For all its abundance, the current ecosystem suffers from a crisis of quality and mental health. The term "enshittification" —coined by Cory Doctorow—describes how platforms start by delighting users, then degrade their service to favor business customers, and finally degrade it further to maximize profit for shareholders. Search for a recipe on Google and you will scroll through three paragraphs of life story; open YouTube and you face two unskippable ads before a 10-minute video padded to hit monetization thresholds.
For consumers, the infinite scroll has led to decision paralysis and content fatigue. The average user spends 2.5 hours scrolling through menus before settling on something they have already seen. The fear of missing out (FOMO) has been replaced by a new dread: the fear of wasting time on something "mid."
In response, a counter-movement is growing. Slow media—long-form podcasts (4+ hours), lo-fi radio streams, and "ambient" YouTube channels—offers a refuge from the algorithm's frantic pace. There is a rising appetite for sincere entertainment: unironic musicals, wholesome reality shows (The Great British Bake Off), and films that are not deconstructing the genre but celebrating it (Top Gun: Maverick). After decades of irony and meta-humor, audiences are starving for authenticity. trans+slumber+party+gender+x+films+2024+xxx+w+work
As we look toward the end of the decade, three trends will define the next phase of entertainment content:
One of the most significant developments in recent years is the collapse of the wall between hard news and entertainment. Consider the following: For all its abundance, the current ecosystem suffers
Conversely, the tools of entertainment are now used to sell everything else. "Gamification" turns fitness (Peloton) and language learning (Duolingo) into score-based entertainment. ASMR whispers sell luxury cars. The line is so blurred that it is often impossible to tell if you are being informed, entertained, or sold to—and increasingly, it is all three at once.
The slumber party format lowers stakes — pajamas, midnight snacks, whispered confessions. For trans performers, it also challenges the “audition room” or “sex club” settings of traditional porn. Sex happens between video games, dysphoria management, and sharing HRT tips. The camera is sometimes forgotten, then picked back up. This is w + work in action: women, femmes, and trans people controlling their own erotic labor, including the unsexy labor of setup, negotiation, and clean-up. Conversely, the tools of entertainment are now used
Understanding the major buckets of entertainment helps in analyzing trends.
| Category | Examples | Primary Platforms | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Scripted Narratives | TV series, films, miniseries, web series | Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Disney+, YouTube Premium | | Unscripted & Reality | Game shows, talent competitions, docuseries, lifestyle | Cable TV, Peacock, Amazon Freevee, TikTok | | Audio & Music | Albums, podcasts, audiobooks, radio plays | Spotify, Apple Music, Audible, YouTube Music | | Interactive & Gaming | Video games, live-streamed gameplay, interactive films (e.g., Bandersnatch) | Twitch, Steam, PlayStation/Xbox, Roblox | | Short-Form & Viral | Clips, memes, skits, loops | TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Snapchat | | Live & Experiential | Concerts, theater, comedy shows, esports, theme parks | Ticketmaster, Eventbrite, in-person venues |
Popular media is no longer just TV and movies. Here are the dominant forces in 2024–2025: