My Aversion to TV Shows and Series

[Kiko!]

It's not that I think that shows aren't interesting and it's not even my attention span (well, sort of). I have started many, many shows and animes before but I've only finished one anime which was 12 episodes long.

The amount of times I've re-watched shows but never finished them is too high of a number. Like House MD, My little Pony, Hunter x Hunter. I can recognize the arcs and episodes from just a few frames but lord forbid you ask me to finish the last few seasons.

It's the same with movie series or book series. Say Harry Potter. I've re-watched every movie except the two Deathly Hallows because I've never watched them. I've got the book for Christ's sake. It's such a pain in the side that I've recently just been avoiding series in general.

It's not that I get bored of a series or that I can't focus while watching one. Hell, I've pulled so many 'all-nighters' when I would watch a show. But when I have to take a break and come back to it later is when it starts to get difficult to continue watching. I must have no breaks in immersion in order to have the genuine physical capacity to continue to watch something. Once my mind gets busy with something else, I start to become physically repulsed at the thought of going back to where I last was to continue.

Reading books have become harder because of this, but once I get back into that flow state, I'm able to fly through it no problem. It's mostly the getting back on track and just being able to actually like turn on the show or open the book that's difficult in the first place.

If it's not that, it's either the change between seasons/books or the personal hype dying out. Say Abbott Elementary. When I first got into the show I watched it until the the last available season. I wasn't aware that there were more coming out. When it did, I found that the change in dynamics and the different time frame was extremely difficult to get back into. I'm incredibly averse to change when it comes to media that I enjoy. Even if the humor and style never changed, It's wasn't my Abbott, you know?

Or say, Demon Slayer. During the pandemic, the production was postponed and there was only one season. I re-watched it like a mother fucker. But even though the style, dynamics, or characters didn't change much directly after, the fact that the first movie and other seasons came out after my initial hype that made it difficult to continue the show at all.

My hype also isn't related to trends. I started Mob Psycho only recently⏤years after it's initial popularity⏤but soon was interrupted in my binge streak that week that my own hype for it died and I never finished it. It's frustrating that shows that I still am interested is so hard to pick back up. Whenever I find that show's I've finished in the past got a new season, I feel genuine dread because I know I'll never watch it.

It's hard not to be able to relate to anyone and share love for a show or book series because it's already difficult for me to pick up a book or movie I want to watch in the first place. Just recently I accidentally started the first book in the series without realizing it. I just feel horrible because I found the summary of the next one super interesting but I just know that it won't be read by me.

Should I find it in myself to start finishing series or should I avoid series like the plague? I like one shots and short stories a lot and I'm hoping that's not just because my past socmed usage gave me symptoms of ADHD.

[fancypengy]

This is so interesting! I have a similar aversion to TV shows/miniseries/whatever but it doesn't apply (as much) to movies and books. I mean, I don't watch as many movies or read as many books as I'd like, but my aversion to shows goes crazy. For one, I don't have any streaming subscriptions, so access is more difficult, but even when I do have access to them... IDK, it's the mental commitment I think?

I recently developed a baddd special interest in Breaking Bad, and despite the Extreme Blorbo Feelings, I almost stopped watching it about 2/3 of the way through. And that's considered, like, one of the best TV shows of all time, isn't it?? I don't know what it is about them that I'm just, yeah, averse to.

I'm super curious to see if anyone else can relate. Almost everyone I know IRL seems more tv show-adjacent than movie-adjacent. I feel like I'm missing out but also not, haha.

[lakes]

For me, I can get through TV shows, but a lot of times I do getting worried about forgetting to continue them, especially since I prefer to "take breaks" between seasons/editions. It makes catching up with ongoing series that much more frustrating because sometimes there's a new seasons out, so I have to watch 2-3 seasons beforehand just to understand it. The worst part is that my brother put me onto One Piece and I know for a fact I'm not finishing that 
That said, you might wanna get into OVAs for anime. They're old direct to video series and movies. A lot of them are only 2-4 episodes long.

[Kiko!]

IDK, it's the mental commitment I think?

It's probably the mental commitment, yeah. I have horrible commitment issues that i've only recently discovered and it's frustrating to say the least. not only can i not stick with one idea or thing, but keeping a routine or something similar is forgotten quite easily.

For me, I can get through TV shows, but a lot of times I do getting worried about forgetting to continue them

That's understandable, i also tend to forget to go back to movies and shows haha :3 it's mostly because i have dread trying to pick something up after taking a break though

[candycanearter07]

Agreed, the stress of keeping up with a series is stressful, and coming back after a while absolutely sucks. I've been sitting on finishing the DR3 anime for months now because I lost momentum and now its weird to try and go back and watch everything again. Admittedly I also don't have any streaming services, so I can't watch most "new" series, but yea. The only episodic series I really got excited about is like Deltarune

[Kiko!]

Agreed, the stress of keeping up with a series is stressful, and coming back after a while absolutely sucks. I've been sitting on finishing the DR3 anime for months now because I lost momentum and now its weird to try and go back and watch everything again.

Wow I'm glad my struggles are not just a me thing because I seem to be the only one in my life that has this issue. It's such a little thing that happens to me with work and that's why I procrastinate, put me not to pick up something I actively enjoy is frustrating and feels awful.

The joy of starting a new series of media is so fun but then you lose the momentum and then it's like... meh.

[rnottelovesowls]

i have a similar feeling, too. i remember, many years ago, i was able to watch the entirety of assassination classroom, avatar: the last airbender, and cardcaptor sakura (the original - that particular series, i've rewatched TWICE. can you tell? hehe...) then i watched the entirety of amphibia and the owl house as well. but things have changed for me since, because i've gotten more into films, miniseries, and graphic novels that are either one-shots or only a few volumes. this isn't due to not being able to hold my attention to TV shows, though. moreso, a newfound appreciation for stories that end. when i want to be entertained, the last thing i want is for my time to be wasted. and there are only so many episodes of romance or action anime i can sit through before i scream, "oh just stop hiding your feelings and confess them already!" or "oh just stop charging your attacks and unleash them already!"

[lakes]

i have a similar feeling, too. i remember, many years ago, i was able to watch the entirety of assassination classroom, avatar: the last airbender, and cardcaptor sakura (the original - that particular series, i've rewatched TWICE. can you tell? hehe...) then i watched the entirety of amphibia and the owl house as well. but things have changed for me since, because i've gotten more into films, miniseries, and graphic novels that are either one-shots or only a few volumes. this isn't due to not being able to hold my attention to TV shows, though. moreso, a newfound appreciation for stories that end. when i want to be entertained, the last thing i want is for my time to be wasted. and there are only so many episodes of romance or action anime i can sit through before i scream, "oh just stop hiding your feelings and confess them already!" or "oh just stop charging your attacks and unleash them already!"

Even though I'm completely opposed to long TV shows, I kinda agree with the sentiment. A lot of times when I'm bored of watching TV shows, I just switch over to watching movies. I don't get people who binge watch like 10 episodes of the same show in a day. Even if or especially if what I'm watching is long, I kinda prefer to pace myself for similar reasons. It just gets kinda boring having too much of the same thing.