There is too much trauma on TV and it is killing all the joy
A few weeks ago, a friend suggested that I watch Dope Thief on Apple TV+. Like everyone else, I too enjoy a good movie or TV series that can be classified as a thriller. It is usually good entertainment in the evening, and more so when, after a day in the office, you are not in the mood to ponder over love and life in a Woody Allen movie. So, last week I fired up Dope Thief. The first episode went well enough. The second one wilted a little. The third was down in the dumps. And by the fourth one, I found the Dope Thief crashing and shattering into thousands of little pieces all over my TV screen.advertisementInterestingly, this was a well-received show among critics. Usually, I tend to vibe well with stuff that has lots of red on Rotten Tomatoes. But of late, I am also finding many of these highly-rated shows unwatchable. Dope Thief is one. Wheel of Time season 3 is another recent one. I loved Bad Sisters season 1 but couldn't watch season 2 beyond three episodes. Zero Day, despite Robert De Niro, was terrible. Adolescence, a darling of critics and a topic of conversation on a dinner table, was barely tolerable for me. Even superhero and gaming stuff — The Penguin, The Daredevil Returns, and The Last of Us — was missing a verve and felt sluggish in the thrills it offered.The Penguin Lessons and The Friend, two movies with a big tender heart in their centre, too turned out to be somewhat less wholesome for me. There are many examples. This made me ponder: either there is something wrong with how I am approaching these movies and TV shows, or there is something subtly broken with the entertainment we are getting nowadays on our TVs.advertisement
I don't have an answer yet as to which is which and what is what. But I have a hunch. I am finding this stuff on TV unbearable because there is too much trauma in it. By that, I don't mean to say that watching them is traumatic — although something like The Eternaut can give most people a chill. I mean, there is too much trauma in the plot, and often this trauma comes to the screen in flashbacks that not only break the narrative flow but also try to explain the world and everything else in a therapy-speak that is heavy-handed. Actually, it is as if they are shoving the narrative down our throats.Dope Thief, for example, does it with these quick and very short — less than a minute — trauma bursts that take over the vision and thoughts of Ray Driscoll, its lead character. It is the same in almost everything that is coming to screens nowadays. The plot is driven by some trauma or other, the characters act or don't act in rational or irrational manner because — you guessed it — this trauma or that. What happened 15 years ago to a character is the thread that runs through their life-story now. What happened to them yesterday takes over the thoughts of the lead characters today. They move through the plot dazed and compelled, without any human agency that can make them accountable for their own life.advertisementEverything is explained. And trauma is used to explain it all. Increasingly, watching a TV series or a movie is akin to tuning into a psychoanalysis lecture. It is like watching Sigmund Freud unravel each character in all their ugliness. It gives no joy. If the character gulped a glass full of whisky, it is probably because they are nursing a trauma from yesterday. If they are mean to their neighbour's cat, they are mean because of some childhood trauma, and this trauma is laid bare by the show for its viewers.Most movies and TV series nowadays, in one way or another, have plots driven by the past. It is as if the world has stopped living in the present collectively. That is infuriating because it means we are always watching things 'explained' instead of things 'unfolding.' At least, that is the impression I get. Explanation makes things banal, it strips the moments and acts of their mystery. This is the reason why Samuel Beckett, in a thinly veiled attack at viewers, wrote in his play Endgame: 'Ah, the creatures, the creatures, everything has to be explained to them.'advertisementExplanations make the narrative flat, which is what I find in most popular TV shows and movies. They are flat without layers, and the overuse of trauma strips them of irony, absurdity and satire. The effect, I believe, is the opposite of what they want to achieve. With all the explaining and use of trauma as a torch, they hope to reveal reality. Instead, by robbing plots and their characters of mystery, absurdity and irony, the TV shows and movies nowadays make them unreal and plasticky.It was different earlier. Why can't a character be evil because that is the way they are? Or why can't they be supremely kind because that is how they are? Why does it have to be explained? Some of the great characters I remember from movies and TV shows leave an impression because they exist without any explanations. Chigurh from No Country For Old Man is a great villain, and brilliantly psychotic, because he is what he is. No trauma required. Just a toss of a coin is sufficient for him. Amelie, yes that French girl, is made of light because she is what she is. Again, no trauma required.advertisementBut TV shows and movies of late have become unnecessarily heavy and weighty. They have become too ponderous, even in genres where they don't need to be. That is probably the reason why even Marvel stuff has lost its floaty and fun aspect. That is a pity. Because weight is an ingredient that spoils anything that is art.Italo Calvino warned against this weight in his essays for the future. In his essays in 1985 - later published as Six Memos For The Next Millennium - he talked about weight. In an essay titled Lightness, Calvino argued against making art heavy. His idea was that the best art is light and has a quality that makes it effervescent. He wrote that after accumulating all the experience as a writer, his 'method has (now) entailed, more often than not, the subtraction of weight.' He gave a lot of credence to weight in the beginning, he wrote. But now he had realised that it was the lightness that we all should chase. I feel that somewhere in the last ten years, movies and TV shows have increasingly lost this quality of being light. They have become too heavy and that is because of all the trauma they pack nowadays.(Javed Anwer is Technology Editor, India Today Group Digital. Latent Space is a weekly column on tech, world, and everything in between. The name comes from the science of AI and to reflect it, Latent Space functions in the same way: by simplifying the world of tech and giving it a context)(Views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author)Must Watch
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Seth Rogen wants Vin Diesel to feature in 'The Studio 2': He will be fun to work with
Los Angeles, Actor-comedian Seth Rogen says he wants Vin Diesel to join the upcoming comedy series "The Studio 2". Seth Rogen wants Vin Diesel to feature in 'The Studio 2': He will be fun to work with The first season of the hit Apple TV series released on March 26, starring Rogen alongside Kathryn Hahn and Chase Sui Wonders. The renewal of the series for another season was announced in May. When asked about the actors Rogen would want to have in the show, the actor took the name of Diesel, adding there are many with whom he would want to collaborate. "There's a lot of actors I would love to work with, and some specifically who I think, you know, their personas are funny to explore. I think Vin Diesel would be very funny and fun to work with, mostly because if you think about it, he's only in those 'Fast & Furious' movies," he said at Jimmy Kimmel Live!. The 43-year-old actor noted some audiences know Diesel mostly for his "Fast & Furious" character, Dominic Toretto. "For most of the people's lifetime who are in their 20s now, he's only ever been Dominic Toretto, ever. So to see him outside of Dominic Toretto to me, would be very exciting," he added. Host of the show, Jimmy Kimmel, jokingly added that Diesel is the regular viewer of the show, following which, Rogen decided to pitch the project to the actor through the episode. "I assume you're watching this as you do every night. I assume you're watching it while driving like a 65 Pontiac. If you would please consider, maybe we can organize a Zoom — and I'll capture your baldness on a hard drive," he said. Directed by Rogen and Evan Goldberg, "The Studio" was created by the actor alongside Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory and Frida Perez. It comprised 10 episodes. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Mint
12 hours ago
- Mint
Seth Rogen eyes Vin Diesel for The Studio season 2
Washington [US], June 22 (ANI): Seth Rogen, the co-creator and star of the hit Apple TV plus series 'The Studio,' has expressed his desire to have Vin Diesel join the show's second season. In a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Rogen discussed the show's renewal and his enthusiasm for potential guest stars. 'The Studio' has already made a significant impact with its first season, featuring many celebrity cameos, including Charlize Theron, Martin Scorsese, and Zac Efron. The show revolves around Matt Remick, a studio head, and Rogen's character plays a central role in the series. When asked about potential guest stars for season two, Rogen mentioned Vin Diesel as one of the actors he would love to work with. "I think Vin Diesel would be very funny and fun to work with, mostly because if you think about it, he's only in those Fast & Furious movies," Rogen said, as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter. He added that seeing Diesel outside of his iconic role as Dominic Toretto would be exciting, given his strong association with the franchise. Rogen took the opportunity to extend an invitation to Diesel directly during the interview, joking about Diesel's alleged habit of watching Jimmy Kimmel Live! regularly. "I assume you're watching this as you do every night. I assume you're watching it while driving like a 65 Pontiac. If you would please consider, maybe we can organise a Zoom -- and I'll capture your baldness on a hard drive," Rogen said, as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter. With the show's renewal for a second season, fans can expect more celebrity cameos and engaging storylines. (ANI)
Mint
15 hours ago
- Mint
Jennifer Aniston shares surprising career goal, one character she wants to revisit
Washington [US], June 22 (ANI): After nearly four decades in Hollywood, Jennifer Aniston is not slowing down. The 56-year-old actress recently revealed that despite her extensive career, she still hopes to achieve one major goal, making her Broadway debut. In an interview with People magazine, the 'Friends' star shared, "I definitely want to do a Broadway play. That's on my bucket list." The actress, who has garnered numerous accolades including an Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Award, elaborated on the challenge: "It's finding the time and the right material, but I absolutely have to do a play on Broadway." For Aniston, who grew up surrounded by the world of entertainment, her father, John Aniston, was an actor, and her mother, Nancy Dow, was also involved in the industry, the aspiration to perform on the stage has been long-standing. She recalled her early experiences, which included performing in Off-Broadway productions before her big break in Hollywood. Despite her massive success on the small and big screens, with iconic roles in shows like 'Friends' and films such as 'Marley & Me' and 'We're the Millers', Aniston is eager to step outside her comfort zone. "The idea of performing in front of a live audience is something I've always wanted to experience," she said, as quoted by People magazine. The actress' latest project is 'The Morning Show', an Apple TV plus series where she stars alongside Reese Witherspoon and Billy Crudup. As a producer on the show, Aniston is also gearing up for the release of its fourth season, scheduled for later this year. In addition to her role on 'The Morning Show', Aniston has several upcoming projects, including the films 'Hail Mary' and a currently untitled project directed by Sophie Goodhart. Looking back at her extensive career, Aniston also expressed interest in revisiting a fan-favourite role. The actress revealed that she would be open to reprising her role in the 'Horrible Bosses' films. The 2011 comedy and its 2014 sequel featured Aniston as the flirtatious dentist, Dr Julia Harris. "I was just talking about this the other day," Aniston said, referring to a recent conversation with co-stars Jason Bateman and Charlie Day. "We all think it would be super fun to revisit those characters. The characters are hilarious, and we need comedy," she said, adding, "I personally think comedy is a necessity, and I think it would be so much fun to see where those crazy cats are today." Fans of the 'Horrible Bosses' franchise have long speculated about a potential third instalment, and with Aniston's enthusiasm about the idea, it seems there may still be hope for the beloved comedic trio's return. Meanwhile, Aniston is awaiting the release of 'The Morning Show' season 4, which is set to debut on Apple TV plus on September 17. (ANI)
