You tell me what TV shows you watch, and I’ll tell you how you vote.
This seems to be the premise of a new study called “Are You What You Watch?” Backed by the Pop Culture Collaborative, it examines the correlations between our political opinions and preferred TV shows.
As it turns out, there’s more nuance to the connection than liberals binge-watching “Modern Family” and conservatives watching “Duck Dynasty.”
Fans of “The Walking Dead,” for example, are more likely to rank immigration among their top three issues regardless of their ideology. Maybe the zombie apocalypse survivors remind some fans of asylum-seekers, or maybe other fans think the show makes a case for strong borders. “The Walking Dead” has an ideologically diverse viewership: It’s among the most-watched shows by “Purples,” people in between both ends of the political spectrum.
Some shows unite large groups of people, but it’s hard to find one that liberal-leaning “Blues,” conservative-leaning “Reds,” and Purples all enjoy. “Game of Thrones” appears to defy partisan lines, with all three demographics putting it atop their lists, though compared to Blues and Purples, half as many Reds watch it. But it’s not the only show around which Americans can unite.
Across the board, Americans love to hate “Pawn Stars.” It’s like “Antiques Roadshow” for people under 75. Employees at Las Vegas’ only family-run pawn shop assess the value of a bunch of knick-knacks, from life-size cowboy statues to Seiko watches.
The recipient of near-universal derision, the show is now in its 16th season. Everyone seems to hate it, but they still love to watch the Harrison clan. “Viewership is high among all three ideological groups,” the study reports, “but ratings are low: in short, people are hate-watching Pawn Stars.”
“America’s Funniest Home Videos,” “Bones,” “Criminal Minds,” and “MythBusters” are among the most popular for all three groups. That tells us a little bit about what Americans want: either comedy or drama, often crime stories or bits of trivia. Though shows such as “AFV” and “Criminal Minds” couldn’t be more different, they do have one thing in common: They’re not political.
While many new shows, such as Hulu’s “Shrill,” become ideologically driven to the point of banality, producers should consider what Americans actually want to see. Purples watch the most TV, and they enjoy shows from “Cake Boss” to “Empire,” from “Orange is the New Black” to “Wipeout.” If TV shows can focus on telling a good story rather than pushing an agenda, they might get more Blues and Reds to tune in as well.
The world of politics is divisive enough, and it’s good to know that we can still unite around at least some of our entertainment. Even if that means hate-watching “Pawn Stars” together.
