Welcome to the age of Background TV: Some viewers keep up with shows by listening to them in the background

The Hollywood Reporter

"People often ask me how I keep up with so many television series simultaneously in the age of Peak TV," says Robyn Bahr. "Well, here's my dirty little secret: I listen to most of them in the background while I do other tasks. Far from the inert, drooling couch potato my critic's lifestyle might lead one to believe, I'm actually quite deliberate in how I manage my screen time. And frankly, I just don't have the attention span for unadulterated entertainment consumption these days....Truthfully, I have a TV show playing in the background when I'm cooking, crafting, tidying, exercising, folding laundry, washing dishes, eating certain meals and getting ready in the morning. As someone with low-level anxiety, I find this schedule helps stanch my breathless inner monologue while I keep intellectually engaged. I've even developed organizational strategies for making this format work, including knowing what types of shows to choose for this need and how to run through them efficiently without missing any important beats (a.k.a. sometimes watching things 10 minutes at a time if I have to). This isn't mindlessly flipping on the television set for background noise, but a thoughtful and systematic method for keeping up with my weekly serials and bingeable season-drops. Welcome to the age of Background TV."