The Everlasting Conundrum

More often than not, especially this past year, we find ourselves flipping through streaming service after streaming service to find the "right" show or movie to watch. What is the right media though? It used to be simple if I wanted a laugh, "Comedy Central." If I wanted mystery then maybe a five-hour binge of "Law and Order." And under no circumstances, if I was hungry would I watch the food network. So how do you decide? I follow different methods based on selecting a movie or show. With both decisions, we have a few constants to consider. First and foremost, time, do I have a few hours to kill, or maybe I'm free for the day. The more time I have the more likely I will choose a TV show. The second thing to decide is what I've got going on, there's nothing like being in the middle of a series only to be pulled away on episode 5. If neither matter I will start with the genres I enjoy, comedy, action, mystery.

After I think about my constants I go into specifics. For movies, I try not to watch the trailers. Instead, I search the movie's community rating on Rotten Tomatoes. If the rating is below 70 then it's generally not worth your time. Next, I look at the actors/actresses. I love Rachel McAdams or Steve Carrell so they always get a preference. Draft a list in your head, generally two or three choices just in case you aren't feeling the first choice you don't need to worry about. Know your audience, if you're like me and enjoy a little noise in the background while you work, definitely pick a light-hearted movie or something easy to keep on. if it's the end of the day you're getting ready to unwind with a deserved glass of wine take your list and watch the first 10 minutes of the movie. Watching the first 10 minutes gets you acquainted with what's going on and if you're not captured by that point move on to the next one on your list.

When selecting a show, we still go through our constants. If I'm on Netflix I watch the trailers. Unlike movies, they don't give too much away and you can get a general idea of what you're about to commit to. The next part is looking at what shows are similar to ones I've liked. For example, I loved "Sons of Anarchy" the plot, the anti-hero character structure, it was all very appealing to me. So naturally, I enjoyed Peaky Blinders, it also helps that Cillian Murphy is such a great actor. Be adventurous with tv shows, you never know what you're going to like. Above all else give them a chance, I believe usually three episodes is just the right amount to get an idea of whether you're going to like the show. For example, "The Last Kingdom" I watched the first 15 minutes and almost turned it off, before I knew it I binged all 4 seasons.

If all else fails and you really can’t decide go with the lifelines from “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”. “Phone a friend(s)” see what your friends or family have watched lately and give it a shot. “Ask the audience” check out a couple of blogs or review websites, or give the top watched content a chance. “Finally 50/50” when you’re making your list of options go through their trailers or sneak peeks any and just drop off the ones that don’t make it after looking at them again.

Finally, if none of this works connect with me I'll be the Statefarm rep to your movie watching needs.