Denver resident Kaleena Barnes often finds herself at work – the University of Colorado’s Leeds business school – when a co-worker asks about a TV show, usually one that has recently aired.
Some weeks, it’s about “So You Think You Can Dance.” Other weeks, it’s “Lost.”
“But she usually starts conversations like that,” Barnes said of her co-worker. “She’ll say, ‘Oh did you see such and such last night?’ Usually it comes up, and then everyone pays attention and jumps in, and it goes from there.”
As Barnes’ experience demonstrates, TV is growing as a social-bonding mechanism. Finding a fellow viewer of your favorite TV show can form such a strong and immediate link that it turns an acquaintance into a friend – instantly.
“The more immediate social bonding that takes place in person can happen when two people realize they have a favorite show in common,” said Montana Miller, professor of popular culture at Bowling Green University. “It seems to me that we’re probably using this a lot more as a common point of connection these days.”
Exploring why is more a study in sociology and psychology than one in entertainment, and Stuart Fischoff sits at the cross section.
“First impressions are based on whether you think you have similar values as another person – whether it be political, religious or similar interests,” said Fischoff, executive editor of The Journal of Media Psychology and an emeritus professor at California State University in Los Angeles.
“The fact that someone is a different religion or works a different job, that doesn’t become relevant until the relationship progresses and reaches a different level,” Fischoff said. “So popular culture becomes a very common jumping-off point.”
Reasons vary depending on whom you ask, but almost everyone agrees that, more than ever, TV shows have the power to provide hours of chitchat.
Miller says a divisive political climate weighs on people, and they prefer talking about something less contentious.
“If we can debate “Lost” or “Desperate Housewives,” you can have your opinions about what’s going on, and it still has all the passion of a political debate, people would prefer that,” Miller said. “It’s like a new form of political discussion in a very safe way. You can have very strong feelings and not become enemies with a person.”
To Coury Turczyn, editor of PopCult Magazine, television offers insight into someone’s personality, something few other topics accomplish.
“If you find out someone likes ‘Arrested Development,’ for instance, you have a quick read on their type of humor,”
Turczyn said. “If it matches yours, you have that bond, more so than knowing a person’s favorite football team is the Denver Broncos.”
Bob Thompson, director of Syracuse University’s Center for the Study of Popular Television, credits a surge in niche programs, creating communities of fans who associate much like long-lost family members.
“The reason I think it works is because it’s instantaneous,” Thompson said. “If you find out this person has every DVD of ‘Family Guy,’ you’ve all of a sudden got a huge load of things to talk about. With these shows – ‘Arrested Development,’ ‘Lost,’ ‘Family Guy’ – it’s a whole history you both share, like you’re a part of the same family.”
Within television, two prongs determine the strength of the bond. The more obscure the show, the stronger the bond. The more complex the story line, the more material to dissect.
Some shows hit both prongs – obscurity and complexity – and are perfect for sudden friendships: “Arrested Development,” “Freaks and Geeks,” “Deadwood.” Others hit hard on complexity – “Lost,” “The Sopranos,” most reality TV shows – and forge bonds despite their popularity.
“With a show like ‘Lost,'” Thompson said, “when you find someone who watches the show, you can have a five-hour conversation with that person, because there are all these theories and clues to discuss, and everyone has their own idea about what’s going on.
“‘Friends’ is a great example of a show that doesn’t work. With ‘Friends,’ everyone was watching it. And there was no complexity. So you meet someone who also watched ‘Friends,’ what are you going to say to that person? ‘So, are Ross and Rachel ever going to get together?’ What else can you say?”
Before the proliferation of cable and more niche programming, popular culture was more homogenous, based on the limited number of TV shows and movies produced. The advent of cable and satellite systems created a rift, as stations produced more shows, and popular culture – especially television – became more diffuse.
A bevy of little communities emerged. Trekkies, for instance, formed some of the earliest friendships based on their devotion to “Star Trek.” Now, with increased emphasis on DVD sales and iTunes downloads, cult TV shows are on the rise. People buy complete seasons – even complete series – of shows, becoming experts on one or two particular programs.
It offers hours of potential conversation.
“Not only will TV continue to be a social-bonding device,” Thompson said, “but it’ll get more extreme before it stabilizes.”
Staff writer Scott Lieber can be reached at 303-820-1694 or at slieber@denverpost.com
