Why are TV shows rated higher than movies?

If we’re talking about IMDb ratings, it’s obvious that the younger crowd—teens and people in their early 20s, I’d say—are the ones voting most frequently. That's why some instant superhero hit that's actually just mindless junk consisting of nothing but special effects, explosions, and eye candy can rack up 150,000 to 200,000 votes in a few weeks, while true masterpieces from 30, 50, or even 70 years ago barely scrape together 20,000 to 30,000 ratings since the site first launched.

David Price5 said:Actually, I think series can have even more haters than movies. Since they stay on TV longer, they eventually start getting under your skin, unlike a movie that you watch and quickly forget. Plus, the biggest voters on IMDb are typically Males Aged 18-45...

Maybe.

But since movies turned into this 3D gimmick for teenagers, all the actual quality migrated over to cable.
It’s simple: making heavy dramas isn't profitable anymore because studios need to drag people into theaters.
To get them there, they rely on special effects and that 3D experience.
At that point, the story becomes an afterthought.

Nowadays, you just don't see films with the caliber of The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, or Breaking Bad.

Sure, GoT or The Walking Dead get hyped up more and might sit outside that group, but they're still masterpieces compared to most movies.

I think everything's already been said.

Lately, movies seem to lean heavily on flashy special effects just to drag people into theaters, while the actual storytelling gets shoved to the side. We're seeing endless reboots being pushed on us, too; there just isn't enough fresh, original ideas floating around anymore.

TV shows, on the other hand, tend to have much more dedicated fanbases who aren't afraid to give them higher ratings. You aren't forced to cram an entire narrative into a two-hour window; there's more breathing room for things to unfold and way more space for genuine character development.
They pull the viewer into the story more effectively, and the plots can actually be complex.

Over the last few years, TV series have really started to dominate. There’s more money flowing into the industry, and they're pulling in all the big A-list names. Essentially, the quality of television has skyrocketed, while movie standards have taken a dip.

redbear2 said:I think everything's already been said.

Lately, movies seem to lean heavily on flashy special effects just to drag people into theaters, while the actual storytelling gets shoved to the side. We're seeing endless reboots being pushed on us, too; there just isn't enough fresh, original ideas floating around anymore.

TV shows, on the other hand, tend to have much more dedicated fanbases who aren't afraid to give them higher ratings. You aren't forced to cram an entire narrative into a two-hour window; there's more breathing room for things to unfold and way more space for genuine character development.
They pull the viewer into the story more effectively, and the plots can actually be complex.

Over the last few years, TV series have really started to dominate. There’s more money flowing into the industry, and they're pulling in all the big A-list names. Essentially, the quality of television has skyrocketed, while movie standards have taken a dip.

Exactly.

I honestly think we've covered all the bases here.
Beyond just understanding why certain shows receive better ratings, we've also identified why they are increasingly outperforming films.

There is also one specific element movies simply lack. That is feedback, meaning the ability for a show to adapt and improve based on direct interaction with its audience.

.

Jessica Morris6 said:Honestly, you shouldn't waste your energy obsessing over what you see on IMDb... just watch whatever actually catches your interest. Those ratings really don't mean a thing.

I'm with you on that.
But honestly, TV shows today are produced at such an insanely high level—they've got incredible casts—whereas the film industry, like we were saying earlier, is just losing that race. I mean, you don't even have to look at which movies are breaking box office records to see it. It’s not that I have anything against Transformers lead being a thing—I've gotten used to it—but it's wrecking the movie industry. That's why people are pivoting to TV; it's more engaging, and the characters and plots tend to be way more thoughtful and well-executed.

Richard Wilson4 said:Maybe.

But since movies turned into this 3D gimmick for teenagers, all the actual quality migrated over to cable.
It’s simple: making heavy dramas isn't profitable anymore because studios need to drag people into theaters.
To get them there, they rely on special effects and that 3D experience.
At that point, the story becomes an afterthought.

Nowadays, you just don't see films with the caliber of The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, or Breaking Bad.

Sure, GoT or The Walking Dead get hyped up more and might sit outside that group, but they're still masterpieces compared to most movies.

There's some truth there, but also a fair amount of nonsense. One solid 90-minute movie is better than any series spanning four seasons or more. I don't watch TV shows less because of the stomach aches they give me after a few episodes, though—it's just that I'll never understand the appeal of following one long story through endless installments. It reminds me of those old ladies back home reading serialized novels. Breaking Bad? Please, it's just a violent soap opera, nothing else. Total boredom, honestly—I'd rather watch German silent films than any so-called "hit" series. And oh, you mentioned The Sopranos? 🤣boring shit

Karen Smith9 said:There's some truth there, but also a fair amount of nonsense. One solid 90-minute movie is better than any series spanning four seasons or more. I don't watch TV shows less because of the stomach aches they give me after a few episodes, though—it's just that I'll never understand the appeal of following one long story through endless installments. It reminds me of those old ladies back home reading serialized novels. Breaking Bad? Please, it's just a violent soap opera, nothing else. Total boredom, honestly—I'd rather watch German silent films than any so-called "hit" series. And oh, you mentioned The Sopranos? 🤣boring shit

We're mostly on the same page, but you're going way too hard on The Sopranos; for me, that's a cult classic, right along with The Wire. 🙂

David Price5 said:That's nonsense again. The same people voting on series are the ones voting on movies. It's the exact same pool of voters. You can't separate movie fans from series fans.

I wouldn't call it nonsense. It actually says a lot about what people are into these days and what they choose to watch.

James Garcia50 said:We're mostly on the same page, but you're going way too hard on The Sopranos; for me, that's a cult classic, right along with The Wire. 🙂

Glad you brought up The Wire.

There’s a crime series out there that compares to it, but honestly, it's a tiny, tiny stretch.

Mafia movies are just top-tier. You can't beat Goodfellas, Casino, or the first two Godfather films.

Honestly, none of these modern true crime shows can touch The Wire. It’s just not even close. And man, wouldn't it be incredible if HBO took those same heavy hitters and used them to adapt The Godfather? That would be legendary. 🙏

James Garcia50 said:We're mostly on the same page, but you're going way too hard on The Sopranos; for me, that's a cult classic, right along with The Wire. 🙂

Njah, The Wire is better in my book, but I usually lose interest after about five episodes. Honestly, how am I supposed to schedule my entire life around TV shows? I’d much rather head out with my friends than be tethered to a screen day after day, or even week by week. Damn.

That’s why you rarely see anyone waiting week after week for new episodes; most people just binge the whole thing once it finally hits streaming...

David Price5 said:That’s why you rarely see anyone waiting week after week for new episodes; most people just binge the whole thing once it finally hits streaming...

You mean, like, sitting down for five, six, or seven seasons all at once? Uh, I think I'd rather drink that many beers instead—and even then, probably not all at once! 😁

Yeah, you realize too that series aren't exactly a new concept, right? People managed just fine for half a century without any issues, waiting a whole week to catch an episode before it was gone. Your habit of watching just five episodes and then quitting is honestly pretty strange. It's like stopping a book only a third of the way through and claiming you've had enough. You already figured out what the story is about...

David Price5 said:Yeah, you realize too that series aren't exactly a new concept, right? People managed just fine for half a century without any issues, waiting a whole week to catch an episode before it was gone. Your habit of watching just five episodes and then quitting is honestly pretty strange. It's like stopping a book only a third of the way through and claiming you've had enough. You already figured out what the story is about...

That's the thing—I'd much rather sit down with a good book than deal with TV series.😁

Karen Smith9 said:That's the thing—I'd much rather sit down with a good book than deal with TV series.😁

You didn't answer me again. Do you actually put down a book or stop a movie when you're only a third of the way through and still loving it?

Karen Smith9 said:That's the thing—I'd much rather sit down with a good book than deal with TV series.😁

You really have to watch it. must watch The WireOne season at a time. Slow and steady.

David Price5 said:You didn't answer me again. Do you actually put down a book or stop a movie when you're only a third of the way through and still loving it?

I’ll sit through a movie or finish a book... but a series? Not really. Watching five episodes isn't even a third of the way if there are seven seasons—that's just a tiny snippet... like watching a trailer, really.

rating

Karen Smith9 said:I’ll sit through a movie or finish a book... but a series? Not really. Watching five episodes isn't even a third of the way if there are seven seasons—that's just a tiny snippet... like watching a trailer, really.

Some shows only last a single season anyway. Why should series be considered the exception? It’s the same with movies being on late at night—you could always just head out to meet friends instead of staying in to watch them.

Rachel Ortiz33 said:rating

I was drunk 🤣