Brian Cox Says TV is Now Better Than Cinema

Here’s actor Brian Cox, as always, being openly honest and critical, this time, slamming Marvel and DC, claiming that superhero movies have killed cinema. He’s saying Television as taken over, creatively and artistically.

Cox shared his thoughts while speaking on a panel at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in Scotland, adding that he believes television has surpassed cinema in terms of quality. (via THR),

“What’s happened is that television is doing what cinema used to do,” Cox said. “I think cinema is in a very bad way. I think it’s lost its place because of, partly, the grandiose element between Marvel, DC and all of that. And I think it’s beginning to implode, actually. You’re kind of losing the plot.”

I’m all for criticizing Marvel and DC, and in a way, they have watered down the quality of Hollywood films these last 10 years. However, in no way shape or form is television of better quality than current day cinema.

If Cox would have said these comments in 2008 then he might have had a point — that’s when “The Sopranos,” “The Wire,” “Breaking Bad,” “Mad Men,” and “Lost” we’re airing new episodes, all at the same time. The high quality TV trend continued on for another decade or so, but today, “peak TV” as we know it is dead.

Of course, it’s easy for Cox to say this, he starred in the most acclaimed series of the last five years: HBO’s “Succession.” However, thave been plenty of writeups about how “Succession” might have very well been the last gasp of “prestige TV,” including from The New York Times, The Washington Post, Financial Times, The New Republic, The Guardian, and Forbes.

“Succession” should be seen as the end of an era, one which started with “The Sopranos,” and kept going for another two decades. Now television’s boom cycle has gone bust, streamers are embracing more conservative, less experimental programming and a heavier reliance on formula and algorithms.

Meanwhile, cinema, although in a rattled state, remains the more artful visual medium. That is, if you’re willing to think outside the box and venture off to watch more than just the latest blockbuster. In 2024, and with still four months to go in the year, I’ve counted around 30 films that I found to be above average. On the television side, I could probably count on one hand the number of great shows that I’ve seen this year.