--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think right now television is the best…" description: "\"I think right now television is the best that it’s ever been, and I think that it’s the worst that film has ever been.\" — Dustin Hoffman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/dustin-hoffman-4662_cinema_i-think-right-now-television-is-the-best_913605.jpg" --- # I think right now television is the best that it’s ever… ![“I think right now television is the best that it’s ever been, and I think that it’s the worst that film has ever been.” quote by Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/dustin-hoffman-4662_cinema_i-think-right-now-television-is-the-best_913605.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/dustin-hoffman-4662_cinema_i-think-right-now-television-is-the-best_913605.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/dustin-hoffman-4662_cinema_i-think-right-now-television-is-the-best_913605.jpg) > “I think right now television is the best that it’s ever been, and I think that it’s the worst that film has ever been.” [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Television excels in immediacy and variety, while film struggles with depth and artistic ambition. **In simple terms:** TV is great now, but film may be declining. Key Takeaway Balance media consumption and support quality content. Themes media culture quality technology Mood critical analytical Type observation opinion When to use this quote - home entertainment - film criticism - media studies - content creation Key Concepts broadcasting cinema artistic standards Questions to Reflect On - How do you evaluate the value of TV vs film? - What makes a film truly great? A Different Perspective Overgeneralizes; both mediums have strengths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-now/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Television Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television-best-1296107/) [Think Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-worst/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) [Worst Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-film-520178/) ## Related quotes > [I made films with my brothers and my cousins and if any of the films ever come to fruition my career will be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-lloyd-hughes/i-made-films-with-my-brothers-and-my-cousins-and-if-any-of-the-films/) [Henry Lloyd-Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-lloyd-hughes/) > [I seem to watch less and less television. The best thing in 'Downton Abbey' is Penelope Wilton. She is always worth the watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-seem-to-watch-less-and-less-television-the-best-thing-in-downton/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > ['Stargate SG-1' is one of Sci Fi's sure-fire hits. It's got one of the best ensemble casts on television and one of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/stargate-sg-1-is-one-of-sci-fi-s-sure-fire-hits-it-s-got-one-of-the/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) > [Television is what its always been. The best of times and the worst of times at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-david/television-is-what-its-always-been-the-best-of-times-and-the-worst-of/) [Gary David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-david/) > ['The Mary Tyler Moore Show' was the best television, the best cast, the best-written television show ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/the-mary-tyler-moore-show-was-the-best-television-the-best-cast-the/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [Television is what it's always been. The best of times and the worst of times at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-david-goldberg/television-is-what-it-s-always-been-the-best-of-times-and-the-worst/) [Gary David Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-david-goldberg/) > [The most corrosive piece of technology that I've ever seen is called television - but then, again, television, at its best, is magnificent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-most-corrosive-piece-of-technology-that-i-ve-ever-seen-is-called/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Really? Worst film you ever saw. Well, my next one will be better. Hello. Hello.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-wood/really-worst-film-you-ever-saw-well-my-next-one-will-be-better-hello/) [Ed Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-wood/) > [Nobody ever remembers the worst film they ever saw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/nobody-ever-remembers-the-worst-film-they-ever-saw/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [People feel the worst film I made was 'Jack.' But to this day, when I get checks from old movies I've made, 'Jack' is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/people-feel-the-worst-film-i-made-was-jack-but-to-this-day-when-i-get/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [It was a fine cast and lots of fun to make, but they did the damn thing on the cheap. The backdrops had holes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-keel/it-was-a-fine-cast-and-lots-of-fun-to-make-but-they-did-the-damn/) [Howard Keel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-keel/) > [I worked as hard to write the worst film of the year as I did to write the best film of the year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-helgeland/i-worked-as-hard-to-write-the-worst-film-of-the-year-as-i-did-to/) [Brian Helgeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-helgeland/) > [I think it's important that your first film be your worst film, that one's life trajectory should go up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-pollak/i-think-it-s-important-that-your-first-film-be-your-worst-film-that/) [Kevin Pollak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-pollak/) > [“The worst film of a good director is better than the best film of a bad director.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-roston/the-worst-film-of-a-good-director-is-better-than-the-best-film-of-a/) [Tom Roston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-roston/) > [I think my worst enemy was myself. It's like I've been in my own way more than anybody else has been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/i-think-my-worst-enemy-was-myself-it-s-like-i-ve-been-in-my-own-way/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) ## More by Dustin Hoffman > [Well this is aptly called a junket, for both of us. I have never been to a house of prostitution, but I understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/well-this-is-aptly-called-a-junket-for-both-of-us-i-have-never-been/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [I think the most insulting thing you can do to a director is to challenge when he or she is satisfied with your interpretation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-think-the-most-insulting-thing-you-can-do-to-a-director-is-to/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [A "take" is an opportunity to fail ... and we think that we have to get it right all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/a-take-is-an-opportunity-to-fail-and-we-think-that-we-have-to-get-it/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [“(In response to the question: What is your least favorite word?) It's three words that we usually use as one: woulda, shoulda, coulda. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/in-response-to-the-question-what-is-your-least-favorite-word-it-s/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [Many actors want to play Hamlet and Macbeth. Ever since I became an actor, from the very beginning I just wanted to play a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/many-actors-want-to-play-hamlet-and-macbeth-ever-since-i-became-an/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [Blame is for God and small children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/blame-is-for-god-and-small-children/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [The truth is, the older you get, the less variety of parts you are offered. If you're a star and you've spent most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/the-truth-is-the-older-you-get-the-less-variety-of-parts-you-are/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [“I say go, go, be led. particularly If you're in your twenties, which I suspect a lot of you are in. I tell my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-say-go-go-be-led-particularly-if-you-re-in-your-twenties-which-i/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [I walked out of the theater and started crying. My wife asked me, 'Why are you crying?' I said, 'Because I can't do that.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-walked-out-of-the-theater-and-started-crying-my-wife-asked-me-why/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [Acting didn't solve much! If it did, I would have ended up much less crazy than I am today, but I'm not. At least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/acting-didn-t-solve-much-if-it-did-i-would-have-ended-up-much-less/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [I don't like the fact that I have to get older so fast, but I like the fact that I'm aging so well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-don-t-like-the-fact-that-i-have-to-get-older-so-fast-but-i-like-the/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [We need to band together as a unit every day, especially to conquer the strength of the AIDS virus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/we-need-to-band-together-as-a-unit-every-day-especially-to-conquer/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [There were a few things that went into it. When you're doing something you're trying to be your audience at the same time, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/there-were-a-few-things-that-went-into-it-when-you-re-doing-something/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [You spend so much of your life basing yourself on what you think other people think of you. Then you realise that maybe one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/you-spend-so-much-of-your-life-basing-yourself-on-what-you-think/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [My wife always says that I will be stuck with this forever: I am the difficult one. With Jack Nicholson they always said it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/my-wife-always-says-that-i-will-be-stuck-with-this-forever-i-am-the/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) [Explore all 107 Dustin Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) [Jessica Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-yu/) > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think right now television is the best that it’s ever been, and I think that it’s the worst that film has ever been.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dustin Hoffman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-think-right-now-television-is-the-best-that-it-s-ever-been-and-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-think-right-now-television-is-the-best-that-it-s-ever-been-and-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/dustin-hoffman-4662_cinema_i-think-right-now-television-is-the-best_913605.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/dustin-hoffman-4662_cinema_i-think-right-now-television-is-the-best_913605.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/dustin-hoffman-4662_cinema_i-think-right-now-television-is-the-best_913605.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think right now television is the best that it’s ever been, and I think that it’s the worst that film has…” — Dustin Hoffman", "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": "Dustin Hoffman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think right now television is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-think-right-now-television-is-the-best-that-it-s-ever-been-and-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-think-right-now-television-is-the-best-that-it-s-ever-been-and-i/#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 } } ] } ```