--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Television is ever more ambitious, more…" description: "\"Television is ever more ambitious, more akin to the Victorian novel with multiple narratives and more discursive material.\" — James Watkins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/044/james-watkins-20702_ambitious_television-is-ever-more-ambitious-more-a_1018601.jpg" --- # Television is ever more ambitious, more akin to the… ![“Television is ever more ambitious, more akin to the Victorian novel with multiple narratives and more discursive material.” quote by James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/044/james-watkins-20702_ambitious_television-is-ever-more-ambitious-more-a_1018601.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/044/james-watkins-20702_ambitious_television-is-ever-more-ambitious-more-a_1018601.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/044/james-watkins-20702_ambitious_television-is-ever-more-ambitious-more-a_1018601.jpg) > “Television is ever more ambitious, more akin to the Victorian novel with multiple narratives and more discursive material.” [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern TV resembles Victorian novels, weaving many storylines and dense discourse. **In simple terms:** TV now tells many intertwined stories. Key Takeaway Embrace complex storytelling. Themes media storytelling complexity Mood curious analytical Type observational critical When to use this quote - streaming series - anthology shows - scriptwriting workshops Key Concepts narrative structure multithreading Questions to Reflect On - What makes a multi‑threaded plot engaging? - How does TV compare to classic literature? A Different Perspective Complex narratives can alienate casual viewers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambitious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitious/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Victorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victorian/) ## Related quotes > [In high school, I began to dig my way into Ethiopian history, and began to understand myself as a young man formed by multiple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinaw-mengestu/in-high-school-i-began-to-dig-my-way-into-ethiopian-history-and-began/) [Dinaw Mengestu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinaw-mengestu/) > [I love white linens and walls mixed with antique Victorian furniture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-helen-bowers/i-love-white-linens-and-walls-mixed-with-antique-victorian-furniture/) [Mary Helen Bowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-helen-bowers/) > [Social mobility decreased under Labour and under the current government it is reversing. The differences between the poorest and richest are returning to Victorian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-trigell/social-mobility-decreased-under-labour-and-under-the-current/) [Jonathan Trigell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-trigell/) > [Simply put, if you are a Wayward Victorian Girl, I'll find you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilie-autumn/simply-put-if-you-are-a-wayward-victorian-girl-i-ll-find-you/) [Emilie Autumn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilie-autumn/) > [The Victorian woman became her ovaries, as today's woman has become her "beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/the-victorian-woman-became-her-ovaries-as-today-s-woman-has-become/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) > [Actual Victorian mores and politics were a reaction to a specific series of historical events, technological and scientific developments, and ethical trends in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/actual-victorian-mores-and-politics-were-a-reaction-to-a-specific/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [I love Victorian novels, the way they capture the nuances of the human condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/i-love-victorian-novels-the-way-they-capture-the-nuances-of-the-human/) [Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/) > [“The Victorian era was an age of superlatives and larger-than-life characters, and as far as that goes, Dr. Wildman Whitehouse fit right in: what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-victorian-era-was-an-age-of-superlatives-and-larger-than-life/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“In the mystifying world that was Victorian parenthood, obedience took precedence over all considerations of affection and happiness, and that odd, painful conviction remained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/in-the-mystifying-world-that-was-victorian-parenthood-obedience-took/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [All the stories of the Bible that I know came to me first from my grandfather's lips... He would see stories in everything. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/all-the-stories-of-the-bible-that-i-know-came-to-me-first-from-my/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [I think of myself now as a writer, although I wouldn't go as far as to say 'novelist' because that sounds like a Victorian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-french/i-think-of-myself-now-as-a-writer-although-i-wouldn-t-go-as-far-as-to/) [Dawn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-french/) > [After a day of rain the sun came out suddenly at five o'clock and threw a golden bar into the deep Victorian gloom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/after-a-day-of-rain-the-sun-came-out-suddenly-at-five-o-clock-and/) [Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/) > [Then years back, when I moved to California, I happened to see a book about fashions of 19th-century Victorian England, only four pages of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/then-years-back-when-i-moved-to-california-i-happened-to-see-a-book/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “Everyone who writes in the sub-genre of Victorian mystery stands in \[Sir Arthur Conan\] Doyle's shadow.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-thomas/everyone-who-writes-in-the-sub-genre-of-victorian-mystery-stands-in/) [Will Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-thomas/) > [“Merkin had used only one drop of the “just soap.” Two drops would have made her Master walk slightly awkwardly. Three drops would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-suciu/merkin-had-used-only-one-drop-of-the-just-soap-two-drops-would-have/) [Sorin Suciu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-suciu/) ## More by James Watkins > [If you think about the traditional mafia stories we grew up on, it is always about the death of criminal organisations - things like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/if-you-think-about-the-traditional-mafia-stories-we-grew-up-on-it-is/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [The opportunity to be able to tell long-form character stories is something that TV affords and is therefore a terrain that a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/the-opportunity-to-be-able-to-tell-long-form-character-stories-is/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [We want 'McMafia' to be a tense gangster story but also a family story. It's a collusion of those two worlds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/we-want-mcmafia-to-be-a-tense-gangster-story-but-also-a-family-story/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [We think criminality is something that exists in somehow another world to us. But actually, there is an invisible criminal web in which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/we-think-criminality-is-something-that-exists-in-somehow-another/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [People like to see their lives mythologized in some way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/people-like-to-see-their-lives-mythologized-in-some-way/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [As a screenwriter, you are so used to things going in directions that you wouldn't have taken, so to be able to say, 'This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/as-a-screenwriter-you-are-so-used-to-things-going-in-directions-that/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [Directing is an act of interpretation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/directing-is-an-act-of-interpretation/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [Parents fear for their children. Absolutely, I think it's a deep and troubling theme to explore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/parents-fear-for-their-children-absolutely-i-think-it-s-a-deep-and/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [There are a lot of horror films out there that are nasty, but what's nasty isn't necessarily scary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/there-are-a-lot-of-horror-films-out-there-that-are-nasty-but-what-s/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [If you look at 'The Sopranos,' there's this notion of a criminal element on its last legs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/if-you-look-at-the-sopranos-there-s-this-notion-of-a-criminal-element/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [If you look around in London, there is a lot of dirty money. People see it as a safe haven: a bolthole to rely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/if-you-look-around-in-london-there-is-a-lot-of-dirty-money-people-see/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [I don't really watch a load of 'Game Of Thrones.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/i-don-t-really-watch-a-load-of-game-of-thrones/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [There's nothing worse in television than what I call 'poor man's Jerry Bruckheimer.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/there-s-nothing-worse-in-television-than-what-i-call-poor-man-s-jerry/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [I've got lots of friends who would just think, 'Horror movies - they're crap, aren't they?' I think there's a cultural snobbery more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/i-ve-got-lots-of-friends-who-would-just-think-horror-movies-they-re/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [Where previously the international underworld was a world of local, often-warring mafia territories, it has become globalised. The criminal has become corporate, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/where-previously-the-international-underworld-was-a-world-of-local/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) [Explore all 30 James Watkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) ## More Ambitious quotes > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [I want my squad to be confident, ambitious. They have to believe in big things and we have to set targets internally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-howe/i-want-my-squad-to-be-confident-ambitious-they-have-to-believe-in-big/) [Eddie Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-howe/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [“Getting rich is easy, staying rich is impressive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-trip/getting-rich-is-easy-staying-rich-is-impressive/) [Don Trip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-trip/) > [Trying to be perfect may be inevitable for people who are smart and ambitious and interested in the world and its good opinion...What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/trying-to-be-perfect-may-be-inevitable-for-people-who-are-smart-and/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) Chris Kirubi > [I am ambitious to do more than what has been offered me. I want to be the best in whatever career I choose and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uday-chopra/i-am-ambitious-to-do-more-than-what-has-been-offered-me-i-want-to-be/) [Uday Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uday-chopra/) > [There are four varieties in society — the lovers, the ambitious, observers, and fools. The fools are the happiest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippolyte-taine/there-are-four-varieties-in-society-the-lovers-the-ambitious/) [Hippolyte Taine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippolyte-taine/) > [People who are ambitious - politicians who crave power - think that they're in control of it, but at some point, the movement that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-liu/people-who-are-ambitious-politicians-who-crave-power-think-that-they/) [Ken Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-liu/) > [I'm not ambitious. Not a bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-m-not-ambitious-not-a-bit/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [Aggressive and hard-charging women violate unwritten rules about acceptable social conduct. Men are continually applauded for being ambitious and powerful and successful, but women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/aggressive-and-hard-charging-women-violate-unwritten-rules-about/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [I understood early on that I was not the best-looking girl in the room. But I knew my advantage was a hard work ethic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-connor/i-understood-early-on-that-i-was-not-the-best-looking-girl-in-the/) [Erin O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-connor/) > [It is ordained that to the ambitious, who derive no satisfaction from the gifts of life and the beauty of the world, life shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/it-is-ordained-that-to-the-ambitious-who-derive-no-satisfaction-from/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [If Reagan and John Paul II were linked by anything, it was a grand, ambitious, and generous idea of Western political civilization, one in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/if-reagan-and-john-paul-ii-were-linked-by-anything-it-was-a-grand/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [To talk only about national security, national defense, means to be selfish, ambitious. It is discrimination, isolation. "It is just me. What do I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evo-morales/to-talk-only-about-national-security-national-defense-means-to-be/) [Evo Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evo-morales/) [Browse all 1,269 Ambitious quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitious/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Television is ever more ambitious, more akin to the Victorian novel with multiple narratives and more discursive material.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Watkins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/television-is-ever-more-ambitious-more-akin-to-the-victorian-novel/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambitious" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/television-is-ever-more-ambitious-more-akin-to-the-victorian-novel/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/044/james-watkins-20702_ambitious_television-is-ever-more-ambitious-more-a_1018601.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/044/james-watkins-20702_ambitious_television-is-ever-more-ambitious-more-a_1018601.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/044/james-watkins-20702_ambitious_television-is-ever-more-ambitious-more-a_1018601.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Television is ever more ambitious, more akin to the Victorian novel with multiple narratives and more…” — James Watkins", "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": "James Watkins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Television is ever more ambitious, more...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/television-is-ever-more-ambitious-more-akin-to-the-victorian-novel/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/television-is-ever-more-ambitious-more-akin-to-the-victorian-novel/#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 } } ] } ```