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And sure, I get it.
Those shows are great!
you should probably know what happens!
The best TV binges are comedy binges, specifically when theyre fictional comedies.
Sitcoms and dramadies: These are a TV marathoners best friend.
Comedies are more emotionally sustainable.
Ever tried watching more than one episode ofHandmaids Talein an evening?
I believe watching multiple episodes ofThe Leftoversin a day might actually ruin you.
It can quickly feel like Too Much.
This is not to say that comedies are simpler, or easier, or less demanding for the viewer.
But when youre bingeing, that mixture of light and dark is crucial for long-term viewer engagement.
Not all comedies are light.BoJack Horsemanwould not make a comfortable, relaxing TV binge.
Episodic plots actually make you watch more.
If nothing tells you the story is done, maybe youll just keep going exceptit rarely works that way.
Especially for great sitcoms, television comedies tend to stick to a rhythm thats tied to episode-level storytelling.
But on30 Rock, you get that good episodic rhythm with more laughs and fewer rape victims.
Short episodes are convenient!
Not for nothing, but TV comedies tend to be shorter than dramas.
The TV comedy is just better designed for continual, easy consumption.
The TV binge as a marathon, not a sprint.
The drama binge is so often a fling.
A comedy binge can feel more like a real relationship.
Immersion into a show likeSuperstoreis fantastically easy for all the reasons Ive described.
I confess that part of the appeal of mySuperstorebinge is alsothat its been undemanding of me.
It does not require extensive, painstaking puzzle-box decoding.
There is almost no meanness.
It is a generousshow.
It cares that the viewer enjoys herself.
You binge it because you know it will give you warmth, and because you trust it.
You binge it because it feels like making a friend.
TV dramas can do this too, and there aremanygreat drama binges.
But the comedy binge tends to sneak up on you.
