Episode 712

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For better or worse, how we watch TV has changed. In this TV 101, Will explores how we've gone from four black and white channels to weekend binge sessions. How did we get here, what are some of the benefits of binging, and why is it the same as smoking a joint? All this and Julia Stiles as the most embarrassing hacker of all time. [ 49:30 || 24.2 MB ]

To listen, click here: http://www.earth-2.net/theshow/episodes/e2ts_712.mp3

[SteveJRogers]

Where do you fall on binge podcast listening? Especially catching up on long running segments of a long running podcast?

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I like the comparisons between watching the old Hollywood serials. I've heard a review of the Batman one basically say that there is no way you should look at it the way you'd look at movies today, or even the classic TV show's weekly cliffhangers (though those were meant as over the top cheesiness) and basically look at them as artifacts of their time.

[Dan]

Serials can be a lot of fun (the Flash Gordon serials from the 1930s are a blast, and 1941's Adventures of Captain Marvel is a legitimately good time), but you can't watch more than a few chapters at a time or they get very old very quickly. Trying to watch four hours of serial in one sitting only draws attention to how repetitive they are, and the "Wow, this is cheesy and kind of awesome" factor gets stale after two or three episodes.