As our 3rd Critic on the Spot, we welcome Matthew Gilbert, television critic for the Boston Globe. Among the shrines at which he has worshipped during his tenure: The Sopranos, Freaks and Geeks, Six Feet Under, Scrubs, Lost and The Office. He has written celebrity and author interviews for the Globe, served as literary and managing editor at Boston Review, clerked at a number of local bookstores, and gotten his MA in Literature. He has had other jobs and assignments, too, but he can no longer remember them because TV has destroyed his brain.
This brings to an end our conversation with Matthew Gilbert. Thank you, Matthew, for educating us and making us laugh all at the same time! We look forward to more of your insights either here or on the Globe website... or hopefully both! Our final two questions are somewhat related—both raise questions on the changing media landscape—and they come from Alan Carter and Rolando Teco and appear below in that order.
Q:
Has too much choice, too many channels and too many programs diluted the product ... is TV as bad as its ever been? Or by having so much choice, are there more gems than say during the so called "golden age"?
A:
I think that the profusion of channels and shows has been a real plus. TV writers and producers aren’t forced to dumb down to get on the air; there are outlets for low-rated high-quality series.
Q:
How has the rise of internet entertainment changed the nature of entertainment on television? Do you see a long-term trend at play and if so, what should we expect from television a decade or so down the road?
A:
Another small question (ha ha). I think the internet will change -- has already changed -- television in terms of scheduling. At this point, almost everything is available on demand online, so the notion of appointment TV is passe. And that’s a good thing, I think. We have more control over the when, which gives us control over the what.
TVs and computers will be ever closely related technologically, and inevitably that will cause some cross-pollination of content -- more viewer interactivity with TV shows, say, or TV-show websites that extend storylines. But right now I’m feeling like the content will remain mostly separate -- the homemade online stuff will be online only, the produced and more expensive stuff will be on TV and on demand via the internet. I think the internet will improve TV distribution, but I don’t think it will redefine content much more than it already has.
