{Creative and critical thinking at its TV-est }
TV
Ubiquity
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Creative and
critical thinking
at its TV-est
Intro to TV Ubiquity
(Or Why I Decided to Publish yet another Perspective on the Supposedly Over-Consumed* and Admittedly Excessively-Reviewed Medium of Television)
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Welcome!
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What you will find among the reviews and posts on this blog may be a lot of commentary and criticism, but I feel it is imperative to point out that I am foremost a fan. I often find myself unreasonably angry, excited, or worried in response to fictional events in TV shows, long after the episode has ended, and I spend unreasonable amounts of time thinking about these shows' themes and connections. Like a drunk groomsman's toast at his best friend's wedding, this blog about TV (and film) exists to celebrate its subject as much as to critique it. (And as someone who is up to date on 240+ series, holds a degree in English, and is a small-time filmmaker, I thought it was about time that I joined my fellow TV lovers** in writing about this wonderful, ubiquitous medium).
As one my unofficial slogans for this blog, I truly believe that "TV actually is all around." On a daily basis, I can guarantee television and/or movies will play a role in the references I make, the things I think about, or the media I consume (I mean...just think about that slogan for a second). I would argue that society at large is just as obsessed as I am, what with the many recognized ways that media influences—and is influenced by—culture, language, and technology. That's the reasoning behind the domain name, anyway (also because overthinkingit.com was taken).
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If you're wondering what types of shows I watch, I'll say (not to be vague), "anything that engages me." And if that sounds like a shot in the dark, it probably won't help that my Sidereel profile defines my major interests as "sci-fi comedy action crime dramas." But seriously, seeing as I tend to judge others by their taste in TV, I will publicly share that my favorite series are Orphan Black, Parks and Recreation, and Marvel's Jessica Jones. Before you ask, no, it's not a coincidence that they all star leading ladies.
And just as I will watch anything I find engaging, I intend to write about anything relevant that piques my interest. With the vast amount of media I have consumed, I assure you I have plenty of material to dissect, even in this "excessively reviewed" landscape. I can't say with certainty what this'll turn into, but it will start with a desire to articulate and communicate thought-provoking analyses of TV and its grandiose older sibling, film. Cult classics to critical darlings, true crime to sitcoms, one-offs to "how is this show still going"–it's all fair game. (But not reality TV. Never that.)
So why write another TV blog? It's as much for me, I suppose, as it shall be for any who read my posts. Mostly, I hope to connect with others who love discussing TV and movies as much as I do; I want to explore my ideas thoroughly enough that I encourage my readers to think more critically about what they consume (media-wise--check out food blogs on your own time). I want to trace themes, make connections and comparisons, acknowledge ingenuity and clichés and hidden meanings and plot holes, and get to the heart of why we love watching TV, period. At the very least, this should impede my "I just watched ___ and we need to talk about it" rants to my beleaguered friends and family.
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So get ready for feminist remarks, weirdly specific references, an unhealthy dose of sarcasm, and an overuse of parenthetical asides (some at the same time!). Thank you for joining me on this meditative adventure through the entertaining and evocative world of television.
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Let's have fun with it.
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*I tend to use the term "consume" in place of "watch" with television, probably because it makes me think of eating food, which if I'm being totally honest, I like doing at the same time.
**Shout out to my favorite writers who totally get it when it comes to talking about TV: Carolyn Siede of AV Club (many thanks for articulating your relationship with Supergirl so I don't have to) and Darren Franich (creator of the Orphan Black Clone Status Variable Invasive Hyper-Sequence Generator Calcutron, among other things, on EW).
