Movies vs. TV series: Which side are you on?

Yeah, the golden age of sitcoms is long gone 😁

Honestly, I think TV shows are outperforming movies these days—especially those recent big-budget films. Shows like Green Arrow, Marco Polo, Constantine, Boardwalk Empire, Prison Break, Vikings, or Game of Thrones are just more enjoyable to watch. They tend to have much better pacing and, more importantly, a tighter script. It’s easier to get lost in a great series than in a rushed movie.

bluenomad2 said:To be fair, Mad Men is an incredible TV series. Along with Rectify, it’s easily one of the best things on television right now. Sadly, Rectify rarely gets the credit it deserves.

Modern sitcoms are a disaster. Even the few that are actually good? They're terrible.

Compared to comedies from the last few years? 😉

We just don't get comedies this good anymore, not like the more recent stuff like Raising Hope or 30 Rock.

And with Raising Hope, it wasn't about big-name actors or some massive budget. It was all about the characters and the writing—stuff you just don't find in a 90-minute comedy bit these days.

lonehound2 said:Honestly, I think TV shows are outperforming movies these days—especially those recent big-budget films. Shows like Green Arrow, Marco Polo, Constantine, Boardwalk Empire, Prison Break, Vikings, or Game of Thrones are just more enjoyable to watch. They tend to have much better pacing and, more importantly, a tighter script. It’s easier to get lost in a great series than in a rushed movie.

You threw a whole buffet of titles at me there, buddy. A little bit of everything. 😉

Boardwalk Empire is a straight-up masterpiece, but honestly? Game of Thrones is way too hyped up. It’s actually pretty weak if you really look at it.

frozenraven39 said:Yeah, the golden age of sitcoms is long gone 😁

Look, it's just the truth. Either shows get canceled too early—think 30 Rock or Raising Hope—or they just completely lose their way after a few seasons, like The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, or Two and a Half Men.

Let's be real, those last ones were never even in the same league.

The Brits finally have some actually decent, modern shows like Plebs or Bad Education.

I used to be a huge fan of British comedies, but lately, I've gone full American.
Some people think it's sacred ground, but to me, it's just progress. 😁

rustypanther13 said:To me, Catch Me If You Can is just the story of one unfortunate kid who, after watching his father be humiliated and seeing his family fall apart, decided to con everyone in sight just to feel respected and wealthy. Personally, I find the societal shifts depicted in Forrest Gump to be far more meaningful...😉

As for The Doors, it’s just another mediocre film by Stone. A much better film dealing with similar themes would be I Shot Andy Warhol...

Whatever works, I guess. To me, *I Shot Andy Warhol* is just a depressing look at a feminist uprising. But honestly, Corman’s 1959 masterpiece *A Bucket of Blood* gives me similar vibes to that scene where Valerie shoots Andy—except the movie is actually fun to watch.

Let's get back to the point. A movie is basically like a song you have to squeeze onto a single page to say everything a TV series spends dozens of pages trying to explain.

Richard Wilson4 said:Compared to comedies from the last few years? 😉

We just don't get comedies this good anymore, not like the more recent stuff like Raising Hope or 30 Rock.

And with Raising Hope, it wasn't about big-name actors or some massive budget. It was all about the characters and the writing—stuff you just don't find in a 90-minute comedy bit these days.

,

Forgive me, but those are either bad or just Solid. Today's American humor feels like it's at an elementary school level. I'm not praising British humor either. I'm not one of those people who claims British is better while spitting on American stuff. Both have their highs and lows. 30Rock has its moments, but in the end, it isn't anything special. Everything else mentioned is below average. Community was good.

When I watch the older sitcoms, they absolutely kill these new ones because the writing is better and the acting feels more natural.

The guy above lists Boardwalk Empire and then throws in Arrow, Constantine, and Prison Break as examples of quality series. Give me a break. Arrow and Constantine are comic book shows. I get that they'll be the most popular things today, but they aren't shows that can compete with the best films out there. Boardwalk can. Not the fifth season, though, but fine.

bluenomad2 said:,

Forgive me, but those are either bad or just Solid. Today's American humor feels like it's at an elementary school level. I'm not praising British humor either. I'm not one of those people who claims British is better while spitting on American stuff. Both have their highs and lows. 30Rock has its moments, but in the end, it isn't anything special. Everything else mentioned is below average. Community was good.

When I watch the older sitcoms, they absolutely kill these new ones because the writing is better and the acting feels more natural.

The guy above lists Boardwalk Empire and then throws in Arrow, Constantine, and Prison Break as examples of quality series. Give me a break. Arrow and Constantine are comic book shows. I get that they'll be the most popular things today, but they aren't shows that can compete with the best films out there. Boardwalk can. Not the fifth season, though, but fine.

Real question though, which old sitcoms are we talking about?

Besides, like, Seinfeld?

As for 30 Rock, the first four seasons are legendary, but the last two are total trash. That's the classic struggle with every sitcom.

If you want something fresh and a little different, check out Raising Hope. It stays pretty consistent all four seasons.

Regarding those three, I agree they were never top-tier, but they were basically the standard for like 99% of comedies in theaters during those years.

M*A*S*H, Cheers, and Seinfeld are easily my top picks for American TV. Honestly, nothing being produced lately even comes close to that level. Everything feels way too forced now. I also think the older British comedies are fantastic—better than anything coming out of the US or the UK these days when it comes to humor.

I gave Raising Hope a shot, along with The Middle, but neither really clicked for me. I truly don't get what people see in shows like that, but hey. We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

As far as comedies go, I think Louie is excellent. It leans more toward dramedy, but the writing is incredibly smart.

bluenomad2 said:,

Forgive me, but those are either bad or just Solid. Today's American humor feels like it's at an elementary school level. I'm not praising British humor either. I'm not one of those people who claims British is better while spitting on American stuff. Both have their highs and lows. 30Rock has its moments, but in the end, it isn't anything special. Everything else mentioned is below average. Community was good.

When I watch the older sitcoms, they absolutely kill these new ones because the writing is better and the acting feels more natural.

The guy above lists Boardwalk Empire and then throws in Arrow, Constantine, and Prison Break as examples of quality series. Give me a break. Arrow and Constantine are comic book shows. I get that they'll be the most popular things today, but they aren't shows that can compete with the best films out there. Boardwalk can. Not the fifth season, though, but fine.

What’s wrong with Arrow and Constantine? You really think they aren't better than some modern movies? To be honest, they actually are.

They're trash shows, just popular because people love following the crowd. Sendler's films are probably better.

Comic book movies and shows will always be the most popular.

bluenomad2 said:M*A*S*H, Cheers, and Seinfeld are easily my top picks for American TV. Honestly, nothing being produced lately even comes close to that level. Everything feels way too forced now. I also think the older British comedies are fantastic—better than anything coming out of the US or the UK these days when it comes to humor.

I gave Raising Hope a shot, along with The Middle, but neither really clicked for me. I truly don't get what people see in shows like that, but hey. We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

As far as comedies go, I think Louie is excellent. It leans more toward dramedy, but the writing is incredibly smart.

Fair enough. 👍

I watch both. I tend to lean more toward series.
I usually put on a movie when I have nothing better to do. Most of them are just big blockbusters or something mid-tier.
Series are generally better for me. There’s been a good amount of interesting stuff lately, especially those comic book adaptations that really hit the spot.

I’ve been watching way more movies lately. As for series? If they don't grab me right away, I'm out. But man, have they become more artistic and detailed than movies? They really have.

Take the cinematography and character depth in Breaking Bad, the set design in Boardwalk Empire, or the visuals in Utopia—absolutely top-tier. And the extreme character development in True Detective? Just pure creativity. Then there's Shameless and House of Cards. Seriously, they're setting entirely new standards.

Honestly, Shameless is just 😵top tier
. I don't really stick to a strict schedule; I just watch whatever catches my eye depending on my mood. The real issue with series, though, is when you get hooked on some absolute garbage and then feel forced to see it through to the end... especially when there are way too many seasons involved. Right now, I'm working my way through That's Life and I am just counting down the days until it's over. I had the exact same experience with First Wave and that total mess Shameless. And so on...
Nowadays, the trends seem pretty much the same across the board. There’s a massive amount of commercialized trash out there, but you can still find those rare gems worth mentioning. Here are a few shows from 2012 onwards that I actually consider decent:

Welcome to Sweden (2014)
Celebrity Squares (2014)
Fargo (2014)
Harry (2013)
Peaky Blinders (2013)
Hours in Police Custody (2014)
Gomorra (2014)

And here are some movies from that same era:
Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Silver Linings Playbook
Silver Linings Playbook
We Are the Best!
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
The World's End (2013)

Looking at this list, you can see they're all roughly in the same ballpark...

Get your head in the game and pick up the right hammer! We could spend all day fighting over subjective opinions and pushing our own agendas.
Shameless is just freaking fun. Seriously, can you name one show that doesn't moralize its characters as much as that one does?

We’ve actually already had a thread dedicated to this topic over on the film board.
To me, cinema is true art, whereas TV series often feel like mass-produced commodities... though I find myself watching both regardless.

bluenomad2 said:To be fair, Mad Men is an incredible TV series. Along with Rectify, it’s easily one of the best things on television right now. Sadly, Rectify rarely gets the credit it deserves.

Modern sitcoms are a disaster. Even the few that are actually good? They're terrible.

It’s classic overestimation.
Rectify is a Solid series, certainly, but it's just one among many and nothing more than that...

I can agree with you regarding sitcoms.

It’s excellent, honestly. I love the characters they built, the storytelling, the depth, and the fact that it's a drama while still feeling completely unique. Right now, it's my top pick. Personally, I think Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad are overrated; Breaking Bad was great until season 4, then it started leaning way too hard into comic relief.

Honestly, I am counting down the days until the next season. Even the basic premise hooked me—that character who is physically free but mentally shackled... there’s just something about that slow, deliberate pacing that really works for me.
It possesses everything a truly great series should have, though I suppose in an era where standards have plummeted so low that people mistake absolute garbage for prestige television, it’s a different story entirely.

I can barely stand to watch Game of Thrones, and as for Breaking Bad, I actually tapped out after the second season; it was decent enough, but I just couldn't find the motivation to keep going.
The Fall is also incredibly, incredibly solid... Scully is mature, sharp, and doesn't take anyone's nonsense. Highly recommended.

I wouldn't necessarily say TV shows are higher quality overall; personally, I think Game of Thrones, Vikings, and stuff like that are massively overrated. But just from watching The Sopranos, The Wire, Twin Peaks, True Detective, House of Cards, and Breaking Bad, I've had more fun than watching any single movie. Don't get me wrong—I agree there are films out there that are objectively better than these series—but there’s just a different kind of pure enjoyment in sinking your teeth into a high-quality series over a longer period.