As viewers are deluged with shows in the Peak TV era, TV critics must serve as curators

The Hollywood Reporter

"People don't watch TV or even read about it in the same way they used to, so catering to an overwhelmed audience is paramount," says Tim Goodman. He adds: "The new reality of television (and television criticism), is that seasons and premiere dates are pretty meaningless. This Peak TV glut of shows — where so many of them are excellent and worthwhile — has long since drowned the average viewer. They are perpetually behind. And they live in a world of streaming services and on-demand options that make it OK to be behind. People are finding series from two years ago today. Others are waiting for today's buzzed-about series to not only finish its season so they can binge it (assuming it didn't drop a full season all at once on a streaming platform in the first place), but also to hear if there's a second season in the works before they bother watching. Viewers have so many options now that almost nothing, excepting live sports or major breaking news coverage, is going to motivate them to watch live. Something new — a premiere! — honestly, who the f*ck cares? Add it to the pile of things to watch later."