What do you expect as the cultural fallout of Covid-19 regarding TV?

So, we all agree that Covid-19 is a huge deal right? This will be a defining moment for the decade (maybe even the century), like 9/11 was for the last one. Probably even more so, because this is a worldwide event. Some day we will return to some kind of normality and whenever that day comes, there will be cultural fallout.

How do you expect the TV Landscape to change in the aftermath of Covid-19? I would have said that the obvious metaphor for processing the pandemic would be zombies, but we already are at the end of a zombie craze. It kinda feels redundant.

What I could see, is television becoming more optimistic. In the wake of shows like Game Of Thrones, there are lots of violent and gritty TV Shows. I could see people yearning for some positive entertainment after such a difficult time. Of course, that depends on how this whole thing develops... If it comes to the worst case scenario, we could have Dada Television.

You lost!

Considering that apparently Contagion and Outbreak are two of the most popular films to stream during this time, I wouldn't bet on this.

Dunno if I'd place too much significance on that. I remember on and after 9/11 a lot of people comparing it to recent disaster movies, but that genre took a nosedive in the next few years because Too Soon.

I expect more narratives around social isolation now that a good deal of society got a taste of it, be that directly related to the virus or otherwise (like people with severe immunity diseases or shut-ins).

"All you Fascists bound to lose."

I can imagine that more shows (live action or otherwise) will do aesop episodes on the importance of hygiene and disinfecting.

I can see that like 9/11 did to terrorist plots. Plots on pandemics will be shelved for a few years.

"That's right mortal. By channeling my divine rage into power, I have forged a new instrument in which to destroy you."

I would imagine there'll be a ton of shitty 'quarantine romances' in culture. Something-something "I'd break Quarantine just to be with you". None of which treat the event with any level of gravity and seriousness.

Bonus round: Some equally shitty title like 'Six Feet Apart'.

Isn't there already a movie with a similar title, about two teenagers with cyctic fibrosis who fall in love?

If this goes on long enough it could do some pretty wonky things to networks, and is definitely going to be even more of a push to binge and streaming format than we've already gotten.

Of course, if this goes on long enough shows just aren't going to get new episodes for a while period.

"The difference between reality and fiction is that fiction has to make sense." - Tom Clancy, paraphrasing Mark Twain.

Five Feet Apart.

Honestly, I don't really see this affecting the narratives of TV shows so much as changing how production works. To be honest, COVID isn't a horribly "sexy" disease and the affect of social distancing and everything isn't inherently interesting, it's at its most interesting because this is as close as we've gotten to a post-apocalyptic setting in real life but... it's still way less interesting than an actual apocalypse.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, South Park and other topical shows will do an episode on it next year and there may be some Bottle Episodes based on it but I don't see it having a lasting cultural impact in TV narratives.

Edited by Larkmarn on Apr 3rd 2020 at 6:00:35 AM

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It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia already did an episode about quarantine:

A episode that is also disturbingly prophetic about quarantine cabin fever:

"All you Fascists bound to lose."

Are people actually getting cabin fever over the self isolation order? I mean, we're allowed to go outside.

I'm not in the US but there is a stay at home order/curfew where I live at as well. We are allowed to go outside for health reasons, to buy necessities like food medicine and cleaning supplies, and to go to the doctor or take care of infirm relatives.

However I've been trying to minimize going outside to a handful of times per week. And it shows on my mental state. So yes, depending on how much you feel brave enough to leave even for valid reasons (just because going out for grocery shopping is allowed doesn't mean everyone will feel fine going shopping every day just so they can get out), cabin fever might rear its head.

I'm an essential worker so I still go to work, but I live with a relative who is definitely getting Cabin Fever. You can go outside, but there's not much to do at a certain point.

I'm trying to get him into making bread, but that's not working.

Yeah. Going out without being able to go places and do things is pretty much pointless.

Personally, my issue is that my house went from me and my wife to five adults and an infant in a couple months. I can't get a moment alone.

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That sentence just tickles me.

I'M MR. MEESEEKS, LOOK AT ME!

Note - These are more movie thoughts, but tv is a possibility also for some.

Mark Wahlberg is going to be in a movie about some fictional or fictionalized blue color guy who is a hero during the pandemic. Probably John Cena too.

Also, I have a feeling that there's going to be more focus on plague in historical fiction works. For instance, there's been several articles lately talking about various plays Shakespeare wrote during outbreaks of the Black Plague. Although this wasn't a secret, it's not something that has gotten much coverage outside of some scholarly circles until now. In particular, there's this whole thing about how Romeo and Juliet connects with this plague of 1593. Incidentally, I realized that during the time period where Shakespeare in Love is set, Shakespeare probably was in the countryside to escape the plague and no one was performing in London since the theatres were closed during the quarantine.

Similarly to the Shakespeare example, I've heard that The Decameron has had a burst in popularity, probably in part because it is about a plague in Italy and Italy is unfortunately being particularly affected by Covid-19. Although again it's not a secret that the book is set during the Black Death, my sense is that this aspect has been rarely of much interest over the centuries, with the collection far more known for its many bawdy tales.

The only exception I can think of offhand is Poe's Masque of the Red Death, which uses a similar set-up of nobles fleeing to a castle in the countryside to escape the Plague (and introduces the idea that they inadvertently infected each other and other people along the way.

This really has nothing to do with the thread preposition, but I was thinking how the cast of Agents Of Shield are probably one of few TV casts that will make money during the pandemic, since their final season was filmed a year in advance.

With all the memes about women choosing a bear over a man, Hollywood might wanna get on an 'East of the Sun and West of the Moon' adaptation

It's not that they will make money during the pandemic — some of them probably had acting jobs lined up that are now on hold — but that they didn't have to stop filming in the middle of the season. In fact, since Season 6 and 7 were filmed back to back, the last season was finished, VFX and all, some time ago. ABC just has to decide when they want to air it.

I'm expecting some postponement to the filming of the final season of Better Call Saul.

The cold never bothered me anyway

I wonder if this is the place to ask -

COVID-19 is a television phenomenon unto itself, with multiple national, provincial and supranational governments running daily press briefings over the last few weeks. Donald Trump even brags about the ratings on his.

Are these broadcasts worthy - whether collectively or individually - of their own TV Tropes pages?

Edited by TommyR01D on May 2nd 2020 at 5:33:15 AM

The media certainly are one of the parties that have a vested interest in this crisis lasting as long as possible, so yes.

The cold never bothered me anyway

Ask here.