The human taste for entertainment changes with time. In the past, people loved heading to the theatres and cinemas to catch the premiering movies and blockbuster releases with their loved ones. Movies were all that these theatre-goers talked about, and their fandoms were stronger than steel. A few decades down the line, the taste shifted to TV shows, and today, it is an all-out war. 

Nowadays, people enjoy watching their favorite TV shows more, huddled close together in the living room, instead of undertaking the hassle of driving to the local theatre. Most of them prefer to binge-stream video content online, while others still choose cable over streaming any day. Cable companies like Cox cable cater to the entertainment appetite of both types of viewers by delivering dedicated channel lineups along with a cluster of streaming TV options to their homes. 

With the weekend coming up, you may be confused about whether to watch a good old-fashioned movie or to delve in the pleasures of a TV show. Don’t worry, this post will unravel the benefits and downsides of TV shows and movies for you, so you can make a wise decision.

Television has always existed under the shadow of towering movies and their public hype. Only recently, with the introduction of era-defining series like Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones, TV shows have caused an uproar and slid into the limelight, displacing movies. Here are the pros of spending your evening watching a TV show:

Character Growth: Since TV shows span over several seasons, they have the creative freedom to play around with character arcs. In some TV shows, you see the main character going from bad to good, while in others, you cheer as a villainous character takes a 360-degree turn and transforms into your favorite character by the end of the series. This is how, through promising character growth, TV shows give you the time to relate and to root for characters, deepening your relationship with them.

Multiple Storylines: You’ll never be bored watching a TV show, provided that it is written and directed cleverly. Take The Walking Dead, for instance. This TV show has multiple storylines that keep the viewers hooked and asking for more, even if they are not interested in or generally disregard the main plot. Through these side stories that sometimes act as comic reliefs, TV shows ensure a balanced triggering of emotions on the viewers’ part.

Live Broadcast: A TV show is not limited to drama, thriller, or mystery. It can be about sports, news, and nature, too. For people who are hardcore fans of sports, TV shows overpower everything else. Cable TV broadcasts live screenings of all kinds of games, and we know the kind of enthusiasm that follows it. Friends and family host special game nights just to catch a season surrounded by “oohs” and “aahs.” It is hard to beat this kind of viewership.

Commercials Galore: Nobody likes interruptions. This is exactly what commercials do. They break the flow of the story and fracture your entertainment experience. Unfortunately, traditional TV programming comes with commercials and ads, which may be a source of revenue for the networks and companies, but don’t settle so well with the viewers.

Addictive Tendency: TV shows are laid out in the form of episodes. This structure often gives rise to addictive behavior called binge-watching. When you watch an episode on Netflix, you are inclined to watch the next one and the next one and the process goes on. This not only eats up your time but also drains your energy, regardless of the fun and engagement you get out of it. 

Movies are a whole different story. These are cinematic masterpieces that have always held a firm following even before TV shows became successful. Here are the pros of watching a movie on your sleepover:

Watch in a Sitting: One of the primary advantages of watching a movie is that it respects your time. You can give it just about two hours and feel more entertained than ever. The average run time of a movie is about 72 minutes, which is short enough to squeeze into your tough routine. You can even watch a movie during the hectic weekdays, watch it with your friends without taking too much of their time, and watch it, again and again, should you feel like it.

Full Circle: A movie has a story that comes full circle in a relatively short span. You don’t have to wait around for weeks to see the satisfying end. The suspense may only last for a few minutes before it resolves into a breathtaking conclusion. This roller-coaster ride results in a collective catharsis for the viewers, except for the movies that end on a cliffhanger. Those may leave you craving for more action.

A Tad Hurried: A movie may not give you the kind of character development that you may be looking forward to, since it runs for only a few minutes. Even if a character development occurs, it may feel hurried, unrealistic, and unrelatable. A movie may be over too soon before you start adjusting to the landscape or falling for a character. Not only that, the lack of multiple storylines may make you abandon the movie if you don’t like the main plot. 

As the aforementioned pointers indicate, both TV shows and movies have their merits and demerits. Though movies are on a roll even to this day, no one can deny that we are living in the golden age of television. So, yes, if you have time and love a good delayed plot with multiple dimensions, then you will find TV shows right up your alley.