My husband and I have been binge-watching the television series “Longmire.” The crime drama is based on author Craig Johnson’s popular mystery series featuring Walt Longmire, a Wyoming sheriff. Since 2020 (one guess why), we’ve binge-watched many series. The funny thing about our binge-watching is that we are always behind the times, television-wise. “Longmire” ran from 2012-2017. We’re just now watching it. And that’s not all. We’ve enjoyed many “new” series including “The Sopranos,” “Breaking Bad” and “Downton Abbey.” Obviously, we do not stay on top of current small screen entertainment. Well, guess what? In this case, we’re happy to be behind the times. One of the benefits of aging, I suppose.
I mention our TV habits because there is something that irritates me about the current access to television programs. When I was growing up, there were a handful of television channels to choose from. Then cable television arrived, and if you were willing to pay for the service, watching the tube became much more entertaining and expensive. Fast forward to 2022 where subscription streaming services intersect with traditional television programming, and suddenly viewers have more options – at a price.
This is where the library comes in. Streaming services such as Netflix or HBO Max (among others) aren’t free; viewers have to pay to view content. But if you own a DVD or Blu-Ray player, you have access to thousands of movies and programs available from the library. No matter the weather – hot, cold, or anything in between – the library’s DVD collection can keep you company while you insulate indoors. And that’s priceless.
- “Breaking Bad” distributed by Sony Pictures.
- “Downton Abbey” distributed by PBS.
- “Longmire” distributed by Warner Bros.
- “The Sopranos” distributed by HBO Video.
