The Dilemma of Choice

There was this, once upon a time.

Choosing a show on the tele was easy peasy. Sesame street was a bouncy breakfast staple for the kids and many grown ups devoured Dynasty for dessert. After all, the Ewings were a thrillingly naughty bunch lol. Oh and don't forget The Love Boat with a bit of sensual something for everyone. We had choices in days gone by, and we were content with the simplicity of a small smorgasbord of shows on offer. Tele brought our families together. There was no rewind. No fast forward. Your show was on NOW. You showed up for it. You were left on the edge of your seat until the following Monday night.

Then, there was that.

Fast forward to our lounge rooms today and the plethora of mind boggling tele choices leaving us confused and quite often anxious. The dizzy dilemma of too much choice. Not exactly the chilled out experience it once was! So how does one decide today? What show should they commit their time to. Will it be good? Or should I watch this other one? Netflix, Stan, Foxtel or even Disney Plus? Choices that pop out at you, so many grabbing your attention, putting you into analysis paralysis - unable to make a decision.

Take Netflix. Some of it is absolute rubbish. Almost embarrassingly so, particularly some of the dubbed ones. You try not to focus on their mouth but you just can't help it. Wouldn't you agree? Luckily there are many gems to be found as well. Friend recommendations, or even better, sister ones are always my first line of defence when searching for my next binge. Like most people it must have a great story line, talented actors (not necessarily stars, but convincing in their craft), and a bit of suspenseful drama. Sex isn't a bad add on too.

I prefer an eclectic informed choice. With the help of Decider I can narrow down my choices. Love stories, crime, particularly thrillers, all welcome to a trial viewing by this customer if they pass my movie "pub test" (online reviews are a great way to see what people have to say).

Right now, I can't get enough of the series New Amsterdam. If you pine for another Grey's Anatomy, The Good Doctor or ER then this one is sure to get you enraptured. Not only did I fall in love with the main man, he inspired me to think bigger about my own life so I bought a King sized bed! I recommended it to my eighty year old "earth mother" and she texted me to say she was hooked and starting episode 3 before bed! Bless her.

Part of finishing a show can sometimes feel like grief. Like you've lost a limb. What will you watch now? An empty hole that you have to fill with something bigger and better. A longing to find your next binge. It's at this point you may scroll through endless possibilities, reading blurbs and often coming to no firm decision. Consulting google, when you should be consulting Decider. If I'm out and about and someone recommends a show I put it under Notes in my iphone. Do some research and then press go - or no.

The upside to living on the earth now is that you can pause to pee, fast forward sex scenes for young eyes or rewind because you can't understand what the heck they are saying haha. We all have our favourite genres and we count on people out there in our circles to give us tips on what's worth the watch. But just as we have evolved from the Happy Day's era, our choice of entertainment has too. It was easy to embrace Mash, Days of Our Lives or Family Feud. Life was simpler. Today, the choices are so sprawling and diverse that the formula for advice on what to watch demands that we expand our repertoire and consider things outside of the box we confine ourselves to. If you're always watching crime, give a comedy a go. Not sure which one? Consultant Decider or phone a friend.

Eclectic is what we must become. Watch a David Attenborough doco if you love animals and the earth. There's a fabulous series called Dogs that will take you all over the world, fascinate and warm your heart. Or the marvelous contradiction in Dexter, a serial killer who turns his burden into something good by killing other serial killers. Animal Kingdom for an sordid binge about a manipulative, creepy matriarch (Ellen Barkin) who runs illegal scandals with her sons and newly acquired grandson. Our own kids are a great referral source for the lastest comedies.

If you asked me what my formula was for recommending great shows, I'd tell you I've changed a lot since the days of The Love Boat and Hogan's Heroes. I've put my toes in the water and the possibilities are endless. Having no particular formula allows me to open my mind to the new. Stuff that I thought I would never see, like Lenox Hill's neurosurgeons operating on brain tumours. Incredible real life! Having no formula allows me to stop and consider something different to watch. I am richer in knowledge from watching excellent documentaries. The only part of the formula that remains the same for me is that if I'm not enjoying it, I end it. Oh and reality TV can take a hike!

Like a chocolate fountain, delicious entertainment oozes and drips from our screens in a never ending stream. As consumers, we must hunt for the quality chocolates.

By Lou Symons