Why Comfort Food TV Seems to Be More Popular Than Ever

kathmandu:novembar11/25/2017 saturday  Birbal Tamang.

All it takes is one quick glance at the shows that have found success this fall (and all those that haven't) for one thing to become abundantly clear: Audiences are turning out in droves for TV that makes them feel good.
The idea of comfort food TV is nothing new. Since the days of Lucy Ricardo and her Vitameatavegamin loopiness, viewers have been using TV as a way of escaping their world for one where problems are tidily resolved within an hour, everyone's always quick with a joke, and the good guys (almost) always win. Despite the fact that the medium's recent golden age chose to eschew those feel-good properties for shows that reflected real life, regardless of how uneasy they left you by episode's end, it seems the pendulum is once again swinging back in favor of the classic model.
And with a world that's seemingly gone mad, delivering an onslaught of spirit-breaking news at breakneck pace, this pivot is really no surprise.
For evidence of this, you need look no further than the fall's biggest breakout hit, ABC's The Good Doctor. Starring Freddie Highmore and based on a Korean drama of the same name, the series tells the story of Dr. Shaun Murphy, a young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome, as he navigates a new career as a member of the prestigious St. Bonaventure hospital's surgical unit. The show has been an overnight success, debuting to 11.2 million viewers (19.21 when DVR viewership was factored in) in its first week, making it the network's highest-rated Monday drama debut in 21 (!!) years and the No. 1 drama on TV.
The medical procedural, which hails from House creator David Shore and EP Daniel Dae Kim, wasn't exactly a critical darling prior to premiering, but its mix of sentimentality and earnestness, not to mention its depiction of a main character overcoming adversity and discrimination, has certainly endeared it to fans. "This show is absolutely amazing," writes one fan on the show's official Facebook page. "It is promoting both autism awareness, acceptance, and positivity."
"Love this show and all of the messages. This show is very meaningful for today," writes another.
The Facebook page is absolutely full of reviews like the ones above, and when you speak to fans, it's clear that the show has really struck a chord. "His autism and his ability to function as a doctor and as an individual," one such fan, Elizabeth Ann Cannon, tells E! News when asked what drew her to the show. "Many times you assume that children that are challenged will be at home with parents, but in fact most live independently on their own. Love that the character shows many sides of autism."
When asked if the show provides her a respite from an ugly world, she admits that it does. "We must do that in life, rise above our own preconceived thoughts on others," she says, referencing the latest episode, which saw the main character's chief adversary finally acknowledge that he's, in fact, a good doctor. "At some point we must look at others as human beings, living and loving. I don't know if it's THE reason I watch, but it's ONE of the reasons I continue to watch. (Great acting is one of the main reasons.)The characters are evolving for the better I wish our nation would take note and do the same."
The comfort that The Good Doctor is obviously providing to millions week after week works on two levels. First, it follows in the footsteps of last season's breakout hit This Is Us in that it offers a catharsis, an opportunity to experience a full range of emotions and shed a few healthy tears in the process. And second, its procedural element guarantees that each week, problems will usually be solved neatly. And it's that second part that can't be understated.
By:Writter
Birbal Tamang.