When deciding between watching a TV show or a movie, it depends on the time I intend to spend staring at something, and what precisely I am in the mood for. Both have their pros and cons, but each is a relatively different experience altogether.

Television shows are always good when I want something that keeps going. With multiple episodes and sometimes multiple seasons, they give me the time to care about the detailed stories and interesting characters. Shows like Prison Break have their suspense and plot twists that just draw you in, trying to guess what’s going to happen next. Then again, something like Regular Show is great for a quick laugh and to get an episode in really quick to kill some time. You can also always pace yourself with TV shows: I can either watch an episode or two in one sitting or binge a whole season if I have a free day. That flexibility makes them perfect when I want something to fill my free time without committing a big block of time.

On the other hand, movies are ideal for when one wants something more complete and quicker.

I get the whole story wrapped up in two or three hours with no waiting. Movies like The Shawshank Redemption or Prisoners can have a powerful experience in such a short time and be full of action, emotion, and great visuals. What’s great about movies is that I don’t have to follow any seasons or cliffhangers, unlike TV shows, when I just want to sit back and enjoy something from start to finish. Another good thing is not having to deal with watching five 40-minute-long episodes just to see the ending.

I love to watch TV series when I have time to sit around and really get into a longer story, but if I want to get something over and done with that still really makes an impact, then movies are my thing. Each of them are great in their own way. But at the end of the day, both options will always end up depending on my mood or schedule.