The Evolution of a Boob Tuber

Like many, my TV viewing habits have changed over the last decade or so. I grew up in the age of network television, where everyone had the same three choices of what to watch at any given time, and it seemed like most of us chose the same show. When I was very young, there weren't even any VCRs, so you watched what you watched and you missed what you missed until re-runs in the summer.

Over the years, television has evolved: first came cable channels, then the option to record shows, and finally, streaming shows on demand. Even so, for a while, my viewing habits were relatively conservative. I watched what was on or what I had chosen to record, usually week by week. I also focused primarily on new offerings, and it wasn't until the great shutdown of 2020 that binge-watching became a thing in our house.

But watching a whole show, even one with many seasons, all at once, quickly became our preference. Cliffhangers had no power over us anymore! We could find out right away what happened next, and the inconvenience of waiting for a week, or several months, or a year for new episodes caused us to avoid shows that were still in production.

Lately, though, that mindset has given way to a more hybrid approach, and there are actually several shows that we watch every week when they drop. My most recent favorite is Severance, which seems to be enjoying a moment. The last episode of Season 2 aired last week and left a lot of questions for faithful followers of the show. Since Season 3 isn't even in production yet, it's going to be a while until we get the answers.

Strangely enough? I'm kind of enjoying not knowing. I've taken the time to rewatch episodes and scenes, and there is a lot of fun speculation and cast commentary out there that offer new lenses through which to view the show. Slowing down and thinking about the writing and the acting has given me a greater appreciation for the entire production. 

And so my viewing habits are changing once more.