Commentary: ‘Ambient Swim’ Shows The Range Of Television

Since the dawn of television, producers have tried to figure out exactly how it can be best utilized. There are the obvious public service interests such as communicating news and broadcasting sporting events. Then there are entertainment venues such as game shows, talk shows, and scripted narratives. But television can also have a more neutral, background effect on people’s lives. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the focus of attention, but rather something that adds to other aspects of living. This kind of television isn’t used often for modern audiences, but Ambient Swim is a great example of this phenomenon.

Originally a part of Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programing block, Ambient Swim isn’t like a normal television show. There’s no story or any kind of narrative to engage in. Instead, the show focuses on animation footage played over Lo-Fi rhythms and beats. It’s not meant to be watched as much as it meant to be felt. The viewer can be doing anything: washing dishes, responding to emails, cleaning the house, anything that allows the viewer to check out and perform a task while vibing to the music and repetitive animation on the screen.

The animation itself isn’t anything of interest. It is well done, but it’s not meant to be a story. Instead, it could be just a boy sitting on his bed in his room or a girl watching a continuous waterfall. These repetitive images can lull the viewer into a trance that allows them to focus on the task at hand. But it’s not all animation. There is an episode featuring footage of a train traveling through remote environments as well as an episode narrated by Joe Pera as he plays stock footage of animals. (That episode actually has some minor entertainment value.) Ambient Swim is not alone in this mission. Disney+ offers similar programs, such as one that takes the viewer across some of the most popular landscapes in Star Wars. But the point is that in today’s hyper environment of viewership and shock value, it’s nice to see television being utilized for different purposes that can enrich one’s life rather than simply fight for attention.

Ambient Swim is now streaming on Max.