A new President = A new telly zeitgeist

You may have seen on the television that there is a new US President. If you’re anything like me (ie devilishly handsome), you are likely left with just question: “What does this mean for me and, more specifically, the telly I watch?”.

I’m 28 years-old. For the past 8 years, I’ve found myself living in a world that felt more angry, fearful, and unsettling than any other point in my life. During this time, I was unsure whether this was a shift in the mindset of the community, or simply a sign of growing up and seeing the world through an adult set of eyes. Happily, I have come to the realization that a man-child such as myself can never see the world through adult eyes. Thusly, it is the world itself that changed. And not for the better.

With Kevin Rudd replacing John Howard as the Australian Prime Minister, I felt a local shift in the zeitgeist. My fellow man seems happier, more friendly, and somewhat at peace. A general mood that seems to be echoed in the US in recent months following their recent election of Obama. Now, I cannot say whether it is that these men inspire this new lighter mood, or whether it is the mood that dictates the type of leader the populace desire. What I do know for certain is that this change will heavily reflect the content we consume through our media.

With this in mind, I’ve juxtaposed the TV I’m watching of late against the shows that I found myself watching during the years of the Clinton administration. I’ve been conscious in recent months that I seem to be searching out more comedies, sitcoms, and other light-hearted fare than I generally had in the past. While I love watching The Wire as much as the next person, the enthusiasm I have for the show simply hasn’t compared of late to the enjoyment I’ve derived from shows like Burn Notice and The Big Bang Theory. And I suspect I’m not alone.

Certainly, the television industry is in a radically different place than it was a decade ago. Viewership has fragmented, the Internet has shifted viewing habits, and reality TV is plentiful. While there will certainly still be a demand for high quality, dark drama series (a new Government doesn’t change everything about a viewers narrative desires), it will be interesting to see how the general vibe of the people informs what we’re seeing produced for the TV.

One question does weigh heavily still within this new regime change: Will Obama seek to have Charlie Sheen face charges for his crimes against comedy, as depicted in Two and A Half Men? That’d be change I could believe in.