The Playlist Podcast is back and teamed up on this episode with The Talkhouse to discuss an increasingly common issue with popular, binge-worthy TV shows. This episode is inspired by a recent essay called “Stranger Things” and the Problem of Plotblocking, written by indie filmmaker Andrew Matthews (“Zero Charisma“) for the site.
READ MORE: Adjust Your Tracking Takes A Big Hit Of Nostalgia With ‘Stranger Things’
The more TV shows use cinematic ideas and stories — either literally with a reboot or remake, or something more indirectly paying homage à la “Stranger Things” — it may appear these disparate mediums are merging interchangeably. But movies are still capable of doing much different things than TV, and vice versa. It’s without doubt an exciting time to love visual storytelling, but the more audiences by and large seem to prefer the ease of accessibility and comforts of watching TV at home, the more movies can seem less vital. And so, Andrew and I discuss the potential problems with stretching cinematic ideas into a longer format. We’re by no means here to knock on any beloved shows (we like them too!), but instead trying to explore how this could affect audience expectations and their viewing habits while also allowing content makers to overindulge themselves, if for no other reason than to fill a longer runtime. Tune in to hear our chat.
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