Television Drama Shows and Their Entertainment Impact

There are myriad of television drama shows that aim to capture audience interest with the intent of entertaining but do these shows really achieved their purpose?

Here in our country drama shows locally termed as “telenovelas” dominate the viewing schedules of top television stations as these are the most patronized shows compared to news, documentaries, sports and many others.  Themes vary from light to heavy drama, comedy, fantasy, action or a combination of these.  Heavy audience or what is considered “prime time” is during evenings hence, expect this type of shows to dominate the airtime beginning seven o clock in the evening until about a little late before midnight. 

Before, I was also addicted to these shows and there was a time when I don’t mind sleeping late at night just to be updated with the latest events of the series I am following.  Lately however, my interest had waned down and despite the luxury of having the opportunity to be able to watch my favourite telenovela anytime of the day as I am now a twenty four hours stay at home person, most of these shows does not caught my fancy anymore.  And this is due to the following dominant issues in most of these drama shows which are:

§        endless perfidious acts and wickedness of not only one but several characters that stimulate emotions of anger and hatred from the viewers

§        Unending problems and conflicts that almost depict life as continuous flow of problems and miseries

§        Unbelievable twists of episodes  that somehow makes you think as a viewer if your intelligence is being tested

These synthesis of sequences and characters are maybe aimed to highlight or increase viewers’ excitement toward the stories.  I find it however difficult to understand why create a feeling and outlook that tends to be more on the negative side just by watching these shows.  Our main purpose in watching these shows is to be amused and if what we get is a heavy  feeling by witnessing onscreen the sufferings of the main characters where then is entertainment?

Television audience covers all ages and while there are viewers classification in every show but you could not expect parents to be always available to screen or explain the impact of a particular scene which is not adaptable to younger children.  The common plot where villains in the story are endlessly planning devious means to get even or to destroy the main character is unintentionally infusing similar ideas to innocent minds of young tv watchers.   This quote “ Whatever inappropriate act an adult person has made in front of a child will be perceive as proper in the mind of the child” could also apply to shows children watch on television  without the proper guidance of an adult. 

Now, I am just hooked into a couple of drama shows.  One is a light comedy love story which creates a “feel good” mood right after watching, and the other one is a light love story with an interweaving of cultural background/history of a particular country.   I just hope that television companies would be more innovative and conceptualize shows that will really entertain without the heavy feeling and at the same time impart noteworthy ideas in the subconscious minds of innocent growing children.