Thank God For Animation

I’m going to write a ridiculous “I’m grateful” piece, but I actually mean it seriously.

So I’m a TV person in addition to a movie junkie. This is not a secret. Every year I’ve not only enjoyed watching movies, seeing the previews (on the big screen only, I’m a purist), reading the “making-of” behind the scenes stories…and I’ve done the same with television. The Fall TV Preview of Entertainment Weekly – one of the ones that would help dictate what I would entertain myself with for the next 8 months (September-May being the main TV season). 

This has changed over the years as cable became legit players (HBO, FX, AMC etc, all have some of the best content on TV) and then even more as streaming services became streaming giants (I could have nothing but Netflix and probably never run out of things I’m interested in watching – I still haven’t even seen Fauda). But still, there remains something steadfast, consistent and maybe even comforting to know that no matter what else happens in our insane public and private worlds, the seasons will change and that includes  our boob tube boxes, giving us new and returning content to watch from “The Big 5” networks (CBS, NBC, ABC, CW, FOX).

But not this year. Not exactly. Because filming for the Fall occurs, you guessed it, during the previous months when life already stopped for the pandemic. So come this Fall there isn’t really new programming available except….they were able to find a way with 3 main archetypes:

1. Reality TV. Well with the exception of Shark Tank and Survivor I have proudly never been a fan of the genre, so that didn’t really help me here. Especially given that Survivor did not find a way to safely resume filming yet (ironic for a show that involves people basically quarantined in the middle of nowhere for 39 days). 

2. Scripted shows that were never meant for the Fall. Midseason replacements that they had in storage containers that they can bring out now and be like, “Oh yeah, we always meant for this to be in our Fall lineups”. Sure you did. Suuuure. (Apologies to any scripted shows someone out there has worked on who’s reading this – I’m sure your scripted network show is the exception and really, really good!)

3. Animated shows. Here is where I’m excited. Most animated shows found ways to continue the animation and voice-over work from the safety of their homes or solitary offices. And tonight those premiered. I managed to get through this pandemic and do something I’ve never done before. I emptied my DVR. Gone. Watched them all. Moved on to streaming shows which are plentiful and endless. But my DVR was empty. But tonight the 4 animated silly shows premiered, and there it is…my DVR has things on it again, and I’m so happy for such a trivial thing in my life, reminding me that things can feel normal…..ish.

(Oh, and if you’re staring at my photo and curious about Fargo, that’s live-action and scripted but not a Network show, and it’s absolutely phenomenal, and can be found on FX and Hulu).

So my blessing to all of us for this new post-Yom Kippur Jewish year is that next year, L’Shana Ha’baah normalcy in our DVRs!

Boaz Hepner grew up in LA in Pico/Robertson and now lives here with his wife and baby girl. Thus, the neighborhood is very important to him. He helped clean up the area by adding the dozens of trash cans that can still be seen from Roxbury to La Cienega. When he is not working as Registered Nurse in Santa Monica, he can be found with his wife and daughter enjoying his passions: his multitude of friends, movies, poker and traveling.