#2 Programming Trends

Television has progressed greatly since it first appeared early in the 20th century. The content featured, and what people want to see, has reshaped completely. Television shows went from light-hearted I Love Lucy to Breaking Bad. Shows that are extended movies with the plot lengthening and thickening as it develops.

The way we view television has changed just as much as the content we wish to see has. According to Wired Magazine there are 6 trends that television is now following to get the attention of the viewers.

Six Trends Directing the Future of Television

• Storytelling

• Content Mobility

• Event based viewing

• Content delivery optimization

• Binge watching

• More participates, more creative risks

After reading this article and taking a look at the list presented, most of these trends focus more on the marketing strategy than the actual content of the show itself. Television producers are pandering to their audience through marketing strategies that will make the viewing more enjoyable in subtle ways that audiences aren't even aware of. For example, content mobility: streaming companies adapting so that viewers can watch their favorite shows on their phones wherever they go. So if they are stuck in an airport, or waiting for class to start, they can pull out their smartphones and catch the next episode of their favorite show. By adapting to the digital age and evolving their strategies to the convenience of their audience, television companies are able to broaden their viewing and optimize their profit.

As previously stated, the majority of these trends help to set certain shows a part thus creating a larger fan base are,  in fact, more focused on marketing strategies rather than the show's content. From this list, I mainly want to focus on two points: Storytelling and Binge watching. I want to focus less on the marketing and more on what the shows themselves are about, and how that reflects on their audiences. These two trends, storytelling and binge-watching, go hand in hand. They are prime examples of how television and the way we want to watch television is reforming. 

Storytelling is critical to a show's success. As I stated previously, when television first came out, shows that were presented were more cheery and simple. The plots were fun and you didn't have to watch the shows in order to understand what was going on. Each individual show started with a conflict that was resolved within the episode ending with characters happy and well off. Very rarely did shows go into controversial or heated subjects. That did not arise until later.

Now, if a show was presented with these elements, it would flop. People are no longer interested in happy go lucky stories with no real drama or conflict. That is the element of storytelling. It is critical because you have to know what stories people want to see. 

According to Rotten Tomatoes, they listed the top 128 shows of 2019. From that list, you see shows either in the first season or deep into the third, fourth, or fifth season. Almost all the shows have a identifiable quality of having long in-depth stories. They are shows that you have to watch from the beginning with plots that start off with one central conflict that evolve into several strings of drama that all interweave only to blow up with each season finale. And it is a rare event if that blow up does not end in a cliff hanger. 

A prime example of this (found at #68 on the list) is the television drama streaming on Netflix, You. You wrapped up its second season  last year. This is the ideal example of how a television show with the storytelling element in the forefront helps to push the show ahead in popularity and create a fan following. This show prides itself in an invigorating, psychological thriller. Starting out with one plot that slowly grows to the point that there is drama from every direction, and fans are left mind blown. 

Opening Scene

From several people who I have talked to who watch the show, all their reactions were the same to the season finale. "You have to watch the show! It left me so shook! I was freaking out the whole time! God I love it! I can't get enough of it! I can't wait for season 3!"

The general response was all the same. It left the audience wanting more because it was an ongoing story filled with dark, gritty antagonism. This is why the show is doing so well and only growing in popularity. The writers for this show capitalizing on the storytelling element. They are creating an ongoing story that is spiking the interest of people and leaving them wanting more. 

The second trend ties in firmly with the storytelling element, and that is binge watching. Without the juicy story, there would be no binge-watching. Binge watching is very much a trend among people of all ages. Use to, people had to wait every week for the next episode, but now, people don't want to do that. People almost riot at the thought of waiting a year for the next season. People now love to spend a whole weekend watching seasons of their favorite television series And now they can with streaming capabilities becoming more accessible (another example of marketing ploy hooking in audiences by the droves).

People love to binge watch, and that fact is made more enjoyable if the story element of the show has that ongoing captivating feel where you have to know what happens next. If the two are woven together seamlessly, then the show will get a hardcore fan-base that can't watch what producers are putting out fast enough.  

In fact, people love to binge watch to the point that online sources are creating lists of the most worthy shows to binge watch. According to Now magazine, they have created a list of The 25 Most Binge-Worthy TV Shows of 2019. All of these shows can be found on some streaming platform, whether it be Netflix or Amazon Prime, where you can binge-watch seasons without delay. No more waiting for the next episode; television is now evolving to meet the demands of the people. Smart successful television shows are now available on platforms where people can take a weekend (or even a night) to binge-watch countless episodes to their heart's content. And the best way to make your show "binge-watch worthy" is to have that story telling element that leaves people "having" to watch more to satisfy their curiosity. 

While marketing yourself is critical to success, you have to have something worthy of marketing that people will want. In the case with the common trends and what television producers are putting out, they have to have a story that is captivating that people feel they need to keep watching. Shows that are intense and drama filled with ideas building on top of each other leading to a monumental climax at the end of each season. Producers need their audiences to feel invested and engaged. Topped with the other marketing ploys, it then they have a show that is "binge-worthy."