By Tasnim Oyshi
Staff Writer
Too much of a good thing is bad.
This is a sentiment that has been around for millions of years. Consume things, whether it is food, literature, or media, in moderation. When it comes to the entertainment field today, however, it seems we no longer care about following such a warning.
There is a plethora of shows, films, music, and even social media content like memes and videos coming out every day. This can be considered a good thing to some extent. After all, in an age where technology thrives and most of the world has access, people should be free to exhibit their ideas however and whenever they want. Freedom of expression is a privilege that we are lucky to experience, so why not take advantage of it?
That question is answered when there ends up being so much content released that no one film, song or video is uniquely distinguishable anymore. The danger of oversaturation in media is that it all ends up being too similar. We grow tired of getting excited for a new release only to be met with the same thing we've already witnessed before.
Artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Gracie Abrams have faced many criticisms for making music that people think sounds like Taylor Swift. Shows such as “The Summer I Turned Pretty” or “My Life with the Walter Boys” get compared to each other as well as their film predecessors of the same genre, like “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” and “The Kissing Booth.” Not even social media trends are safe from this problem, with audios trending on TikTok getting filled with people all over the world using them to make the same type of videos.
There is also the problem of sequels, which has been an established grievance of audiences for much of the modern entertainment era. It seems as though every year, there is a new film or series coming out that is connected to popular films and series of the past.
The newest “Jurassic World: Rebirth” film and the “Jurassic World” franchise have capitalized on the fame of the original “Jurassic Park” film that came out in 1993.
Musicians are also guilty of this, as sampling and interpolation have become an increasingly popular tactic for artists such as Ava Max and Doechii, with their songs having taken inspiration from older hits like “Barbie Girl” by Aqua and “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye.
Many media content creators alike have fallen into the trap of going with what works. They simply follow the formulas that have performed well in the past in hopes of recreating the success of the content that came before. There is little room for creativity and ingenuity to flourish when everyone is focused on piggybacking off the fame of another film, song or series.
This, however, is not entirely the fault of those who are responsible for creating such media. We, the consumers, are just as much to blame. We crave original content, yet when it is offered to us, we often fail to take the chance to contribute to its success.
Pixar’s “Elio” was promoted and thought to be a film that would bring something different to cinemas than the sequels and remakes we are used to. However, not many have talked about it since its release, while the “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Lilo & Stitch” remakes both grossed over $600 million worldwide, with “Lilo & Stitch” making over $1 billion. Even artists like Rodrigo and Abrams don’t seem to decline in popularity, despite the complaints of their music sounding “unoriginal.”
Today’s entertainment industry is littered with failed original ideas and a myriad of remakes on the way. Audiences are no longer anticipating the next big thing because they already know what’s to come. They know that there is simply too much of the same thing surrounding them in the current media landscape. This breeds disappointment in both themselves and the people who are releasing the content. Ultimately, it becomes a cycle where neither the audience nor the creators are satisfied.
However, this does not have to be the case. There are so many original ideas left in the world for people to come up with. And they CAN be successful. Films like “Sinners” and artists like Alex Warren have thrived in 2025.
There can be more original content produced if we stop focusing on what was popular in the past and give our attention to what creative minds in the industry have to offer. We do not have to remain bored with the abundance of indistinguishable media that we are served, when there is unique and inventive media out there for us to find and enjoy.
