Since the golden age of television in the late ’90s and mid-2000s, the medium has changed significantly. However, Quentin Tarantino, the mastermind behind films like Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds, still holds a preference for cinema over television. He expressed his feelings during a recent chat on The Joe Rogan Experience, alongside his co-host from Video Archives Podcast, Roger Avary.
“Everyone praises how amazing television is nowadays, which it definitely is to some extent,” the Oscar-winning director shared. “It’s nice, but it remains television in my eyes. Take a show like Yellowstone. I was hesitant to jump in at first, but once I did, I thought, ‘Wow, this is fantastic! Kevin Costner is incredible in this.’ I ended up getting wrapped up in the story and really enjoying myself.”
“Before I knew it, I was binge-watching three seasons and even checked out the [spin-off] 1883. I realized I genuinely liked it—I’m a fan of Westerns!” Tarantino recounted. “While watching, it captivates me, but ultimately, it’s just a soap opera. If you watch The Edge of Night every weekday, you’ll get invested in the characters’ dramas, but five years down the line, it’s all forgotten. You’re merely engaged in the details while it unfolds, not really retaining it.”
Tarantino ultimately sees that movies leave a more profound and lasting impact than most TV series. “When I watch a well-crafted Western film, it stays with me for life. I can recall the narrative, some scenes—those moments build to an emotional climax. The storyline matters—it’s not only about the characters’ interactions. It has a satisfying conclusion to it. TV, however, tends to be more of a continuous drama. It’s engaging while I’m watching, but afterward, I often struggle to remember the details,” he explains.
“I couldn’t name any of the antagonists from seasons 2 or 3 of Yellowstone—they’ve completely slipped my mind! Yet, I’ll never forget Red River,” Tarantino emphasized.
While some viewers may contest Tarantino’s viewpoint, particularly given how much more intricate storytelling has become in television over the last two decades, he remains open to the format. He collaborated with Netflix in 2019 to adapt his 2015 film The Hateful Eight into a miniseries and directed episodes for both CSI in 2005 and ER in 1995. Nonetheless, it appears that, at least for now, he maintains a distinct preference for film over television.
