television
Table of Contents Bingeing Killed the Video Star Words and Illustrations by Andy Edwards
How Not to Bond with Friends Words and Illustrations by Jethro Wilson
Square Eyes
Words and Illustrations by Rachel Sawyer
Assortment of Illustrations
Illustrations by Srishti Gupta & Rachel Middleton
Cover and Endpapers: Abigail Winson Editor: Anna Stone
Illustration By: Andy Edwards
Bingeing Killed the Video Star
By: Andy Edwards
Picture it, coming in from a long day at work, the rain beating down, switching on the TV to then gorge on a months’ worth of episodes in the space of an evening. We all know it, we have all done it, I would go as far to say we all love it… Binge watching. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when the binge began, if we use the date that Netflix released its first original show ‘House Of Cards’ as a rough marker, we could say 2013 was when television began its journey of change. With it now being 2020 and the number of streaming services prospering, it is clear that the consumer just can’t get enough. Gone are the days of the weekly watch, where episodes acted like that small metal ball in a hamster’s water feeder, slowly distributing media to us one episode at a time in a steady drip. No, we the hamsters got thirsty, so thirsty that we got rid of that little metal ball and we began to indulge in the endless stream. I feel this is a neutral issue. Really, it’s just the inevitable next step in the industry. What interests me on the topic is the transition, especially in the writing department of television production. One show springs to mind, a titan of television that started off in a world slightly before the rise of streaming services and then ended in a time where everybody was used to seeing story arcs start and finish in a day. The show I refer to is ‘Game of Thrones’. A show that began with the long game in mind, to then end up feeling rushed. I am sure any fans of the show will have their own theories on why the finale seasons felt rushed but I would like to put forward the notion that perhaps in an era of fast paced shows that can be finished off in a weekend, the writers and producers of ‘Game of Thrones’ tried to adapt to the faster paced world. I think it’s an interesting idea that
storytelling has changed due to a new form of media consumption and it can actually offer more freedom if utilised in the right way. The episode format can become an interval point for an extraordinarily long film. Where a twohour time slot of a film would barely scratch the surface, they now have thirteen hours to play with. The episode ending just means you have the chance to pause the story, or rather if you are fast enough to stop the next episode bar from filling up and shooting you straight into another three hour session. But how do we not overindulge, is it the consumers responsibility to moderate how much they watch? Does this form of media just further modern societies need for instant gratification and dampen the values of patience? It is easy to forget that these are forms of art, and I think the key is to slow down every once in a while, and remember that it isn’t just a product to consume, it’s a story.
How Not to Bond with Friends
By: Jethro Wilson
“Somewhere in the dark and nasty regions, where nobody goes, stands an ancient castle. Deep within this dank and uninviting place lives Burk. Over worked servant of the thing upstairs. But that’s nothing compared to the horrors that lurk beneath the trapdoor. For there’s always something down there, in the dark... waiting to come out...” There are many ways to form friendships. Most often, bonds are formed over shared joys - something two people both enjoy; a sport like cycling, a band you both saw live, another country you’ve both visited, or perhaps a TV programme from childhood.
Illustration By: Jethro Wilson
When I was a child there were only a handful of channels and, in the playground, you could be certain your favourite TV programme (Pokémon) was a firm favourite with at least most of your friends too. The Trap Door was not one of those programmes. Trap Door was released before I was born, but we had it on VHS. At some point I’ve asked each of my friends, “Did you ever watch Trap Door as a kid?” Everyone answered ‘what?’ If it wasn’t for episodes uploaded to YouTube, I might doubt it even existed. I’ve
yet to bond with someone by belting out the catchy theme, or chatting about the ludicrousness of the main character forever forgetting that he’s not supposed to do the one thing everyone tells him not to do... open the trap door… The silliness and lovable monster characters have earned a special place in my heart. This fantastic, plasticine epic is a wonderful children’s TV programme. I’ve been searching for that friend I can say, “You watched Trap Door too? Ohhhh! Don’t you love it?” And then we burst into song. “DON’T YOU OPEN THAT TRAP DOOOOOOOR ‘Cos there’s something down there.” *hits invisible drums*
It will be like a musical - a band will start playing in the background, and the lights dim to bring our incredible rendition of a half-remembered TV show theme song from the 1980s into focus. What’s that one thing you wish you could share with everyone? I want the world to enjoy Trap Door. Maybe one day I’ll finally get my childhood bonding moment.
By: Rachel Sawyer
Square Eyes
Television has been around as early as the 1920’s and was the first screen to enter the home for entertainment purposes. Few households owned one in its infancy but ownership has since grown exponentially. In 2020 you would be hard pressed to not find one in almost every room of the house. TV’s are no longer the luxury item they once were and as technology has expanded, so has our exposure to screens. On average, a British person spends around 13 hours a day looking at a screen. Through a combination of TV, Phone, Computer and other screen devices, that adds up to roughly 34 years of your life. We are all guilty in underestimating how much time we spend on our screens and it begs the question, at what cost? TV’s and devices present the biggest exposure to blue light, second only to the sun. Blue light can be healthy in small amounts, but a handful of studies have suggested a link between blue light and long term retina damage. Other symptoms of prolonged exposure include digital eye strain, headaches, dry eyes and fatigue. It does not seem that long ago that our parents would warn us not to watch the telly for too long. We would defiantly ask why and quickly learn that our eyes would go square. It was complete nonsense of course, but it was a white lie laced with just enough plausibility to make it seem true. Every year, as the Earth completes another full circle, our reliance on screens will continue to grow. We are far too hooked on devices to ever give them up, but it is never too late to stop and consider how to make healthier choices. So in celebration of World TV Day, here are a handful of tips on how to enjoy your TV and screen time in a more eye
friendly manner. Try to limit your screen time to a healthy limit and remember to take regular breaks to allow your eyes time to rest. There are several apps available for Apple and Android that monitor your screen time and can send periodic break reminders. Also consider purchasing computer glasses with yellowtinted lenses, which help to block the blue light from reaching your retina. We only get one set of eyes, so let’s make sure we look after them.
Illustrations By: Rachel Sawyer
Illustration By: Srishti Gupta
Illustration By: Rachel Middleton
Copyright © 2020 by Abigail Winson, Andy Edwards, Jethro Wilson, Rachel Sawyer, Srishti Gupta, Rachel Middleton, and Anna Stone. All rights reserved. This publication or any portion thereof may not be reproduced, copied, reprinted, reworked, redistributed, or used in any manner whatsoever without the explicit written permission of the copyright holders.