Matthew Osborne
The world of television is changing, and there is streaming content coming from everywhere.
For everyone “cutting the cord” on cable and satellite, there is someone who orders every known streaming service and is ultimately paying practically the same as they were.
But at least you are getting the content you want – most of the time.
You still can’t get the Atlanta Braves locally anywhere without cable, nor can you get the Pac-12 Network. (Sure, the Pac-12 is dying, but that is next year’s problem. No. 6 USC is on this weekend and we need football back badly. Instead, we are stuck with UMass and New Mexico State.)
If you like the MLS, for some reason, just having Apple TV+ is not enough. You need that plus a separate package from the regular subscription.
Beyond sports, there are a million new shows on different services that have become hits, like “Only Murders in the Building” on Hulu, “Game of Thrones” on Max and “Ted Lasso” on Apple. Netflix has had its share of hits, too. My mom has a channel that just plays “The Andy Griffith Show” 24-7.
But which to choose, and how do we find time to catch up with it all?
Ah, there’s the rub. At least it’s better than when I was a kid, when if you missed a show, you missed it for good until reruns.
Did J.R. get shot? I was in the bathroom. I’ll just rewind. Not back then, you didn’t.
Did Dr. Sam Beckett ever leap home? That’s OK, I will watch it tomorrow. Nope, you’ll need a time warp of your own to see that finale in my day.
So, yes, there have been advances in TV watching. But soon, we might get all the time we need to catch up on shows.
The Hollywood actors and writers strike is still going on with no mediation in sight. I hope everyone loves all the stuff that’s ever been made, because it may be all we’ve got for a while.
Frankly, I think I can survive as long as I have access to every “Simpsons,” “Star Trek,” and “Always Sunny in Philadelphia” episode at my beck and call.
Plus, “Sweet Home Alabama” is on TNT like every weekend. I mean, who doesn’t love seeing McDreamy or whatever his name is get dumped at the altar by Reese Witherspoon? Ha, take that you handsome devil. But they never show the alternate ending where Reese gets struck by lightning.
It’s OK, she lives and they still get married, but you get a little heart attack in the middle. (Confession: It’s possible I have seen this particular film more times than the Celtics have won the NBA championship.)
So bathe in all the content we have, because if this strike doesn’t end soon, we will be down to reruns of “Laugh-In” before too long.
Matthew Osborne is the editor of The Northeast Georgian. Reach him at 706-778-4215 or editor@TheNortheastGeorgian.com.