Opinion: our fondness for TV shows which rely on lightness and wholesomeness makes sense in the current political and environmental nightmare
A certain type of TV show is proving so popular right now. Ted Lasso has just announced the return of the series for a new season, while Meghan Markle's new show, With Love, Meghan, which aired at the beginning of last month, has already been confirmed for a second season.
This move to renew such comfort TV shows at this particular time is noteworthy. Ted Lasso and its contagious optimism was enjoyable in the first season. However, its lack of subtlety and manichean characters became more obvious in season two, and frankly obnoxious in season three, but forgiven by the fact that the show was meant to come to an end.
From The Hollywood Reporter, Ted Lasso is coming back for a fourth season at AFC Richmond
The same could be said for Shrinking, a show co-created by Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel and Brett Goldstein, and first aired in 2023. Goldstein, Lawrence and different Jason-named actors certainly know how to make the perfect cocktail with a small serving of low stakes drama, a dash of couple issues, and a heaping spoonful of positive resolution. After a perfectly acceptable first season, Shrinking was renewed for a second and (much) longer season, which seemed to tie all loose ends; it was also renewed, however, for a third season, which started shooting last week.
While forced comebacks are nothing new in the history of TV shows, the return in the near future of these three shows questioned my needs as a watcher. Will I watch these shows? Most likely, yes. Will I then complain about watching them? Again, yes. Watching a show because we enjoy it and watching a show simply because it is available should be distinct actions, but they often merge into one another.
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From RTÉ 2fm's Laura Fox Show, journalist Saoirse Hanley on the latest Meghan Markle TV show
Let me explain. After watching the first episode of With Love, Meghan, my different reactions were: interest; fear; boredom; exasperation. How rich people try but keep failing to be relatable will never cease to amaze me. After watching Markle make her friends their own bath salts, and using 15 types of vegetables for an "easy" veggie platter, I felt frustration taking over me and concluded that I should perhaps stop watching it.
Consuming Keeping Up With the Kardashians for years has taught me that I am OK with being shown lavish lifestyles that I will never come remotely close to. However, I am not OK watching these people pretending we have anything in common and urging me to grow my own lavender to spruce up my bath game (not all of us have a bath, Meghan).
But then, something else happened. As I was listening to the news on the radio, and its continuous flow of horrific events, my brain shut down for a second. There was only one thing I craved at that moment and that was watching another episode of With Love, Meghan. Suddenly the thought of another season of Ted Lasso or Shrinking was appealing. Suddenly, the comfort associated with these shows was all my overwhelmed brain was seeking out.
From Netflix, how to make a fruit rainbow with Meghan Markle from With Love, Meghan
I would like to clarify two things: firstly, I am aware that I have the ability of escaping my reality and I am grateful for that. Secondly: I am not saying I am too good for these shows. I am saying, though, that their highly unrealistic and overly positive look on the world has a tendency to limit nuancing, and does not encourage critical thinking.
Comfort TV shows are nothing new, and have arguably existed since the creation of the medium. But there is something more specific about today’s audience taste, which relies on lightness and wholesomeness, and which makes sense in the current political and environmental nightmare. The writers and producers of these shows perfectly understood our need for positivity and low-stake drama, and the renewal of Ted Lasso, With Love, Meghan and Shrinking reveal their marketing flair.
From Apple TV, trailer for Shrinking
Is watching these shows an issue? We should be allowed to look for joy where, and when, we can. That being said, I’m not sure we can enjoy ourselves if we only consume these shows in a self-deprecating, hate-watching way. Recognising their limits should not take away from being entertained and having a laugh. However, only consuming this type of show might be damaging to our own engagement with the world. It is too easy to turn off the radio and turn on Markle’s show instead.
There seems to be only one way out: balance. Seeking comfort in these times is necessary, but it might also be worth watching different shows to challenge ourselves and our critical thinking. As Ted Lasso said, "be curious, not judgemental."
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
