TV to me is more than just a distraction from my homework; it’s something I seek out and enjoy regularly. When presented an extra one or two hours between classes, I jump at the chance to catch one of the terribly entertaining “reality” shows on MTV or see if I haven’t seen the “South Park” episode that’s airing on Comedy Central (of course, this is no longer possible, thanks to an epic summer marathon). With such a prominent place in my livelihood, I’m always surprised by how little attention TV gets from the media. Motion pictures seem to capture the bulk of national attention, and while this makes sense in terms of their monetary success compared to TV shows (cough…NBC…cough), I am outraged that the superior medium of television remains uncelebrated just because one show doesn’t make as much money as one movie.

When you compare TV and movies side-by-side, it’s astounding that anyone would go to theaters to see a weaker product. Think about “Saving Private Ryan,” the Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks World War II movie, compared to the Spielberg/Hanks-produced World War II series “Band of Brothers.” While both were celebrated depictions of the same topic, at 169 minutes it’s hard for even one with the longest attention span to sit through “Saving Private Ryan.” Because of its division into 10 hour-long episodes, “Band of Brothers” is not only much easier to watch than its film counterpart, but it also covers much more of the war with just as much detail.

TV shows are also better able to develop romantic relationships in a realistic fashion compared to movies. Think about films like “Billy Madison” or “Notting Hill,” where the hero spends the first half of the movie basically alone and pining for his/her romantic interest; then suddenly they’re in love. While this would be awesome if it happened in real life (I’m still hoping), it just doesn’t seem realistic at all and leaves the average viewer thinking, “Wait, how did that just happen? Is this the same movie?”

The greater time opportunities with TV shows allow much more realistic and satisfying relationship development. Think “The Office” with Jim and Pam, and just how happy you were when they kissed at the end of the second season, when they finally started dating and when they got married. Their relationship is one of the most realistic and hope-giving I’ve seen on TV or film (I get “emantional”).

As for entertainment, all you have to do is ask yourself if you’d rather watch two hours of “Fame” or many hours of “Glee” and you’ll see how more is obviously better. Some shows are so entertaining and become so integral to our lives that once they finish, fans are left with a gaping whole in their lives that desperately needs to be filled (I’m looking at you, “Lost.” How could you leave me?). No one movie could ever have that devastating effect.

Or, if you’re like me, TV’s biggest asset is the potential for “marathoning,” or the watching of full seasons of a show in a short span, usually one to two days. While you can—and I have—marathon a series of movies like the James Bond films, there is simply nothing like getting up early on a random summer day, going to your friend’s basement and watching an entire season of “24” in 18 hours plus bathroom breaks for those with weak bladders. It brings everyone involved closer together and instills a unique mix of shame for watching TV for an entire day and pride in watching 18 hours of TV in one day.

Think about all this next time you’re at the AMC down the street about to shell out 12 bucks to watch two hours of inferior entertainment when you could be watching ∞ hours of the best entertainment -available for free in the comfort of your own bed. As thanks for changing your life for the better, I will accept that $12 you saved.