VidYouth

Ralph Waldo Emerson observed, “Man is a shrewd inventor, and is ever taking the hint of a new machine from his own structure, adapting some secret of his own anatomy in iron, wood, and leather, to some required function in the work of the world.”

Every invention since the early Iron Age has changed the face of the world and made human life more convenient and luxurious. The Television is the primary source of entertainment for a majority of the population today. Television programmes have various genres and therefore different target audiences. Due to the varied content, presentation style and unique plot line, these accordingly appeal to people of different ages, thought processes, lifestyles and even cultures. Youngsters between the age group of 16-24 form the largest number and quite understandably are much sought after by the creators of television shows.

Increasing westernization and signs of Indian youngsters aping the west, not just in regular habits of food and lifestyle, but also in their mannerisms, attitudes and mind frames account for this trend of western shows being popular even in India. In just a century, Rudyard Kipling’s famous quote “East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet”, stands to be contradicted. For today, the twain are meeting and in more ways than one. A great number of the urban Indian youth is glued to channels like Star World and Zee Café, for their much-deserved quota of entertainment.

“I like western shows because I’m done with this over-the-top unrealistic set-up of Indian dramas. I guess I need a much more convincing storyline and a realistic outlook. Indian shows tend to lack a bit of freshness and the idea of sacrificing your life to make someone else happy seems pretentious and far-fetched,” voices Zehra Zahur, a final year student of Muffakham Jah College of Engineering and Technology. “Shows like ‘Lost’ have a very interesting storyline. Like who would have ever thought that 5 seasons of being stranded on an island would have worked? But it did. And the popular 90s show ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, in which the main protagonist was able to connect with the audience despite being from the fantasy genre, was because it had elements of reality in it,” she adds.

“Western shows are different from the regular ‘saas-bahu stuff’. The story of such shows is written, keeping in mind the younger generation. They have the right amount of humour and seriousness, acting and presentation,” opines Idya Apoorva, a second year student of International Academy of Computer Graphics. Her friend Madhuri Maram from the same college quips, “We search for something that is just like us. We relate to shows like these and require that ‘relating’ to fuel our imagination.”

Being the exhaustive medium of communication that television is, the genres of television shows are many. Some of the most popular ones are:

Comedy. Also called ‘sitcoms’ or ‘situational comedies’. This genre is popular not just among teenagers, but among adults and elders as well. ‘Friends’, ‘How I met your Mother’, ‘Desperate Housewives’. ‘Office’, ’30 Rock’ are some commonly watched shows. Starting in 1994, ‘Friends’ featured in ten seasons for a decade. It is about a group of six friends, who live, love and struggle through their dreams in New York City.

Friends - A decade of pure entertainment. Credits : Pens Eve

“Even though ‘Friends’ reflects a culture which is much more forward than the one we have in India, it is very warming to watch because universal values such as friendship, compassion, honesty and love are displayed. That’s why it’s such a popular series. The humour is very effective as well. I’m totally addicted to it,” says Mrs. Urmila Mahajan, a parent of two youngsters and a teacher at International School of Hyderabad. “Aside from the fact that they’re so funny, these shows are also very relevant to us as teens. They also, for that half hour make us forget all the stress of the day and we have a great time watching them, especially with Friends,” opines Urvi Desai, a student from Jai Hind College, Mumbai.

Mystery/Drama is another popular genre that has the audience on their toes. Shows under this genre generate oodles of thrill and excitement among the viewers. ‘Lost’, ‘House’, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, ‘Prison Break’ are a few shows that fall under this category. ‘Lost’ premiered in 2004 and has been running in its 6th season. The show falls under the genre ‘Island Fiction’; it is about a group of people from different walks of life, stranded on an uninhabited island. The show deals with their struggle for survival in the wild and from the fundamental barbaric instincts of human nature. “All of them have a secret, all of them are lost!” – the tag line of the show is enough to get anyone hooked!

Entertainment Reinvented. Credits : Pens Eve

“Tele series not only provide entertainment, but also pass on useful knowledge to the viewers, like in the case of medical and crime series. Being a student of Psychology, I like to watch shows related to my field of interest such as ‘Criminal Minds’ and ‘Psych’. I also like to watch ‘Lost’, ‘Bones’ and ‘How I met your Mother’. The degree of entertainment on shows like ‘Lost’ and ‘Heroes’ is extremely high, due to the suspense created by good content – which is why they are extremely popular. There’s a lot of variety in the shows which is good for the viewer. So being addicted to series is not as harmful as many think,” observes Zainab Rangoonwala, a second year student from St. Francis College for Women. “The blend of CGI and natural locations make ‘Lost’ more realistic. The excellent and gripping storyline adds to the impact,” shares Divya Teja, a final year student from Indira Gandhi National Open University.

“When my friends were going gaga about a certain tele-series, I wondered why they were being so stupid. It was just a ‘show’! But ever since I watched the first episode of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, I have been hooked on to it. I saw 35 episodes of one hour each, in a span of 48 hours – if that defines ‘addiction’,” reveals Megha Agarwal, a second year student from Government Law College, Mumbai.

Various Shows. Credits : Pens Eve

While youngsters may take the ‘tele-obsession’ in their stride, not all parents are happy about it. “My daughter was in town for her study holidays; however, all she did for two whole days was to watch ‘Grey’s Anatomy’. It’s a good thing if youngsters like a show and follow it, but continuous watching is unacceptable and irresponsible,” states her mother, Mrs. Sangeeta Agarwal.

Crime being an inseparable part of human history and behaviour, naturally tends to be a popular genre in the television shows. These shows are thought-provoking and gripping, and can be consequently exceedingly addictive. ‘Criminal Minds’, ‘Bones’ and ‘Psych’ are some shows that explore this genre. Premiering in 2005, ‘Bones’ with the tagline, “To unravel a murder, you have to strip it to the bone,” has created waves and is showing in its 5th season.

“These shows are very addictive and consume a lot of one’s time. It depends from person to person actually; if you watch them in a proper way, like one or two episodes a day, then it’s okay.. But most people usually end up watching many episodes at once. And if you’re doing engineering, don’t watch them!” suggests Syed Ali Mohammad, a second year student from Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal.

Western shows like their Indian counterparts, provide the urban youth with the right amount of ‘funtertainment’, which accounts for their popularity. The high attractiveness quotient of the main protagonist (like Dr. Shepherd from Grey’s Anatomy, Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth from Bones and Michael from Prison Break to name a few) is also a contributing factor in determining the viewer’s reception to the show. However, that is not always the case. As Tripti Gupta, a second year Multimedia student from International Academy of Computer Graphics puts it, “Western shows are popular because the characters are very real! We can relate to them.”

Catch them on DVD. Credits : Pens Eve

Despite the wide cultural gap between the philosophy of western shows and the mindset of Indian youngsters, the two are quite inseparable. “Television shows that showcase a free, independent and liberal way of living, away from the maze of conservative Indian Society catalyze the GenX of India to imbibe the culture prescribed by the shows. Indian society is embedded with various control and the thought of breaking free, encourages youngsters to at the least watch western drama which tells them, ‘You think of it, we DO it’,” explains Isaac Prince Jeffrey, a youngster from Bangalore, who works with HP.

“TV series like ‘Friends’ , ‘Southpark’ and ‘Lost’ are extremely popular with our generation. They can be thrilling and entertaining, and are a great pastime. However, some people get addicted and sit for hours on end watching episode after episode. We should all remember that television series are merely a source of entertainment, not a substitute for real life,” sums up Nandita Mahajan, a student of Mass Communication, from St. Francis College for Women.

With all the hysteria surrounding these shows, everyone seems to be satisfied – the creators because their work is being appreciated, the viewers because their appetite for continuous dosage of entertainment is being satiated and even the distributors, who bank in on the obsession and make good profits. “Television shows from the West are popular among the young and the old alike in Hyderabad. And to promote them, we keep having new and exciting offers most of the time,” says Sai Kishore, Salesman at Landmark, Banjara Hills.

Exciting Offers. Credits : Pens Eve

For good or for worse, the tele series obsession is here to stay.

Here’s hoping that the tele-obsession does not distract you from the noble path of books and good marks this exam season. Wishing you all the best for exams and a very pleasant summer!

To find out more about television shows, log on to:
http://www.imdb.com/