda hit that refresh button until you know it comes in. And yes, to an extent you do that with the dump releases when it first releases. Like I'm anticipating Stranger Things. I will, perhaps get up at, two in the morning or whatever it is, the release time, to watch, [00:05:00] But it kind of loses it, its effect. I feel more of a communal watching when it's a weekly release versus a solitary watch when it's a dump release.

Matt: Yeah, for sure. Yeah, I think it's all super valid. I think there have been times when, I know personally we've sat and watched shows and we kind of gravitated towards the ones that dumped out initially because really only because we had gotten to a point where we hated ads. We hated, waiting for.

Cliffhangers. Like we wanted to just be able to see it all. Like we didn't want to have to wait for the next episode. And 

Christina: mm-hmm.

Matt: gradually over time that changed though. So it's really funny because we had this whole sort of stance and we're like, Nope, we're just, we're just gonna do the dump release.

Anything that just comes out all at once, we don't wanna wait. Or we would, if it was a weekly release, we would actually wait until all of them were out and available and then watch them all at once. Right. But it makes it much harder to avoid the spoilers. [00:06:00] If you do it that way, so not dump releases, but waiting until a weekly release is fully out.

It makes it harder to avoid spoilers. It makes it harder to be a part of what you're talking about, right? Because you are waiting until the end and by that point everybody's kind of moved on. So there's kind of give and take in both, right? I think there's, there's pieces of that, but I would say that over time our attraction to it has gotten to a point where we are very similar in line to what you are now, which is.

We want it weekly. We want it to just,

Christina: Yeah.

Matt: we wanna watch it while it's happening.

Christina: I find that I have less time and I don't know exactly what is eating up this time. but I find that I have less time to do the binge watch. I don't like, know, I don't have to 12 hours. That I can binge. So

Matt: Yep.

Christina: split 'em up. Yeah, I'll, and like you said, I find I have to start watching for [00:07:00] spoilers. I used to be just like you, that if it was a weekly release, I would wait until the entire series is out and then I'd start, that changed somewhere in there, where I now. Would rather watch it as it comes out. again, I think part of it again, has to do with engagement with other people that are like, it becomes that that you talk about at the water cooler.

Matt: Yeah, for sure.

Christina: Even with my online friends know, it used to be that, yeah, I could, binge watch something in one sitting. Yeah, but then I'd have to wait for them to catch up or, whatever. And with weekly releases, I don't have to do that. I, everybody gets to watch it within that one week.

And I would say most people tend to watch it in that week that it releases. [00:08:00] They may not watch it that night. And let me be clear in the sense where. When I say weekly releases, I am not talking about standard tv, I am talking streamers. I

Matt: I don't.

Christina: many shows with, the, the main, the big three or whatever they are. Cable network television shows.

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: very few keep my attention and. Even furthermore, very, very few, even less can do it for more than a season or two.

Matt: Hmm.

Christina: And I wonder if it's because, no, I know it's because, uh, the writing like seems to get less. With each season. I

Matt: Hmm.

Christina: big fan of Fire Country this season of fire country, I'm just, I'm so done with it.

Matt: Oh no. Yeah.

Christina: It is, it [00:09:00] is the same over and over. The characters act exactly the same, like no behaviors are changing

Matt: Mm

Christina: they're not

Matt: hmm.

Christina: and learning. And this

Matt: Hmm.

Christina: they, they. They did something really big and I think it was totally the wrong thing to do.

Matt: Uh.

Christina: And I, I honestly, I forget that it's even on and it's, my DVR that has to remind me of, oh yeah, okay, that was on, I suppose I should catch up on the episode, so I'm not talking about that kind of tv.

Although I will say. You and I talked about this, not in any of our previous episodes, but you and I have talked about this. Uh, high potential.

Matt: Yep.

Christina: the only one, but I just found it and I, of course, binged it over, several several days to catch up to this season. So, but I still, i've been able to

Matt: To watch.

Christina: One of 'em as I will. This is actually the first week that I like, have to [00:10:00] wait,

Matt: Right, right.

Christina: For the next one to come. But again, that's, that's also not to say that, that show gonna last. 'cause it's only, it's, I've found again with, regular TV network TV that I'm, I may be in for the first year.

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: Or two, but by year three, I, it's, So there's something with the writing when they get further into seasons that I

Matt: Yeah.

Christina: I don't care for.

Matt: Hmm.

Christina: so

Matt: it depends for, for us, like, I think there's, I think there's some, some shows that. Have that staying power, right, that have the ability to keep writing and, and all that. But it's interesting too that you talk about the fact that like fire country for you was very formulaic, that it just became the same repetitive thing over and over again and it wasn't really, keeping your interest.

And I think when we talk about dump releases versus the, weekly cadence to it, right? That there's a lot more [00:11:00] potential for. Things to go awry that way. And I think there's a couple ways this happens. One is you have a show that just gets formulaic. So to your point, it just continues to be the same thing every, week in, week out.

And you could argue to some degree, some shows are able to pull that off better than others. So for example, high potential is kind of formulaic in the sense that it's gonna be you. You kind of know what the whole like layout of the episode is gonna do, but. There's enough subplot built in and there's enough character development built in where it keeps you interested.

Like you start to see these, relationships change a little bit, even if their behaviors don't really change necessarily.

Christina: Yeah.

Matt: then you have shows like, uh, like Fire Country, maybe I haven't seen it, so I can't really speak to that one. But I can tell you another sort of phenomenon of this is the 9 1 1 series.

So 9 1 1. Yeah, over time has been very much the same. Again, there's gonna be some sort of major emergency that happens. They all have to go out, they have to be found. Right. [00:12:00] The main one has, again, same thing. There's some subplots happening that you can kind of see woven throughout. There's some other, character growth that's happening, but there spinoffs

Christina: Yeah.

Matt: and, and, and to some degree even, even the main 9 1 1, but their spinoffs kind of have a whole other issue. So like. I think when you have a weekly release, you have this need. I think it's very easy to give into this as a writer, that you have to constantly up the ante. You have to constantly ratchet up the pressure

Christina: Yep.

Matt: to the point where you eventually get to an episode where people go, okay, I'm done with this.

'cause this is ridiculous. Now, like this season on 9 1 1. Sorry if you have seen this already, but it's been in the first few episodes, so you've had plenty of time to catch up to it. They are in space and one man was swallowed by a whale, and it just gets to a point where you're like, like we've really gotten to a part. Like unless somebody falls into a crack in the earth and like slides into the lava, I don't know what else you could do. Like you can't get [00:13:00] any bigger than what they're doing. Right.

Christina: yeah,

Matt: And I think there's this tendency for the writers to kind of feel like they have to do this to keep people engaged.

And I don't know that that's true.

Christina: yeah. No, and actually when you were talking about high potential, I think with that, even though it is formulaic. Where every episode a crime is solved, the subplot of the missing I guess. I, I don't think he was ever the spouse, but yes. The ex the,

Matt: Yep.

Christina: Father

Matt: Roman.

Christina: is woven in and a slower moving mystery where we get little nuggets. Maybe not every episode, but like every other episode, there's another little, okay. We've, we've gotten an update

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: that little thing. The other thing is. Character growth. I do see, even though these characters are [00:14:00] behaving in a way may seem formulaic, you can actually see their growth. So this, I would put more akin to like one my go-to show for character growth. If you're gonna look at it,

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: the bear.

Matt: Okay.

Christina: because character on season one, episode one that is basically hated by the audience, episode seven, that first season, and the episode is called Forks. And I will throw down with anyone that that is one of the best television episodes ever.

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: Because you actually see the character growth not just over the course, but like click in in that episode.

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: And so, with high potential, not that I can pinpoint, oh, this is the episode that this character, see the that [00:15:00] growth come to fruition like you can with the bear. I see the character growth and even though I'm not I've not watched 9 1 1, I of

Matt: mm-hmm.

Christina: see the commercials for 9 1 1 and think to myself, oh, okay, 9 1 1 in space. Yep. And actually the one that got me was the one with the bees. When the bees, came in, uh, again, haven't seen it. Uh, but that didn't drive me to see it. So to your point with do we have to keep escalating the escalation isn't happening because they're trying to gain new audience. The escalation seems to be happening to maintain the audience,

Matt: I agree.

Christina: just ridiculous.

And that's just ridiculous because I think you're gonna lose 'em the way to. know, yeah. You, you need to maintain that to give yourself episodes of this show that is [00:16:00] about this thing without keeping it boring. You do have to show change in other ways. Like I said, if you take characterization character growth, a subplot that isn't solved. For example, lost. Lost was one of those that if they had only question after question after question, no answers gets the audience frustrated. So you

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: what I call a leapfrog question, and maybe not the answer to that one, but you answer something else,

Matt: Hmm.

Christina: know, and then you lay down. Another question and then there's an answer. And again, it doesn't have to be answer to, that same question you can leapfrog and like, Hey, five episodes we had this question, here's the answer to that. so you have to keep it moving in that way. As far as escalation though, I think, Some TV is [00:17:00] getting absolutely ridiculous.

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: but that's also because do think we are absolutely going through a growth and change, and I'm gonna say this just in generalization across the board,

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: like, myself. I feel myself growing and changing. I mean, obviously I've had a year that requires that.

Matt: Sure.

Christina: But I don't think I'm the only one. And I think people are d experiencing it in different ways. And I find myself rather than like in those moments of, okay I need something, that's just brain candy, which I don't really have to think about. I'm not necessarily gonna go, oh, me go check out 9 1 1.

That's

Matt: Right. And too heavy.

Christina: yeah, but I do find myself, again, I went to High Potential,

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: which is a little bit, [00:18:00] outside of the norm. uh. Police, detective, agent, department is probably not gonna hire someone who can come in and look at, a crime scene differently.

But it's a play on, the original monk psych,

Matt: Murder she wrote

Christina: murder she, murder, she wrote, did that. I've never seen

Matt: kind of, I mean, like you think of somebody, somebody who's not a cop. Right? Like helping the police try to solve. Yeah. Yeah.

Christina: I'm thinking about is though those people that see crime scenes differently because

Matt: Hmm.

Christina: In her case it's this high potential intellect or whatever.

In monk's case, it was probably more like, autism or, something of, of that degree.

Matt: Sure.

Christina: but yeah, so, but I, I still was not in the mood for completely wackadoo

Matt: yeah.

Christina: television.

Matt: Yeah, I, I mean I think it is, the name of the game is getting to keep your audience and I think that applies to writing as well. And I think if you are able to tell your stories and [00:19:00] release them in a way that keeps that audience engaged, so there's a cadence enough there, whether that's monthly, I hope it's not weekly 'cause that's a lot, but like, monthly for the stories that are, are that large or that, that having to write it out and.

Christina: yeah, I would even say that I, I don't know anybody. That can release monthly

Matt: Mm.

Christina: maintain a good story.

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: I think there are people that are capable of doing like maybe every other month,

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: every three months, which is essentially, quarterly,

Matt: Yeah.

Christina: four times a year. I don't actually think. Beyond. Okay, so I'm not talking about those series where you have multiple authors

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: they release month by month by month by month. I think that's actually a great thing if you can bring those stories together in some way. Like Harlequin, used to do this with what they [00:20:00] called a continuity series, meaning they develop a town. And then these stories would be set in that town

Matt: Sure.

Christina: they'd, create a Bible and they'd use, here's the map of the town and, this person owns the bookstore and this person owns the, coffee shop next door. Those types of things. That's not what I'm talking about.

I'm talking about an one single person. Writing those amount of stories. And in fact, as I said at the beginning of this podcast, that with most writers, I think if you are putting yourself into a position of you want quality, which you do want quality over quantity, and that means figuring out, can I write. In good quality, more than one book a year.

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: there are so few people that can do, two books, three books, four books. especially four books. Two books might be [00:21:00] okay. in my experience, most people that I've worked with are capable of doing a year maybe. To like every other year.

So like every nine months that person releases a book. I think if you're talking every six months, it gets a little bit, more difficult. Those people. Let me, let me reframe that. people that can write more than one book a year are probably full-time writers. Like, that's

Matt: Oh, for sure. Yeah.

Christina: you

Matt: You'd have to be,

Christina: beyond that. Probably, with life and everything else, like I said, one to maybe one book every nine months, something like that.

Matt: Yeah, I mean, and again, the whole idea is just making sure that you're focused on the pacing of that story. Like the pacing is gonna be everything that you have to be able to make sure that it's measured out, that no matter if you decide to release it at once, no matter if you do decide to, we release it weekly.

You've got enough there to keep people engaged and talking about it along the [00:22:00] way. I think, word of mouth advertising is always going to be the strongest. When it comes to those types of things. So to your point, I think the weekly release probably has it in the bag that way

Christina: Yeah.

Matt: 'cause it generates enough of that interest and, and to keep things going.

And I think again, the artists and the authors who can maintain that kind of consistency

Christina: Yeah.

Matt: and release schedule are gonna see a much easier time him.

Christina: yeah, and I think that, with television and the weekly releases. With streamers specifically. I mean, I, I could see it with, network television too, if there was this really fantastic show. But that's marketing. That's how I find shows, is via online. It's so much harder.

Like I, I am not the type of person that I'd be there all night. Looking and watching trailers and figuring out, know, need other people to tell me what they have found good. And then[00:23:00] 

Matt: Sure.

Christina: I may, may or may not, and it's, I, I do think it's the same with the books.

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Christina: you're a newbie author, way to do it, maybe you do have like, a series that you're gonna start, maybe finish. Three books in that series before you release 'em and then release 'em, every two months,

Matt: Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Christina: get that publicity and momentum, going or something like that. So

Matt: Yeah.

Christina: ways of it and doing it for the marketing, but the number one thing is quality.

Matt: Yep.

Christina: over quantity, and. I'll, I'll, I will never change my mind on that.

Matt: And TV writers, please, please, please, for the love of God, stop ratcheting up the, an, the, uh,

Christina: Yeah,

Matt: anti here. Stop, stop making it so that it has to get more and more outrageous. Just 'cause it, I tell you, I will, as long as that quality story is there, they don't have to be doing, they don't have to be going to [00:24:00] space for me to keep dialing in and, and watching and, and, uh.

Hearing your story be told, uh, it's not necessary, right? It is not necessary at all. Well, very good. Well, that should wrap up then our episode of Write Out Loud. So we've explored that tug of war between the weekly release and the Netflix famous BingeOn, and how each approach really can inspire or even challenge us, right as we are bringing new stories into the world.

So whether you're crafting a slow burn series or planning a big release, remember pacing is part of that experience. Thanks for joining us, and until next time, keep on creating and keep running out loud.