Are TV shows wrong to move on and depict a post-pandemic world?

Paste Magazine

"There have been no press releases or grand announcements, but it would appear that COVID storylines and television shows have consciously uncoupled," says Amy Amatangelo, adding: "TV no longer seems interested in addressing our current reality. Yes the medium has always required a willing suspension of disbelief; a fictional comedy or drama is not an accurate reflection of society or even of how the world works. But there is such a disconnect now between the world fictional characters live in and the world we live in. Television has moved on, but we cannot." As Amatangelo points out, the pandemic never happened on shows like Ted Lasso, The Rookie, Mare of Easttown, Hacks and Only Murders in the Building, allowing for a great escape for viewers. While other shows like The Good Doctor, Grey's Anatomy and This Is Us have moved on after doing COVID storylines. "During this time of great unrest and stress, TV has been a comforting constant," says Amatangelo. "And yet now, more than ever, viewers and fictional characters are in parallel universes—one where COVID exists and one where it never did (or where it’s been vanquished). Is that fine for now? Probably? But what about next year or the year after? Unfortunately, we will be living with the effects of COVID most likely for years to come. In small ways (supply chain issues are guaranteed to make Christmas shopping difficult) and heartbreaking ways (people are still dying), COVID affects our daily lives. We cannot actually transport ourselves to a fictional post-pandemic world—no matter how much we would like to."