I think a lot about how HBO isn’t responsible for what happens *before* their demo viewers discover HBO shows. Co-viewing is an extremely essential part of how kids and teens learn to watch television (fall in love with the act of watching narrative or sitcom). Kids spend so much time with their parents in this gen, but if their parents aren’t interested in the programming —it’s too niche, it’s too sophomoric—they might not share the screen with their kids. Thinking about how FRIENDS was uncomfortable to watch with parents in the 90s, but many of us were “allowed” to because of its broadness. Then, we watched shows like Sex and The City or years later, Girls, without our parents (because that would have been awkward.)But the point is that coviewing linked us to a behavior: I watch tv. If family programming isn’t helping serve the model viewing habit, we have a missed link between caring about turning on shows, and primarily caring about our social screens. I think the best example of a coviewing show right now is The Pitt because it juggles adult/teen/world issues in a very nuanced way, and it’s tonally captivating enough to keep us locked in.
Your work is this development executive’s Roman Empire, please publish! Obsessed with Debbie’s take too, and so much of whats in this piece resonated. Of course we need all of your findings.
And, interest is fully piqued knowing there’s a teen drama chapter. The blueprint of television watching/co-viewing habits in households is real and formative. (All I know is whoever gets WBD studio assets needs to reboot 7th Heaven because it would do numbers in this climate.)
I think a lot about how HBO isn’t responsible for what happens *before* their demo viewers discover HBO shows. Co-viewing is an extremely essential part of how kids and teens learn to watch television (fall in love with the act of watching narrative or sitcom). Kids spend so much time with their parents in this gen, but if their parents aren’t interested in the programming —it’s too niche, it’s too sophomoric—they might not share the screen with their kids. Thinking about how FRIENDS was uncomfortable to watch with parents in the 90s, but many of us were “allowed” to because of its broadness. Then, we watched shows like Sex and The City or years later, Girls, without our parents (because that would have been awkward.)But the point is that coviewing linked us to a behavior: I watch tv. If family programming isn’t helping serve the model viewing habit, we have a missed link between caring about turning on shows, and primarily caring about our social screens. I think the best example of a coviewing show right now is The Pitt because it juggles adult/teen/world issues in a very nuanced way, and it’s tonally captivating enough to keep us locked in.
Jillian, I am not joking when I say I have a whole book proposal written about this and how it relates to teen dramas.
Your work is this development executive’s Roman Empire, please publish! Obsessed with Debbie’s take too, and so much of whats in this piece resonated. Of course we need all of your findings.
And, interest is fully piqued knowing there’s a teen drama chapter. The blueprint of television watching/co-viewing habits in households is real and formative. (All I know is whoever gets WBD studio assets needs to reboot 7th Heaven because it would do numbers in this climate.)
This is an awesome piece Whitney! So much detail.