Everyone has a television series they keep up with on a regular basis.
Some people even have multiple shows they eagerly tune in to weekly.
The genres of these shows vary. Some people are addicted to action-packed crime dramas. Others prefer comedies or sitcoms. Reality TV is always popular. Science fiction programs are entertaining for those who appreciate them. For some unexplainable reason, people even enjoy soap operas.
With sources like Hulu and Netflix it’s easier than ever for anyone to escape into a make-believe world for hours upon hours.
People look to their favorite television series to provide an escape from the real world. When real life seems too dull or too stressful, there’s another world waiting to accept anyone willing to get lost in its plot twists.
As fascinating as TV shows are, they cannot be compared to real life.
In real life, people are don’t have perfect hair and wear designer shoes. In order to keep that fancy apartment, one must have a job and actually go to work once in a while. Eating out for every meal costs a lot of money (and calories).
Real people have to leave the apartment, the coffee shop, MacLaren’s, the office, the squad room, the stage or the Island at some point. There’s too much to see and do in the real world to be stuck in one place for too long.
Life can’t be like a crime drama because the evidence is rarely that easy to interpret.
Alright, sometimes life can be like a comedy, but usually there’s not an audience laughing off-screen at the appropriate moment.
Hopefully everyone understands why life can’t be like a science fiction series.
And if life is like a soap opera, clean it up.
Even reality shows are not accurate depictions of life. Reality shows usually aren’t even an accurate depiction of reality.
Now, there are some areas where TV gets it right.
The good guys always win eventually. Sometimes it takes a few episodes, or even an entire season, but in the end good triumphs. True friends stick together through thick and thin. Sometimes lessons have to be learned the hard way, but they lead to character growth.
And when playing “Rock, Paper, Scissors,” always pick “Spock.”
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a hit series, but remember that a made-up world can never replace what already exists.
