Are we past the golden age of TV?

It feels like it for the most part.
Also a lot of good shows were filmed in Canada in the past and not as many anymore are.

@Ciroxa said:

@PotatoStarch said:
It feels like it for the most part.
Also a lot of good shows were filmed in Canada in the past and not as many anymore are.

Yeah, I can see that. A lot of classic shows were filmed in Canada too, but fewer are now. Do you think it’s mainly budget and location shifts, or has the whole streaming/binge culture really changed what shows get made and remembered?

I think it's probably due to policy changes. Filming goes wherever is cheaper to film in, so if the tax incentives aren't good enough anymore they will just stay near the studios, or film somewhere cheaper.
Streaming changed how we consume tv shows, but most of it is still filmed and not for generated with AI yet.

TV used to collect a huge part of ad revenue, not anymore. I remember the epoch when buying a 30-second ad on TV was synonymous of business success.

Digital platforms are attracting most revenu now and TV shows are struggling to break even.

I don’t see any signs of recovery from TV station and believe that TV is slowly dying since 2012.

The networks cancel everything without even giving it a real chance.

@Ciroxa said:

@doobyadeeb said:
The networks cancel everything without even giving it a real chance.

I know, that sucks. But then all they care about is revenue, not their customers.

So true

Hmm ..movies and TV series no longer has that vibe.

It’s not just nostalgia. Something has genuinely changed.

First, there really are more shows than before. With streaming, production has exploded: when everything is available all the time, nothing feels truly rare or special. And that sense of rarity plays a big role in what stays in our memory.

Then there’s binge culture, which changes how we experience stories. Watching a show over several weeks used to create anticipation, discussion, and theories. Now, when episodes are consumed back-to-back, the experience is intense but short-lived: you enjoy it, you finish it… and then you move on. Our brains simply retain less when we consume things too quickly.

Algorithms also have a direct impact on how shows are written. They prioritize what grabs attention immediately and is easy to finish, not necessarily what is bold, deep, or long-lasting. The result is many shows that are efficient and well-produced, but lack a strong identity that makes them memorable over time.

There’s also the loss of “event television.” In the past, everyone watched the same shows at the same pace. Today, audiences are fragmented: everyone has their show, which weakens the collective cultural effect that helps a series stick.

Finally, yes, nostalgia does play a small role: we remember the best shows from the past and forget the many average ones. But that doesn’t cancel out the broader reality. The current system produces more shows, faster, with shorter cultural lifespans.

In short: it’s not just you. Streaming, algorithms, and binge culture have truly changed how shows are made, consumed—and remembered.

@Ciroxa said:

@patrickng9 said:
internet and streaming is gonna replace TV, but TV screens for PC will still be alive

TV as a broadcast model is fading, but the big screen isn’t going anywhere. The pipe changes, not the panel. People will keep using TV-sized displays—they’ll just be driven by apps, consoles, and PCs instead of cable boxes. The living-room screen survives; the old TV ecosystem doesn’t.

I agree with what you say