I used to be the kind of person who loved movies and watched television. Now I love TV and wish movies were better. I’m pretty sure I flip-flopped somewhere between The Matrix and The Matrix Ruined. Or maybe the first time I watched Deadwood. Could have been Arrested Development.
There are movies I still love, although most are stamped with the Pixar logo. When it comes to live action it's usually some crazy documentary about street art or typesetting that tickles me most.
It’s the writing I think, both good and bad. Long form cable series like Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and Justified tell big stories over the course of a full season in detail that few movies can match. Watch a season of Sons of Anarchy and then find me a similar movie that's better.
If you're looking for spectacle the theater is still the place to be, although rarely do story and special effects merit the same attention. There’s a lot of crap between The Dark Knight and The Avengers.
Television does require more of an investment. I do occasionally feel guilty watching another episode of True Blood when I could be reading (okay, not that guilty). And I do have to admit to looking forward to the end of a season, even for a show I love. Time away makes the heart grow fonder and so forth.
However...when the network suits make the asinine decision to fire the very hands on creator of a series, like, oh let’s say Community...well, that makes me hate TV just a little bit.
Classy move NBC. Now you know why you’re a fourth place network. I'm going to the movies.
