It is often said that the 80’s and 90’s were a “Golden Age” for television, with shows that are considered classics to this day. But apart from being considered classics, these shows were heavily admired, as by this point the public and media started recognizing television shows as valid forms of entertainment. The Golden Girls, which is still heavily loved to this day, won numerous Emmys and Twin Peaks was critically acclaimed with awards and applause racking its reviews. Even shows at the end of this era were still being claimed as classic prime time television shows. Friends, King of the Hill, Will & Grace and That 70’s Show are all staples of pop culture now, viewed as iconic pieces of 90’s entertainment.
Eventually a decline would occur in the television landscape, never quite amounting to the same popularity of the 80’s and 90’s. Nothing specific was really to blame, only that time had passed and nothing had appeared that replicated what this golden age had. Clearly there were some populars shows that arose during this time period, like the popularity of the CW. But these television series weren’t ever quite on par with the fire older shows had.
But recently, there has been a second wave of television shows that have become a phenomenon in the pop culture space. Nothing quite as similar as this has appeared since the 80’s and 90’s.
This resurgence of popularity can be attributed simply to the influx of quality media being released. More than ever, we are seeing more original and creative concepts being put to screen and these new, unique takes are captivating audiences. Shows like Yellowjackets, White Lotus and Severance have become cultural points of interest that have concepts that are completely original. Not only through a story-telling perspective, but artistically as well. Because of the advancements of filming, cameras have become higher quality while also allowing for more room for experimentation. This allows for creative camera angles, beautiful cinematography and a higher quality of almost every part of the filming process. Companies have increasingly given higher budgets to these shows, which expands the boundaries these shows push. The lighting becomes more cinematic, set pieces more detailed and the world over all more lived in. And audiences recognize it, it is why they are drawn in.
This new wave I’ve deemed the “Silver Age” is also a result of changes occurring in the filming industry. With the rise of streaming services, the tradition of waiting for a Friday or Sunday to roll around to watch a new episode of your favorite show has been lost. Most shows now are designed to be binged watched in a day, to be consumed as fast as possible and easily digestible. This fight between week-to-week releases and seasons dropping all at once has become a new argument that has arisen. But recently, many streaming services have chosen to return to their roots of weekly new episodes, which in part has been somewhat responsible for this rising affinity for television. People are more eager to watch an episode of The Last of Us now having to wait a week to know what happens to our characters. The popularity of a show lasts longer as groups wait together to see the new release, unlike before where it was all binged at once.
All these changes in the industry, both big and small, have accumulated into this giant second wave that may seem sudden. But that isn’t the case. This phenomenon has been curated for a long while, it just has reached a point where audiences are recognizing this new point of pop culture. The popularity of series such as Succession, The Handmaid’s Tale and Game of Thrones, whose existence exploded in the pop culture zeitgeist, were indicators of this incoming shift. And in their place came new shows that would transform the landscape into what it is today. Slowly, the foundation for this explosion of the new sense of appreciation for television was set for years as creators were slowly beginning to be given more creative freedom.
This new sense of freedom allowed for other shows, like White Lotus, to be made, which otherwise would have never even left the cutting room floor at one point. And in part, the explosion of streaming services is greatly to thank for this Silver Age. Many of these shows that have been mentioned are often shows that companies see as a risk, which would’ve made them difficult to almost impossible to air on cable. But streaming allows for greater room for experimentation as these companies feel less inclined to completely depend on the new series for its revenue. It is cushioned by their library while also saving on promoting the new work as it can simply be added and advertised on their own site. This less strict agenda has allowed for creative directors to find their way into working with streaming services such as Hulu and Netflix.
Moreover, these lucrative companies are also more steadfast to provide these directors with the necessary funds to complete their visions. The gap between television and film budgets slowly has been becoming smaller as filming budgets for TV series have increasingly risen. These rising budgets have given us incredible works of art such as Shogun, Arcane, and The Sandman, each of their episodes costing over $10 million dollars to produce.
Overall, this new sense of popularity for television has only seemed to be a positive point to this year. Art is always perversing, regardless of its form and currently it seems to be blooming in TV series. This comes at a turbulent time in the film industry, which lights hope in the faith that creativity seen in series like Black Mirror, Abbot Elementary, and #1 Happy Family USA will continue to be seen and appreciated. And through this Silver Age of television, more creative and original endeavors can be made, just as good art should.