My brilliant plan will revolutionize movies and TV

Sometimes, advances are so obvious that it's hard to know how we got along before them.

Take toilet paper, for instance.

Lunchables. Cup holders in vehicles.

I'm about to propose what is the next.

Years from now, you'll remember first hearing this idea in 2018. Your grandchildren won't believe it didn't exist before that.

I call for the creation of the TV/Movie Recap Person.

Relax. You'll like it.

I got the idea from cable TV news, which will report the same news over and over. But when breaking news happens – when the situation keeps changing – the networks have a technique.

"Here's what we know now," a serious broadcaster will say. And then the broadcaster recaps everything important. A plane crash or a military invasion or a stock market crash or a Kardashian pregnancy. They summarize the details, give the timeline and say what's next. It maybe takes a minute, then they resume the news.

In, out, updated.

Good idea, right?

So why not use this for movies and TV shows, which so often get confusing?

I'm not calling for a revolution, I'm calling for something similar to when TV networks began showing the clock and score during sporting events, providing us something that we should have had all along. Clarity.

This is something we need.

Or at least, it's something I need. I often get lost while watching movies and TV shows, wondering whether I missed some important dialogue or didn't catch the return of a character from earlier. The people on the screen know what's happening. Mrs. Brad often knows what's happening. I don't.

The TV/Movie Recap Person could change that. A quick recap.

In, out, updated.

Consider, for instance, if this were a thing during the run of "Breaking Bad." You would be watching an episode, not sure exactly what was happening – wondering if you were supposed to know what was happening – and the recap person would suddenly come on screen.

"Here's what we know now: Walter continues to get more focused on making meth, even though he seems like he has enough money. The mystery is whether he actually does. That boy who was looking for spiders is dead . . . still . . . and Todd seems like a sociopath, but we don't know yet. Todd just told Walter that he has contacts in prison, although we don't know what that means. It looks like Walter thinks the prison connection could work, but we know it won't. Oh, one more thing, . . . that guy who played the DEA agent and looks familiar? He was on "Longmire," which you watched for a while. Now back to the show."

Makes sense, right?

You have the one-minute interruption every half-hour or so, which resets the plot and explains everything that's happening. It reminds you of what you forgot. It clarifies what you should know. It lets you know that the audience is supposed to be confused by something. And it cleans up those random actors who look so familiar, but you can't place without going on the internet.

Here's the best part: If you don't need it, skip it. Jump ahead with your remote.

It's perfect! How did we ever survive without the TV/Movie Recap Person?

This works with movies, TV series, even documentaries.

The TV/Movie Recap Person is what America needs, to save us from all the maddeningly complex storylines and questions that arise during a film or TV show.

You're welcome. Now enjoy a Lunchable.

How did we ever survive without them?

Reach Brad Stanhope at bradstanhope@hotmail.com.