INTRODUCTION:
Ever since John Logie Baird demonstrated his working television system on January 26, 1926, and the first full-length program broadcast in the United States, “The Queen’s messenger by J. Harley Manners”, was televised by the WGY radio station on September 11, 1928, entertainment has ascended to a much better level.
In recent times, people do not even need to go to theaters to see a play anymore since they can just watch a television show on their telly, laptops, tabs, or phones while lying down comfortably on their beds or sitting down on their couches.
Thus, it is an agreed fact that having fun had never been easier before the arrival of television and television shows.
OBJECTIVE:
The goal of this article is to enlighten you on how best to enjoy the TV show(s) that you are following. It is not directed to people whose sole purpose of watching a TV show is for analysis and criticism, rather it is meant for people who follow a TV show with the intent of being entertained.
WHAT IS A TV SHOW?
Originally, a television show is a live or recorded broadcast or program, or series of broadcasts or programs, meant to be viewed on television. Hence, the name.
However, in current times, television shows are no longer broadcasts or programs limited to the television screen, due to the advent of other products of technology that are also capable of visual output such as laptops, tablets, and phones. These inventions have undoubtedly skyrocketed the profitability, productivity, popularity, as well as passion for the TV show industry as there are now numerous means of watching TV shows.
Another name for ‘television show‘ is ‘television series‘ as most TV shows are divided into episodes and seasons.
Note that TV shows can also be in the form of animations.
WHY SHOULD YOU WATCH A TV SHOW?
The possible advantages of watching a TV show are:
1. MEANS OF ENTERTAINMENT:
TV shows are one of the best forms of entertainment in existence. TV shows penetrate right into the hypothalamus, thereby causing the feeling of amusement, grasp of attention, and development of a nice smile or contentful facial expression.
2. KILLING OF TIME, LONELINESS, AND BOREDOM:
Are you looking for a way to pass time, evade loneliness, and break off from boredom? If yes, I advise you to try the simplest solution which is watching TV shows.
Time is never in excess while watching a TV show. When following a TV series the feeling of solitude is non-existent. Again, there is never a dull moment when your eyes are fixed on a TV screen.
3. RELIEF OF STRESS:
Are you feeling stressed out upon your return from work, or after a perspiring examination? The best way to beat this is to first take a shower, put on a TV show, then fall on your couch or bed with your eyes on the platform through which you are viewing the TV show.
To this end, Watching TV shows is an efficient stress-relieving mechanism.
4. LEARNING OF NEW THINGS:
Though the main purpose of establishing TV shows was for entertainment, the TV show industry has evolved so magnificently that there is hardly any TV show without anything to learn from the show. There is always a message the creator of the show has to pass across to the audience.
Furthermore, TV series help in the broadening of one’s horizon and also keeps people apprised of things they were initially ignorant of before they began watching that particular show.
Accordingly, a lot of educational TV shows have been produced which aid in the enlightenment of those watching the show.
5. UPLIFTMENT OF SOUL AND MOOD:
TV shows, particularly comedic TV shows, tend to cheer people up, pacify their souls, and bestow them with quality peace of mind.
If you are feeling depressed, anxious, or you happen to find yourself in a sour mood, just try to watch an episode of a comedy show and I guarantee that you will either feel uplifted or have a good laugh.
In many cases, comedic TV series is the best alternative to seeing a therapist.
6. QUICKER RECOVERY FROM ILLNESSES, AND FACILITATION OF WELLBEING:
Studies have shown that being in a good mood and having a positive mind considerably increases one’s recovery rate from illnesses.
Now, what is the best path to achieving a good mood and a positive mind? The obvious answer to this question is- watching a TV show.
TV shows provide the state of mind and mood that are adequate for quicker recovery from illnesses, consequently leading to wellness.
Therefore, if you wish to recover from an illness sooner, start following a TV show that best suits your mood and soothes your mind.
7. ENHANCEMENT OF UNITY:
In a situation where a group of persons, for instance, friends or family members, collectively follow a particular TV show, they will have more cause to be united than a group of persons that do not watch a TV show in common.
A family or group of friends that watch a TV show together do better in sticking together.
Thus, collective watching of a TV show strengthens the bond between individuals.
8. IMPROVEMENT OF CONVERSATION SKILLS:
One’s conversation skills are significantly improved when following a TV series.
First of all, you could learn how to converse better with people by emulating a character or actor in a TV show.
Again, when you are in the middle of a conversation and you run out of words, you could just bring up a captivating scene of a TV show that you have seen and insert it into the dialogue. This will make you an interesting person to talk to.
So, watching a TV show has a lot of benefits. Why don’t you start watching a TV show today?
POPULAR GENRES OF TV SHOWS:
Now that you have been made aware of the benefits of watching TV shows, you have to get acquainted with the different categories of TV shows out there.
There are many categories of TV shows, some of which I have not even tried out. Regardless, I will be making mention of the popular genres of TV shows, out of which you could make your choice(s).
1. ACTION AND ADVENTURE:
Action shows are shows which involve a fast-moving plot, physical stunts, violence, and highly energetic scenes. There is never a dull moment in action series as an active event could pop up at any scene, just as the name implies.
Adventure shows usually involve an exciting storyline, with new experiences, and exotic settings.
Recommended Action and Adventure shows:
I) Gotham
III) Cobra Kai
III) Arrow
IV) Attack on Titan
V) Invincible
2. COMEDY:
Comedy shows are shows with light-hearted plots aimed at provoking the audience to laughter and amusement.
There are many types of comedy such as dark comedy which involves the portrayal of painful and unfortunate events in a way that provokes amusement and laughter instead of pity and concern, situation comedy (sitcom) which involves a storyline based on a humorous situation, and romantic comedy (rom-com) which is a combination of both romance and comedy genres.
Recommended Comedy shows:
I) Friends
II) The office
III) How I met your mother.
IV) The Big Bang Theory
3. CRIME:
Crime shows center on the life and actions of criminals or mobsters such as drug traffickers, robbers, smugglers, gangsters, and murderers.
Detective-mystery series also falls under this category.
Crime series happens to be my favorite genre of TV shows.
Recommended Crime shows:
I) Breaking Bad
II) Peaky Blinders
III) Sherlock Holmes
IV) Power
V) Narcos
VI) Ozark
VII) Death Note
4. DRAMA:
Dramas are serious, plot-driven presentations, portraying realistic characters, settings, life situations, and stories involving intense character development and interaction.
Meanwhile, drama is the largest genre, having numerous subsets such as historical drama, political drama, romance, and melodrama.
Recommended Drama shows:
I) Orange Is the New Black
II) Better Call Saul
III) Vikings
IV) Mara Clara
5. SUPERNATURAL/FANTASY:
This category involves unrealistic and mythical elements such as dragons, lycanthropy (werewolfism), vampirism, magic e.t.c
Supernatural/Fantasy shows are usually set in a foreign fantastic universe in which the impossible becomes existent.
Recommended Supernatural/Fantasy TV shows:
I) Game of Thrones
II) The Originals
III) Merlin
IV) The Witcher
V) Castlevania
6. SCIENCE FICTION (Sci-Fi):
Sci-Fi shows are often supposedly scientific, visionary, and imaginative, possessing elements such as heroes, aliens, distant planets, impossible quests, improbable settings, fantastic places, great dark, and shadowy villains, futuristic technology, unknown and unknowable forces, and extraordinary monsters (‘things or creatures from space’), either created by mad scientists or by nuclear havoc.
Recommended Sci-Fi shows:
I) Stranger Things
II) Dark
III) The Mandalorian
IV) Doctor Who
7. HORROR:
This genre of shows is intended to evoke a feeling of fear, irritation, and suspense.
Horror series are usually combined with other genres like Supernatural/Fantasy and Sci-Fi.
Recommended Horror shows:
I) The Walking Dead
II) Stranger Things
III) The Original
IV) Dark
8. THRILLER:
Thriller shows involve a suspenseful and sensational plot. It is usually combined with other genres like Action and Crime.
Recommended Thriller Shows:
I) Money Heist
II) The Blacklist
III) Homeland
Many TV shows incorporate elements of different genres into their plots and settings, thereby falling under multiple categories.
SOURCES OF TV SHOWS:
You can access a TV show by any of the following means:
1. TV channels such as Nickelodeon, Fox, M-net series e.t.c
2. Movie streaming platforms e.g Netflix, Passionflix, Amazon e.t.c
3. Downloading from free download websites like TVshows4mobile.com, Toxicwap.com, Netnaija e.t.c
4. Purchasing DVD plates of the TV show.
5. Sharing from other people’s devices.
DOS AND DON’TS WHEN WATCHING A TV SHOW.
To enjoy a TV show that was recommended to you by a friend or you intend to watch, the following need to be adhered to:
1. Be attentive:
When watching a TV show, your thoughts and concentration need to be focused on the scenes. You cannot watch an episode of a show in a noisy place, or while actively engaged in a discussion with someone else and expect to enjoy the TV show.
Accordingly, it is advisable to always watch an episode of a TV show in a quiet, peaceful, and cool place, where optimal concentration and audibility are guaranteed. If necessary, using a good earpiece is not a bad idea.
2. Be relaxed:
Always make it a habit to be mentally and physically calm and settled while you are watching an episode of a TV show. You are not required to pace to and fro, neither are you supposed to contemplate unnecessarily at the moment at which you are seeing a TV show.
Additionally, all you need to do when watching a TV show is to chill comfortably on your couch or bed and enjoy the episode while it lasts. A pack of popcorns and a glass of orange juice will help you relax more at showtimes.
3. Ensure the quality of the video is good:
Watching a TV show whose episodes possess high-quality videos will make you enjoy the show better.
When downloading or streaming episodes of a TV series, you should select a video with a good pixel (at least 480 pixels), and a High-definition (HD) or Blu-ray format.
4. Make use of subtitles:
Watching a TV show with subtitles will keep you abreast with the conversations, storyline, character names, settings, as well as the message the producer(s) of the show aims to pass across to the viewers.
5. Join a fandom group:
Being part of a fandom group of a particular TV show you are following will make the show more entertaining and fun to you.
In a fandom group, you will see people, who are so much in love with the show, their good reviews, and the interesting things they could do for the love of the show. This will make you more encouraged to keep following the TV series.
6. Avoid IMDB and other critics platforms:
Do not make the mistake of entering into the series review room of IMDB or other critic platforms if you are following a TV show for entertainment. This is because you will see people dropping bad comments and reviews about the show which could make you begin to find fault in the series you once thought was perfect.
7. Engage in show-related discussions with people:
A TV series is more enjoyable and encouraging to follow when you have someone you can discuss scenes and events that took place in the show with.
What could be more enjoyable than you and your friends stating your opinions and explanations of a particular happening in a TV show?
8. Follow the show alongside other people:
It is more encouraging to follow a TV show when you have someone, for instance, a friend or family member, that also follows the series. This will enable show-related discussions and shared downloads of episodes of the show.
9. Further study stories and events in the plot:
Reading up the plot summary of each episode, and researching on events that were portrayed in each episode, on Wikipedia or a fandom website, after watching each episode of the TV show, will enable you to enjoy the show better, and have a better understanding of the plot.
10. Avoid spoilers:
Spoilers are information that prematurely reveals important events, plot twists, or the ending of a TV show.
Spoilers usually ruin the suspense and surprises required to build your enjoyment of a TV show. As a result, they should be avoided.
CONCLUSION:
With this article, I hope I have been able to convince you that TV shows are enjoyable, and simultaneously enlightened you on how to reap the reward of entertainment from watching TV shows.
REFERENCES:
1. Filmsite
2. Wiktionary
3. Wikipedia
