What can be better than settling down and watching a fantastic film? Whether you prefer horror, fantasy, romance or comedy, countless genres of movies are available at our fingertips to entertain you. However, TV has been stepping up the game in recent years, offering more impressive and expensive shows. So in today’s blog, we’re answering the question: is TV now better than film?
A Look Back at Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones was one of the biggest series to hit our television screens, and even since its final episode aired in 2019, it continues to be popular across the globe. The author behind the book series, George R. R. Martin was approached on several occasions by film producers, hoping to turn his series into a feature-length movie. However, Martin felt that no film could give justice to his rich, complex, and developed universe.
That is one thing that TV offers that film simply cannot – long-form storytelling. In a TV series, characters can develop in a way that is not possible in a 2-hour movie. Perhaps this is why TV series are seeing such elevated levels of success.
This success, however, is partly driven by what studios are willing to invest in them. Budgets are increasing at an incredible rate. For example, each episode of the eighth season of Game of Thrones cost $15 million – an impressive figure for television. With these big budgets, producers can create big productions that can rival Hollywood.
The Latest TVs Shows to Hit Our Screens
Additionally, we are seeing plenty of brand-new content coming to our TV screens. While Hollywood often invests in sequels and prequels to franchises that perform well, TV producers have been putting more into creating new and exciting shows that get everyone talking.
The latest TV phenomenon comes from streaming giant Netflix. Netflix’s Squid Game has recently taken the world by storm since its release in September 2021. The Korean dystopian survival-thriller had already racked up an astonishing 111 million fans just a month after its initial release. With it now named Netflix’s most-watched TV show ever, Squid Game proves that TV shows continue to thrive over film.
The Rise of Streaming Services
From Money Heist to Bridgerton, there is an abundance of original TV shows made by streaming services which are massive hits. Big players such as Netflix and Amazon are increasingly creating viral content, fuelling their ability to create even more material.
At the forefront of streaming services is, of course, Netflix. Responsible for Squid Game and other top-rated originals, including You and Stranger Things, Netflix provides binge-worthy TV. Although they also showcase a collection of films, their TV shows remain the steady favourites as they give viewers a world to immerse themselves in which they can really get to know the characters, which can be tricky in film due to the shorter running time.
Other streaming services such as Apple TV+, Amazon Prime and Disney + now offer original TV show content. The popular Apple TV+ comedy series “Ted Lasso” was recently awarded four new Emmy awards, making history for Apple TV+ as it became the first streaming service to win an Emmy award in a program category in only its second year of eligibility. The rise of streaming services and their unique TV shows is one of the main reasons film loses out to TV.
Smart TVs, Ideal for Bingeing Your Favourite Show
Regardless of which TV brand you choose from Samsung to Panasonic, today’s smart TVs all offer various streaming services built-in, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus or HBO Max. This makes it that much easier to enjoy your favourite original shows from the comfort of your own home. Here at Cheap TVs, we offer a range of the cheapest smart TVs perfect for watching both TV and film.
What Does This Mean for Film?
So, are we ready to give up on films? Not just yet. While television shows are getting better and better, we are still seeing some fantastic big-screen productions, with huge franchises such as the Marvel universe not showing any signs of stopping. Sure, a lot of what we’re seeing is reboots, remakes, sequels, and prequels, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love it!
Whether you’re watching your favourite TV show or a new and exciting movie, we want to make sure you get the best experience, which is why we stock a vast range of high quality, cheap TVs for you to choose from. So please browse our selection online, and if you would like to speak to a member of our team about any of our products, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team by calling 0121 769 0086 – we will be happy to help.
