--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think what people watch television for…" description: "\"I think what people watch television for is the emotional continuity, from episode to episode, and feeling that the experience that they had, four epis..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/alex-kurtzman-30346_building_i-think-what-people-watch-television-for_1192590.jpg" --- # I think what people watch television for is the emotional… ![“I think what people watch television for is the emotional continuity, from episode to episode, and feeling that the experience that they had, four episodes ago, has actually been building to an episode that comes later, and knowing that the characters are growing, as a result of that, and making…” quote by Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/alex-kurtzman-30346_building_i-think-what-people-watch-television-for_1192590.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/alex-kurtzman-30346_building_i-think-what-people-watch-television-for_1192590.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/alex-kurtzman-30346_building_i-think-what-people-watch-television-for_1192590.jpg) > “I think what people watch television for is the emotional continuity, from episode to episode, and feeling that the experience that they had, four episodes ago, has actually been building to an episode that comes later, and knowing that the characters are growing, as a result of that, and making mistakes, is really, really important to the way people connect to television.” [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Television engages viewers by maintaining emotional threads across episodes, showing character growth and mistakes, which deepens audience connection. **In simple terms:** TV keeps viewers hooked by showing characters evolve over time. Key Takeaway Focus on consistent character development. Themes storytelling character development audience engagement Mood engaging reflective Type analytical observational When to use this quote - TV series writing - serial dramas - character arcs - viewer loyalty - media analysis Key Concepts Narrative continuity emotional resonance Questions to Reflect On - How does character growth affect your attachment to a show? - What balance of continuity and novelty keeps you interested? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on continuity can stifle surprise and innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Continuity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/continuity/) [Continuity Episode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/continuity-episode-3544088/) [Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional/) [Emotional Continuity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional-continuity-3544086/) [Episode Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/episode-feeling-3544087/) [Episodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/episodes/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing/) [Making mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-mistakes/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/results/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Television Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television-emotional-3544085/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Watch Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watch-television/) [Watches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watches/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I want 'Hot Ones' to give people that warm, fuzzy, TGIF 'Family Matters' Christmas-episode feeling after they watch it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-evans/i-want-hot-ones-to-give-people-that-warm-fuzzy-tgif-family-matters/) [Sean Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-evans/) > [I don't watch television, I think it destroys the art of talking about oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-don-t-watch-television-i-think-it-destroys-the-art-of-talking-about/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [When you watch television, you never see people watching television. We love television because it brings us a world in which television does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/when-you-watch-television-you-never-see-people-watching-television-we/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [When you watch television shows, as good as they are, like 'Joan of Arcadia' and 'Touched by an Angel,' everything is this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-seltzer/when-you-watch-television-shows-as-good-as-they-are-like-joan-of/) [David Seltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-seltzer/) > [There's times where you can watch television and say, 'Look at that cheesy thing they're doing for ratings,' and you're right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/there-s-times-where-you-can-watch-television-and-say-look-at-that/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [I don't really get a chance to watch much television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-estes/i-don-t-really-get-a-chance-to-watch-much-television/) [Will Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-estes/) > [It's a fact that more people watch television and get their information that way than read books. I find new technology and new ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/it-s-a-fact-that-more-people-watch-television-and-get-their/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [I love to read the way people love to watch television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/i-love-to-read-the-way-people-love-to-watch-television/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [I've no patience for people who say they never watch television. It's a great way to keep in touch with popular culture, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-wogan/i-ve-no-patience-for-people-who-say-they-never-watch-television-it-s/) [Terry Wogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-wogan/) > [I think many years from now, people will still watch television, though it will probably be 150 inches wide. What will change is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-moonves/i-think-many-years-from-now-people-will-still-watch-television-though/) [Leslie Moonves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-moonves/) > [Children from the age of five to ten should watch more television. Television depicts adults as rotten SOB's given to fistfights, gunplay, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/children-from-the-age-of-five-to-ten-should-watch-more-television/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [You know, I don't watch television! Sorry! I actually don't even have a television. I don't, I really don't. It's nuts, but it's true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-smith/you-know-i-don-t-watch-television-sorry-i-actually-don-t-even-have-a/) [Brooke Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-smith/) > [There is a difference. You watch television, you don't witness it. But, while watching television, if you start witnessing yourself watching television, then there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/there-is-a-difference-you-watch-television-you-don-t-witness-it-but/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Young people do not watch television; they are on the Internet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/young-people-do-not-watch-television-they-are-on-the-internet/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [I watch television. Game shows - I hate the hosts and the people on them, and I love the questions and the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-watch-television-game-shows-i-hate-the-hosts-and-the-people-on-them/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) ## More by Alex Kurtzman > [When you're working on a scene, both in the script phase and also in the moment, you look around and you wait for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/when-you-re-working-on-a-scene-both-in-the-script-phase-and-also-in/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [As a director you have to be at 30,000 ft objectively looking at everything, wondering if you're making the right objective, emotional, story, character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/as-a-director-you-have-to-be-at-30-000-ft-objectively-looking-at/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [I think our goal and intention is to make sure that, when you watch each episode, you don't have to make that choice, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/i-think-our-goal-and-intention-is-to-make-sure-that-when-you-watch/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [I think what all the Universal monster movies are defined by, and what makes them very special, is that it's really the only genre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/i-think-what-all-the-universal-monster-movies-are-defined-by-and-what/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [The thing for me, and I can only really judge this by what I respond to myself as an audience member, I really only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/the-thing-for-me-and-i-can-only-really-judge-this-by-what-i-respond/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [In fact, we actually listen to fans all the time. It's helpful because you want to get a sense of what people are looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/in-fact-we-actually-listen-to-fans-all-the-time-it-s-helpful-because/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [You used to have to make a choice. Is it a serialized television show, or is it a stand-alone or procedural? We were wildly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/you-used-to-have-to-make-a-choice-is-it-a-serialized-television-show/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [By actually taking Sleepy Hollow and the Rip Van Winkle story, and finding the spirit of what was great about both of them and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/by-actually-taking-sleepy-hollow-and-the-rip-van-winkle-story-and/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [When you start a script you aim to hit a note you know you want to end in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/when-you-start-a-script-you-aim-to-hit-a-note-you-know-you-want-to/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [I asked a director once what the secret of it all was, and he said you have to be so prepared that you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/i-asked-a-director-once-what-the-secret-of-it-all-was-and-he-said-you/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [I love the opportunity to tell the story about the characters through the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/i-love-the-opportunity-to-tell-the-story-about-the-characters-through/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [An emotional story is an emotional story no matter how big or small it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/an-emotional-story-is-an-emotional-story-no-matter-how-big-or-small/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [You always go by your gut. That's the best you can do. You go by what you feel, and you say yes or no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/you-always-go-by-your-gut-that-s-the-best-you-can-do-you-go-by-what/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [We were such fans of Sleepy Hollow, in all of its iterations - growing up with the Disney show, and then Tim Burton's and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/we-were-such-fans-of-sleepy-hollow-in-all-of-its-iterations-growing/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) > [I do believe that people go to the movies - for one reason or another - they go to the movies to have an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/i-do-believe-that-people-go-to-the-movies-for-one-reason-or-another/) [Alex Kurtzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) [Explore all 17 Alex Kurtzman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/) ## More Building quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'd like to play Ian Paisley, actually. I'd need building up, though he's very frail now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-d-like-to-play-ian-paisley-actually-i-d-need-building-up-though-he/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [As for the forces, electromagnetism and gravity we experience in everyday life. But the weak and strong forces are beyond our ordinary experience. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/as-for-the-forces-electromagnetism-and-gravity-we-experience-in/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [I'm 30. I'm about to hit my prime now. I need to act and keep building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillian-whyte/i-m-30-i-m-about-to-hit-my-prime-now-i-need-to-act-and-keep-building/) [Dillian Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillian-whyte/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [Practically every time I speak up at a school conference, a political event, or my apartment building association's annual meeting, I'm met with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/practically-every-time-i-speak-up-at-a-school-conference-a-political/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) [Browse all 5,974 Building quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think what people watch television for is the emotional continuity, from episode to episode, and feeling that the experience that they had, four episodes ago, has actually been building to an episode that comes later, and knowing that the characters are growing, as a result of that, and making mistakes, is really, really important to the way people connect to television.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alex Kurtzman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/i-think-what-people-watch-television-for-is-the-emotional-continuity/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Building" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/i-think-what-people-watch-television-for-is-the-emotional-continuity/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/alex-kurtzman-30346_building_i-think-what-people-watch-television-for_1192590.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/alex-kurtzman-30346_building_i-think-what-people-watch-television-for_1192590.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/alex-kurtzman-30346_building_i-think-what-people-watch-television-for_1192590.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think what people watch television for is the emotional continuity, from episode to episode, and feeling…” — Alex Kurtzman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alex Kurtzman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kurtzman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think what people watch television...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/i-think-what-people-watch-television-for-is-the-emotional-continuity/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kurtzman/i-think-what-people-watch-television-for-is-the-emotional-continuity/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```