Couch Potato

Have you noticed that when you go out to dinner with friends now, you spend the evening talking about what you’re watching on Netflix? iTunes? Amazon? Hulu? Trading show ideas like we used to trade baseball cards.

The industry refers to these shows as “episodic viewing”. Shows geared to keep you engaged over eleven episodes. Or eleven years.

I admit I’m hooked. At night, we can’t wait to get to the next episode in whatever we’re watching. And when we finish, like true addicts, we crave another fix.

I’m completely smitten by “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”. Terrified by the crazy serial lady of “Killing Eve”. Shocked by the entitled children of “Succession” and “Yellowstone”.

There’s nothing like sinking into the couch and being swept up into one of those worlds with a bowl of coffee toffee ice cream. After the dinner dishes are done.

47% of people prefer watching movies at home.

Compared to 30% that prefer the movie theater.

I admit, I still like going out to the movies. But I’m old. It’s part of my heritage.

I saw the “Blob” when I was eleven. Steve McQueen was in it. I didn’t know who he was then. No one did.

There was nothing like being in a dark movie theater with all your friends watching a horror movie.

There was a bouncer in our movie theater. To toss out stupid, teenage boys. Yell at them during the movie.

I always bought a box of Good & Plenty. Sometimes mixed with my popcorn. Didn’t like Necco Wafers though. My girlfriend’s still hooked on them.

That’s how we spent Saturday afternoons.

These days, going to the movies is date night for my husband and me. Early movie. Sushi. Home. We’re in our own world in that dark cinema. No one can get to us. It’s just us… and the screen.

It’s not quite the same at home. Your daughter calls. Your dog has to go out. The dishwasher buzzes. You decide to learn to knit while you’re watching.

But you do get to follow your favorite character and their story long after the episode is over. Night after night. Week after week.

And that’s pretty cool.

So I think we don’t choose. We keep both.

Movie date nights at the cinema in town. Where a story is played out before your eyes in it’s entirety. In the dark. And they still sell Good & Plenty.

And couch nights at home where you can watch your favorite characters wander in and out of their lives as you mentally wander in and out of yours.

Once you’ve finished the coffee toffee and the knitting, of course.

Originally published at https://marymottwrites.com on February 7, 2019.