There were A LOT fewer movies/shows each year to consume. We had 3rd parties doing reviews of the movies both in print and television. There were no centrally

There were A LOT fewer movies/shows each year to consume. We had 3rd parties doing reviews of the movies both in print and television. There were no centrally controlled entities telling you what was popular near you as a recommendation. Also it was not uncommon to just "go to the movies" and then ask the clerk what they recommended, this was how I ended up seeing several great films.