*Television has always been a window into what was, what is, and what could be in terms of social development. Television series today represent numerous different dating models. They riff on social constraints of the past and present and leave a hopeful future. They also look at the different forms of dating that can take place. Take a look at these TV series and see how relationships have been portrayed in the past and present.
How Love and Relationships are Shown on TV Screens?
Asking how love and relationships are shown on TV screens is a difficult question due to the vast changes in social constraints. For example, shows in the past demonstrated certain acts as amoral and something to be talked about, but now they’re commonplace. Due to the number of dating websites, it seems just as easy as in movies to find a partner for casual encounters.
Television producers have a lot more freedom to show all sorts of interactions in the present day. Now, it is not only commonplace for shows to demonstrate all sorts of relationships, but they can include people of many races and sexualities!
Take a Look at the TV Series and Dating Patterns the Main Characters Follow
Many shows in the past and present have made a splash regarding their portrayal of different dating models. The different series helped break the barriers of what TV executives were willing to portray to their viewers. Each of these shows was somewhat instrumental in breaking new barriers. Take a look at these shows and what they brought to the table when it came to love and relationships.
Sex and the City (1998–2004)
As one might imagine, with the name of this show, it sought to portray the fast-paced lives of four women that were trying to establish their work and personal lives. Most interestingly, the show was one of the first on the air that talked about hookups and casual dating like they were normal and healthy experiences rather than something to be ashamed about. While the show did not last as long as some people wanted it to, the fact that it brought the idea of women seeking fun and validation for their own sake was helpful to society at large!
The Affair (2014–2019)
When people talk about affairs, they are usually met with a highly negative viewpoint instead of one that is understanding. Yet, The Affair asks whether it is forgivable for someone to find comfort in the arms of another when they are at a breaking point in their lives. The show’s unique structure of going back between Noah and Alison makes it a little hard to keep things straight since they remember things differently, but the intriguing story makes people think twice about what they thought they knew about affairs between adults.
You’re the Worst (2014–2019)
Two people that are living a hard and fast lifestyle have a hookup. While that might seem cut and dry, the ongoing results from that incident are hardly what you would expect. Jimmy and Gretchen have to examine their old ways and reasons behind their lifestyles while also coming to grips that they may have fallen for one another during their relationships.
Bridgerton (2020-present)
Perhaps the biggest show on TV right now, Bridgerton has captured the imagination of people that are obsessed with relationships and power in the Regency era. In this show, the biggest drama is not only the difference in social classes between Simon and Daphne, but it also makes people consider interracial relationships, even though they are in an alternate reality.
It’s a Sin (2021)
The HIV/AIDs crisis that shook the UK in the 80s and 90s was a difficult time for gay people to find love. This show explores the years 1981 to 1991 through the eyes of a group of gay men, showing what has happened and their approach to meeting others in the hardest scenarios.
Does TV Inspire Viewers for Love Search?
Will watching a good show make people more likely to look for love? It’s hard to say, but when you weigh the social changes that happen during the same time period as the show’s run, it’s difficult to say which caused which. Did people seek hookups because Carrie on Sex in the City, or did the series occur in the midst of a major social change? People might view shows and open their minds, and that can spawn a search for love!
Television has a profound impact on the way that people consider love and relationships in the modern day. The various dating models, from casual dating to affairs, have become more understandable if not acceptable during the same time these shows have covered the subject matter on the airwaves. Will the future keep pushing the envelope? We’ll have to wait and see, but it seems likely.
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
