Melissa Kirsch

Okay, so Jim, fill in the blank. In the world of television, 2024 was the year of... Mid-TV.

Okay, so Jim, fill in the blank. In the world of television, 2024 was the year of... Mid-TV.

So give me an example of what you mean.

So give me an example of what you mean.

I never said I used the door. I barely remember this show.

I never said I used the door. I barely remember this show.

Okay, but it wasn't that long ago that everybody was talking about prestige TV, right? Like these highly polished hour-long dramas that were as good as movies. Walk me through how we got from prestige TV to mid-TV.

Okay, but it wasn't that long ago that everybody was talking about prestige TV, right? Like these highly polished hour-long dramas that were as good as movies. Walk me through how we got from prestige TV to mid-TV.

So you hear so much about how people's attention spans are limited these days and there's so much vying for their attention with social media and TikTok and Instagram. If TV is mid, how can TV hope to retain its audience?

So you hear so much about how people's attention spans are limited these days and there's so much vying for their attention with social media and TikTok and Instagram. If TV is mid, how can TV hope to retain its audience?

I mean, as a viewer, I want off the wall and idiosyncratic and personal, you know, and what you're describing, you know, I'm familiar with this kind of zombie version of prestige TV and it's not satisfying. It's not, you know, the show that I want to binge. I'm just I'm wondering what the outlook is. Is mid TV the future of TV? Is this just the way TV is now?

I mean, as a viewer, I want off the wall and idiosyncratic and personal, you know, and what you're describing, you know, I'm familiar with this kind of zombie version of prestige TV and it's not satisfying. It's not, you know, the show that I want to binge. I'm just I'm wondering what the outlook is. Is mid TV the future of TV? Is this just the way TV is now?

Okay, so reasons for optimism. So tell me about the shows that really stood out for you this year.

Okay, so reasons for optimism. So tell me about the shows that really stood out for you this year.

No, Julio, don't go into your thoughts. Come back.

No, Julio, don't go into your thoughts. Come back.

Oh, I'm going to check this out.

Oh, I'm going to check this out.

Well, I am feeling a little more hopeful than I was at the outset of this conversation. So thank you so much for talking with me, Jim. Thank you so much for talking with me. After the break, I'll talk with chief film critic Manola Dargis about the best movies of 2024. We'll be right back.

Well, I am feeling a little more hopeful than I was at the outset of this conversation. So thank you so much for talking with me, Jim. Thank you so much for talking with me. After the break, I'll talk with chief film critic Manola Dargis about the best movies of 2024. We'll be right back.