Anticipation… is makin’ me WAIT

By Jerry Kranitz (April 13, 2026)

As a young boy in the early 1970s, I was obsessed with horror and science-fiction films. In those days we called them ‘monster’ movies. Each week I would eagerly wait for the new issue of TV Guide to hit the newsstands. I would take it home, and armed with a pen, methodically read through the weekly broadcasts, excitedly circling any such movies I landed on. Then on the scheduled day and time, I would plant myself in front of the television tuned to the channel that had blessed me with this opportunity. Finding these films were magical ‘Hooray!’ moments. And waiting for them would occupy my thoughts throughout the week. By the time of the actual broadcast, I would be a quivering blob of enthusiasm.

A thought, a click, and… Voila!

I stopped buying TV Guide long ago. Who needs it? (I was shocked to see it’s still published in print form.) In the year 2026, I can watch nearly anything on a whim. Old films, new films, it’s all available to stream. Netflix and Prime are the only services I subscribe to. And it’s the rare film that’s not available on at least one of them.

Wait a full week for the new episode of my favorite television show? And suffering through commercials? What a laugh! Now entire new seasons get dumped for my binging pleasure.

I’m a lifelong music fanatic. I have fond memories of sitting alone in my bedroom listening to records. I would gaze at the jacket, reading all the credits and lyrics, and read rock magazines like Creem, Circus and Rock Scene.

If I wanted to hear a new album I had to go to the store and buy it. I would often try out new bands based on the cover art. I found some of my favorite bands that way. But I had to take a chance by shelling out my hard-earned newspaper delivery money.

Today I can sample anything I want on YouTube, Spotify or numerous other digital options. In most cases I can hear the entire album before spending a dime. In my wildest dreams, the youthful me could never have imagined such a bonanza of instant gratification, exceeding anything I witnessed in the most speculative science fiction film.

Is something missing?

The instant availability of movies, television shows and music is a profound benefit. But something seems to be missing. Before the internet, there was a palpable thrill in finding movies I could watch and then waiting for them to broadcast. Buying the latest record by a band I loved and then taking it home to hear made me giddy with suspense. Viewing films or hearing music online mere moments after I think about them is beyond wonderful. But the excitement is clearly lacking.

Christine Rosen references a study where researchers found that “vacationers displayed greater pre-trip happiness than non-vacationers. That is, the people looking forward to the trip were happier than those without vacation plans.” The point was, as the researchers theorized, “that anticipation played a crucial role in explaining this difference; planning, reading about, and arranging the details of the trip was a pleasurable experience for most people. Ultimately, it wasn’t the vacation itself that made people happy; it was anticipating the vacation that made them happy.”

Rosen then zeroes in on the essential point – “We are more likely to experience waiting as delay rather than anticipation.” That is, we now equate delay with inconvenience.

Was I impatient waiting for the movies I found to be broadcast? I sure was. But the impatience I experienced was excitement… anticipation… for what was to come.

Does anything need to be fixed?

No. Nothing is broken. Instant gratification is a feature, not a bug.

But there’s a tangible difference between how I experience new movies and music today compared to my decades ago youth. Two generations into the digital age, we take these things for granted. None of this is bad. But it’s just not the same level of excitement and thrill of discovery I recall after having waited for these experiences.

I remember going to three-week sleepaway camp. I loved it but was so obsessed with knowing what movies I missed while I was gone that I had my mom mail me the new TV Guides. We don’t have that ‘problem’ now. Maybe Carly Simon was looking into a crystal ball back then when she sang, “Anticipation is keepin’ me waiting.”