ne of the defining attributes of the recently ended Golden Age of Television was that the quality, while spectacular, was not matched by quantity. It was more than possible for a casual fan to deep-dive four or five key shows and still be able to feel like a part of the larger cultural conversation.1 In 2013 the highs might not be as high, but the depth and breadth are staggering. Suddenly, excellence is everywhere, onchannels you had written off, channels you didn't know you had, and channels that aren't even channels at all. There is no longer an offseason, as the summer, traditionally a dead time, is now rife with premieres, returns, and revivals. Worthy international imports are flooding the markets like cheap hooch, and a nation of poor, swollen DVRs is listing under the strain. And with every one of these programs comes the gift and the curse of serialization, meaning cherry-picking episodes is as outdated as a laugh track. To start a show means investing the precious hours in finishing it. Savoring has been replaced with bingeing; checking something out has been replaced with barely keeping up. Watching TV is my job, but these days it can feel like work for anyone.

I've been meaning to get into Scandal. A lot of people say it's trashy but awesome.