It has become increasingly clear that more and more people have gotten used to watching movies and television in the background while simultaneously using their laptop, phones or other devices. Whether you are switching between games, assignments or work. A human cannot do multiple things at once.
I have been guilty of second-screen watching myself. But this practice is a disservice to the many people who put blood, sweat and tears into creating that form of art and also to the viewer.
I loved watching Season 1 of the medical drama “The Pitt,” but I found myself constantly rewinding and missing details because I was playing video games at the same time. It would have been better to just do one thing at a time.
In a 2018 article by the Stanford Report, it is explained that people can’t truly multitask. Instead, what people refer to as multitasking is really just switching back and forth between tasks. When we watch as an audience watching a piece of entertainment while doing something else, we are robbing ourselves of the full experience of both.
It’s embarrassing to admit, but while watching Season 2 of “The Pitt,” I only then learned that Dr. Jack Abbot was an amputee, even though it was revealed the season prior, I just didn’t catch it. While it’s not a major plot point, as a fan of the show, I didn’t want to overlook details like that.
The practice of second-screen watching has led to an even bigger issue.
Streaming services are beginning to design their shows to be easier to consume while focusing on multiple devices. According to The Guardian, Netflix is telling showrunners that some scenes in their projects aren’t “second screen enough,” urging them to dumb-down their shows.
When I look for a show, I want something character driven with compelling narratives. Where actions have a better focus than words, I do not want dialogue-heavy slop that feels like it has to guide me every step of the way. I and many other viewers are capable of critical thinking, with context clues and a solid story we can understand what film and showmakers are trying to convey.
According to a YouGov survey from March, 76% of Americans say that they have used another device while watching a show or movie.
I believe audiences deserve high quality entertainment, so a part of me dies a little inside to see how often we choose to distract ourselves from what we’re watching.
Not everything we watch has to be deeply meaningful, but shows like “The Pitt” or “From” deserve our full attention.
I urge fellow film and television fans to put away their devices and enjoy your favorite piece of screen work.
