The original post: /r/television by /u/Ok-Friend-5304 on 2025-11-22 09:30:56+00:00.
I got involved in a debate about reading vs television. I was trying to make the point that both can be as cognitively stimulating or empty as you make them. We always hold up reading as inherently a more noble and intellectual pursuit but reading 50 Shades of Grey is not exactly challenging. Note I am a keen reader and I love TV so I am not biased either way.
But I was surprised how many people insisted until blue in the face that TV is a low effort activity, you don’t have to engage your brain to watch TV, unlike reading which requires you to actually pay attention.
Maybe this is a symptom of second screen culture but I think there’s plenty of TV which either demands, or benefits from, full attention.
Off the top of my head, initially I had to watch Game of Thrones with a character list open for reference, something I’ve only previously done for Charles Dickens novels haha.
But I’m sure there are better examples. So what shows do you think either demand or really benefit from full attention? What are the TV shows which challenge the assumption that TV is low effort?