Current Events > Not sure I'm a fan of the Netflix format and "binge" culture

(+) Yeah! (+)

Specifically for original content.

There's a benefit to periodic, serial stories. Once a week, once a day, whatever. It sets a pace and allows a fanbase to latch on and evolve naturally. It builds excitement and community as people posit theories and hopes and opinions as the show evolves.

But Netflix OC is just "Hey, we made this new show! We think you'll love it. Here's all 24 of the 30 minute episodes! Hope you didn't have a life planned this week!" They're not TV shows at that point. They're just really long movies with themes and credits separating the chapter breaks.

A less cynical analysis would liken them to books. Traditional TV would be periodicals like Superman comics. A season of Bojack Horseman would be like a big book dropping for the summer. And I suppose that's a perfectly valid format. But I dunno. Takes the fun of TV out of it for me.

Imagine if Stranger Things was released for eight consecutive weeks. That would have been fucking nuts. Instead we got the world's longest Steven Spielberg movie. >_>

I dunno. I'm old. Netflix is fun. But it's just not the same as TV. :P
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You can watch em one week at a time if you feel like imposing that unnecessary schedule on yourself

you are only about 5 years late
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I'm not at all convinced that Stranger Things would have been better in a weekly format
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AlisLandale posted...

Currently Binging: Ghost in the Shell - Stand Alone Complex

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I don't binge Netflix shows; I watch them whenever I'm eating or have time to myself mostly.

I always find it odd that people who complain about having no time managing to marathon those shows as well.
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thompsontalker7 posted...

have time to myself mostly.

so you binge?

TheDarkCircle posted...

thompsontalker7 posted...

have time to myself mostly.

so you binge?

No, I watch an episode and then do something else in that time period. Another time period I might watch another episode.
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TheDarkCircle posted...

You can watch em one week at a time if you feel like imposing that unnecessary schedule on yourself

You can. But literally everyone else will have finished it before you, meaning you'll have no one to really talk to about it until you're done.

Freddie_Mercury posted...

AlisLandale posted...

Currently Binging: Ghost in the Shell - Stand Alone Complex

fufufufufufufu. I finished that months ago. Never edited it. >_>

But SAC was originally aired periodically. I don't see a problem with people binging on principal.

It's Original Content premiering as a weekend binge that I'm iffy on lol.
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We're down to complaining about leisure hobbies now. That's fantastic.
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I concur. I hate the argument of "just watch it weekly if that's what you want to do" because that's not going to stop other people from binging it. Analyzing and discussing an episode with fellow viewers is one of my favorite parts of getting into a show but you lose that when all the episodes are available at the same time. At that point, they all just sorta blend into one giant episode.
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Vicious_Dios posted...

We're down to complaining about leisure hobbies now. That's fantastic.

Discussing. Not complaining. Notice I haven't called Netflix any pejoratives and even positively described the format and admitted it was valid. >_>

averagejoel posted...

I'm not at all convinced that Stranger Things would have been better in a weekly format

The show would have been the same. But the community surrounding it would have been LOST levels of madness.
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I've tried to do the binge thing and I just can't do it. It feels odd. I grew up with and am use to the weekly wait for the next episode. That build of excitement or tension. Constructing that weeknight around that new episode. Idk, it's weird but that's just me I guess.
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AlisLandale posted...

The show would have been the same. But the community surrounding it would have been LOST levels of madness.

but the show became less and less interesting as the plot advanced
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I like time to savor the media I enjoy. My usual pace for Netflix shows is one episode a day, MAYBE two if I'm super invested.

The thought of watching 10 episodes in one go is just crazy to me, but that being said, it's cool that the option is there
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the point is to watch it whenever you want

these shows don't really leave much to discuss
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thompsontalker7 posted...

I always find it odd that people who complain about having no time managing to marathon those shows as well.

Maybe it's part of the reason they have no time.
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I'm so down for binge watching. It's the only way I enjoy tv these days.
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I 100% agree. I remember when Prison Break, 24 and Lost were out and there was so much to talk about between episodes.
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Wouldn't this be an issue with the specific show. I heard the argument once that shows that are created to be binged tend to not have memorable single episodes
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one(or even two) episodes per week uninterrupted until season's end is probably the best of both worlds.

people who want to binge can just skip a month or two while the rest can get their fill of the traditional format.

on top of that you don't get bs like mid-season cliffhangers written solely to get you pumped for when the show returns a few months later etc.
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It's only really a problem when Netflix picks up anime and then instead of airing them once a week like everyone wants they wait until it's all done then release all the episodes
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I think it's great. When I'm watching a show I really want to know what's going to happen next and it's nice to have the next episode awaiting right after you finish one. This lets you finish watching a season in like 3 days and frees up your time so that you can get through another series quickly. It's the most efficient way of watching tv shows.
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I actually agree with OP, it's fun to have a show to watch each week and follow, and I hate how a show comes out on Netflix and if you don't watch the whole thing in one sitting within like a day or two of it coming out, you're bound to have some aspect of the story spoiled for you on social media / news sites / CE / Reddit / etc.

I don't like watching one show for like 10 hours a day either, I have better things to do with my time
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mew4ever posted...

I concur. I hate the argument of "just watch it weekly if that's what you want to do" because that's not going to stop other people from binging it. Analyzing and discussing an episode with fellow viewers is one of my favorite parts of getting into a show but you lose that when all the episodes are available at the same time. At that point, they all just sorta blend into one giant episode.

Lmao wow
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daftpunk_mk5 posted...

mew4ever posted...

I concur. I hate the argument of "just watch it weekly if that's what you want to do" because that's not going to stop other people from binging it. Analyzing and discussing an episode with fellow viewers is one of my favorite parts of getting into a show but you lose that when all the episodes are available at the same time. At that point, they all just sorta blend into one giant episode.

Lmao wow

He makes a good point, it is kind of cool to talk about the last episode and what will happen next and all that

Like for example, in GoT, there was so much buzz after the battle of the bastards ep, or on TWD you could go on the sub each week and speculate about shit with the fans.

With a binge show it's just one big package. Like who remembers specific episodes of Stranger Things for example?
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So just watch the show.
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TC is right. Weekly releases help build hype and discussion
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green butter posted...

daftpunk_mk5 posted...

mew4ever posted...

I concur. I hate the argument of "just watch it weekly if that's what you want to do" because that's not going to stop other people from binging it. Analyzing and discussing an episode with fellow viewers is one of my favorite parts of getting into a show but you lose that when all the episodes are available at the same time. At that point, they all just sorta blend into one giant episode.

Lmao wow

He makes a good point, it is kind of cool to talk about the last episode and what will happen next and all that

Like for example, in GoT, there was so much buzz after the battle of the bastards ep, or on TWD you could go on the sub each week and speculate about shit with the fans.

With a binge show it's just one big package. Like who remembers specific episodes of Stranger Things for example?

I do lol
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SoundNetwork posted...

TC is right. Weekly releases help build hype and discussion

Only if the show is good, otherwise it dies off mid season.
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also, i kinda wanna know how they gauge the quality of their show with the binge format when the entire season is released simultaneously.

a year-long show can easily go back to the drawing board in case of negative reception for the first few episodes and make up for it with the next batch.
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daftpunk_mk5 posted...

SoundNetwork posted...

TC is right. Weekly releases help build hype and discussion

Only if the show is good, otherwise it dies off mid season.

good. i dont watch bad shows
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averagejoel posted...

I'm not at all convinced that Stranger Things would have been better in a weekly format

As an individual I would rather have it all at once and watch it at my leisure. However, I can see the appeal of it being a weekly thing have having social media blow up with theories and keeping people talking about it over an extended period of time like GoT.
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TC is saying that he loves the community and comradery that comes with once-a-week episode releases that you can find on message boards and stuff. I agree 100%. It's great to be able to mass-watch shows, but you can get burned out easily and there's almost no way that you'll get to have any piece-by-piece discussion unless you're watching it right after it came out.
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You don't have to watch all the episodes at once.
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I watch OITNB in a day and then have to wait another fucking year
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creativerealms posted...

You don't have to watch all the episodes at once.

You're completely missing the point.

It's not about your personal watching habits. It's about releasing one bit at a time for the community to reflect on.
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Asherlee10 posted...

I don't understand why you couldn't just participate in discussion when you want? There are two possible scenarios:

1. Conversation in person: "Hey Jim Bob, I just finished watching the first 3 episodes of Stranger Things, what do you think?"
2. Online Discussion: "I just finish watching the first 3 episodes of Stranger Things, no spoilers please!"

Neither of these are real discussion. In both cases, the people you're talking to already have knowledge of what's going to happen, so the most anyone can effectively say is "yeah, I thought such-and-such was cool."
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Can't believe this topic is a thing.
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Asherlee10 posted...

I don't agree that those are not "real" discussions.

I'm any case, it's still hindered by the fact that the person you're talking to knows more than you do and has to hold back when discussing any kind of set-up for a future episode, or foreshadowing, or cliffhanger. It's not really an intellectually honest conversation in a lot of ways.



Asherlee10 posted...

Now, when series are released on Netflix or Amazon, many times they are meant to be viewed as an entire unit, not standalone episodes

And that's what some people ITT are saying they don't like. At that point it's hardly a TV show in some aspects
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God forbid people have fun and talk to each other

Also I thought leverageblargh left gfaqs
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For me, I think it improves shows like Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul to binge them. There are a lot of little details you don't pick up on if there's a week, or two weeks, or a month between references.
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Sense 8 season 2 released 2 or 3 episodes, then the rest a week later. I wonder how the fanbase treated that
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leverageblargh posted...

Doe posted...

God forbid people have fun and talk to each other

Also I thought leverageblargh left gfaqs

lmfao

srs

Is there someone with similar initials or something that I'm thinking of?
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Most shows should be binged, that's the best way to watch them. Discussing theories on some forum is stupid.