Sarah Z discusses the history of seriel fiction, binge watching, and the downsides of the latter including discussion, spoiler culture, and cultural lifespan.
37:12 if you want the TL;DW
37:12 if you want the TL;DW
Sarah Z: Bingewatching is kinda bad for TV
- Thread starter Saucycarpdog
- Start date
It's kinda a weird video to release right now, considering there has been a pretty significant move away from all at once releases by streamers, even Netflix.
Having binged all of Stranger Things season 4 plus 2 episodes of Obi-Wan, no, I definitely do prefer binging television shows than watching week to week.
However it is pretty much worse than week to week for almost everyone involved from streamers, podcast/influencers, community forums/social media/etc, magazines, youtube people, everyone.
I'm fine with episodes dropping week to week and then binging it all at the end, thats my preference nowadays and shows that bubble up through the zeitgest tend to leapfrog up my "gotta watch next" list, like Severence bubbled up because so many people said its great and they were right.
It is pretty much a fact though that everyone is moving to week to week now, Netflix is the last holdout and I fully expect them to abandon binge drops and switch to week to week sometime in the next 6 months.
However it is pretty much worse than week to week for almost everyone involved from streamers, podcast/influencers, community forums/social media/etc, magazines, youtube people, everyone.
I'm fine with episodes dropping week to week and then binging it all at the end, thats my preference nowadays and shows that bubble up through the zeitgest tend to leapfrog up my "gotta watch next" list, like Severence bubbled up because so many people said its great and they were right.
It is pretty much a fact though that everyone is moving to week to week now, Netflix is the last holdout and I fully expect them to abandon binge drops and switch to week to week sometime in the next 6 months.
I mean... I can enjoy being in the mode of a show for afew episodes at a time. But a prolonged drip allows a show to gain steam through word of mouth instead of getting buried under every other show that feels like a daunting task to get through. Netflix's model has guaranteed a mountain of shows would never get to build an audience because they come and go, lost in the hype cycle and all conversation has to be hushed and awkwardly paced.
If Netflix instead leaned into a 2-3 episode weekly drip, that'd be a much more satisfying medium. Shows like Peacemaker grew its audience right up to its finale.
If Netflix instead leaned into a 2-3 episode weekly drip, that'd be a much more satisfying medium. Shows like Peacemaker grew its audience right up to its finale.
I never binge. Even things that drop all at once. I can't watch more than an hour or two of TV at once, I get restless.
Binging several hours of TV doesn't strike me as a very healthy thing to do.
Much prefer things that drop weekly eps. Makes discussion with friends and on forums easier and more fun.
Binging several hours of TV doesn't strike me as a very healthy thing to do.
Much prefer things that drop weekly eps. Makes discussion with friends and on forums easier and more fun.
I don't mind getting them faster than week-to-week, but I don't think what I do is really "binging", typically watching only one episode per day.
Given Netflix's tendencies towards binge-preference, I'm probably hurting Stranger Things' S4 numbers by not watching it all on Friday.
Given Netflix's tendencies towards binge-preference, I'm probably hurting Stranger Things' S4 numbers by not watching it all on Friday.
I'll watch the video later but speaking solely for myself, I think it largely depends on the type of show.
If it's something like Succession or We Own this City, I appreciate waiting a week because there is a lot in each episode to process and unpack.
For something like Wandavision or Halo, sure just let me watch it all at once. But then for something like Mando, each episode is so structurally similar that watching a handful of episodes in a row feels exhausting.
I think I just prefer being able to watch things at my own pace, it's why I tend to just wait till a series is done before I start it.
If it's something like Succession or We Own this City, I appreciate waiting a week because there is a lot in each episode to process and unpack.
For something like Wandavision or Halo, sure just let me watch it all at once. But then for something like Mando, each episode is so structurally similar that watching a handful of episodes in a row feels exhausting.
I think I just prefer being able to watch things at my own pace, it's why I tend to just wait till a series is done before I start it.
You mean that thing I enjoy and look forward to is not actually something I enjoy? What in the shit
I'll watch the video later, but maybe I should watch it in five minute chunks every week instead.
I'll watch the video later, but maybe I should watch it in five minute chunks every week instead.
I'm glad snobby YouTube moaners weren't a thing when I used to binge watch boxsets and anime in the 2000s. I think I watched 5 seasons of 24 in a week. Good times.
The few shows that I have completed/stayed caught up on are weekly and I experienced them weekly, so yeah.
I will watch this to get further into the reasoning, but binging sucks especially when there's another season released eventually. I don't remember jack shit by the next season and I hate binge rewatching in most cases.
But that's just my viewing habits, I guess. There have been very recent exceptions, too -- the two AppleTV+ shows I really like, Ted Lasso and For All Mankind, I didn't get to until substantial time had passed since their initial airtime, so I missed the weekly experience and binged both... but I love both to death. They are legit probably my two favorite ongoing shows. I did the same for Succession's first two seasons and then watched the third weekly as it started up.
I loved the first season of Stranger Things and Daredevil but I felt so lost on their subsequent seasons since I binged both the first seasons within days of their releases and couldn't muster up the motivation/time to rewatch before the next season drop, so the sense of interconnectedness was lost on me a lot, and I find that really unpleasant.
I'm nervous about For All Mankind Season 3 because I binged seasons 1 and 2. I did watch Ted Lasso season 2 weekly, as it aired. I'm hoping that "previously" catchup reel is pretty robust at the start of For All Mankind, I'm gonna need it.
I will watch this to get further into the reasoning, but binging sucks especially when there's another season released eventually. I don't remember jack shit by the next season and I hate binge rewatching in most cases.
But that's just my viewing habits, I guess. There have been very recent exceptions, too -- the two AppleTV+ shows I really like, Ted Lasso and For All Mankind, I didn't get to until substantial time had passed since their initial airtime, so I missed the weekly experience and binged both... but I love both to death. They are legit probably my two favorite ongoing shows. I did the same for Succession's first two seasons and then watched the third weekly as it started up.
I loved the first season of Stranger Things and Daredevil but I felt so lost on their subsequent seasons since I binged both the first seasons within days of their releases and couldn't muster up the motivation/time to rewatch before the next season drop, so the sense of interconnectedness was lost on me a lot, and I find that really unpleasant.
I'm nervous about For All Mankind Season 3 because I binged seasons 1 and 2. I did watch Ted Lasso season 2 weekly, as it aired. I'm hoping that "previously" catchup reel is pretty robust at the start of For All Mankind, I'm gonna need it.
There are upsides and downsides to binging vs. weekly. If a show is so good I can't stop watching it, then I see no reason to not binge it. Weekly discussion is mostly for newer shows, it makes little sense to stagger an older show.
Dropping shows weekly is fine because then people who want to binge it can just wait. That's what I'm doing right now with Barry season 3, I'm watching over half a dozen weekly shows right now and I can't really make room for that. There's so much to watch that very little is urgent, must-see TV.
Dropping shows weekly is fine because then people who want to binge it can just wait. That's what I'm doing right now with Barry season 3, I'm watching over half a dozen weekly shows right now and I can't really make room for that. There's so much to watch that very little is urgent, must-see TV.
I actually do enjoy it...
Having every episodes availables and being able to watch them from start to finish without waiting is just better.
For the MCU, I basically wait for every episodes to be out before watching. I honestly even enjoy binge watching movies. I dont find waiting fun at all lol
Having every episodes availables and being able to watch them from start to finish without waiting is just better.
For the MCU, I basically wait for every episodes to be out before watching. I honestly even enjoy binge watching movies. I dont find waiting fun at all lol
I have to admit, coming here after the new episode of Game of Thrones aired and talking about it/speculating about future episodes was almost as fun as watching the episode (and for seasons 7 and 8, far more enjoyable).
As a lazy TV watcher, having it available week by week is perfect because I don't have to manage my time, choose among the inmense amount of other shows available (with their entire season available or more) , or rush to avoid being spoiled. Just wait for the day/date and enjoy.
I did
I avoided stranger things season 4 spoilers after taking a day off to binge watch
What a ride
I avoided stranger things season 4 spoilers after taking a day off to binge watch
What a ride
I usually prefer bingeing. I don't really need "The Conversation" week to week, I don't really have any interest in discussing most shows in much detail with anyone else and I find the wait annoying.
I do totally admit that I absorb it more on a weekly basis but when it's weekly I tend to just wait until most of the eps are out so I can just burn through it in a few days.
Apart from shows that assholes spoil on Twitter within 5 seconds of them airing of course.
However Twin Peaks The Return was the only show in recent years I thought really benefitted from the drip feed. It was so weird and the chatter around it was less obnoxious/meme-y than with more popular shows. It was fun to be absorbed in this mystery for like 5 months. If I binged it over a weekend the slow pacing would've felt so much more brutal.
I quite like the HBO Max model of dropping 3 episodes at once and then 1-2 per week.
I do totally admit that I absorb it more on a weekly basis but when it's weekly I tend to just wait until most of the eps are out so I can just burn through it in a few days.
Apart from shows that assholes spoil on Twitter within 5 seconds of them airing of course.
However Twin Peaks The Return was the only show in recent years I thought really benefitted from the drip feed. It was so weird and the chatter around it was less obnoxious/meme-y than with more popular shows. It was fun to be absorbed in this mystery for like 5 months. If I binged it over a weekend the slow pacing would've felt so much more brutal.
I quite like the HBO Max model of dropping 3 episodes at once and then 1-2 per week.
The same as millions of people, I always worked in an industry where you would not be able to watch a shows full season because of variable days off and evening work etc. Never had enough interest to think about recording stuff and I was never much of a TV watcher anyway.
But, if I did have enough interest to watch a show I would consume its full season over a few days when it released on video/DVD. Streaming style of having access to the whole season is no different than how I've always consumed TV and I like it just fine thanks.
But, if I did have enough interest to watch a show I would consume its full season over a few days when it released on video/DVD. Streaming style of having access to the whole season is no different than how I've always consumed TV and I like it just fine thanks.
As someone who has only seen season 1, do you recommend I continue?
Personally, when I binge watch my ability to remember the finer details of what happens in a show drops dramatically.
I 100% do not give a shit about discussing something weekly versus having a chance to watch everything at once.
Hot take: these YouTubers and nerd websites love weekly releases since they can pump out 15+ clickbait articles a week. You can't do that with a bingeable show.
That we've regressed back to weekly releases (the sole reason is so streaming sites can retain subscribers) is terrible.
Hot take: these YouTubers and nerd websites love weekly releases since they can pump out 15+ clickbait articles a week. You can't do that with a bingeable show.
That we've regressed back to weekly releases (the sole reason is so streaming sites can retain subscribers) is terrible.
what's funny is I remember so much of fandom during lost/got (specifically once the books started becoming less relevant) being about looking at leaks and speculating the week leading up to an episode. while this was fun, it probably would've been better to just watch the shows without the bullshit. folks definitely see the $$$ in it
No, I actually do enjoy it.
I don't have time to watch the video now; but I'm assuming Sarah is once again analyzing everything through the lense of whether or not the internet fandom is active. It is actually possible to watch a show by yourself and enjoy it; without Engaging With an Ongoing Conversation.
I don't have time to watch the video now; but I'm assuming Sarah is once again analyzing everything through the lense of whether or not the internet fandom is active. It is actually possible to watch a show by yourself and enjoy it; without Engaging With an Ongoing Conversation.
I prefer being able to binge a show. It fits my viewing habits better. I don't watch a ton of TV shows so I tend to get pretty invested in the ones I do watch. This year I binged all of The Expanse and Invincible. My life schedule isn't really conducive to week to week watching, which I can really only afford for the one wrestling program I watch.
I also don't really engage much with discourse and discussion on the things I watch outside of my close friend group, so I'm not one to dissect individual episodes very much. I enjoy being able to watch a long form movie that just happens to have convenient stopping points if I need to hop off the train.
I also don't really engage much with discourse and discussion on the things I watch outside of my close friend group, so I'm not one to dissect individual episodes very much. I enjoy being able to watch a long form movie that just happens to have convenient stopping points if I need to hop off the train.
One of the more wild things about the nature of bingewatching in a vacuum is how it has sometimes managed to hard crash things that weren't explicitly made for it
Like non-zero chance that me mentioning that there's an anime adaptation of Jojo Part 6 is going be new information for some people who read this and it is wild considering how much of a memetic presence the anime adaptations have had up to part 5
like I'm honestly kinda curious why it had that harsh effect on it since like I don't actually binge watch that much, but I never figured it could be that harsh for an active show to go through if it's not designed for the process
Like non-zero chance that me mentioning that there's an anime adaptation of Jojo Part 6 is going be new information for some people who read this and it is wild considering how much of a memetic presence the anime adaptations have had up to part 5
like I'm honestly kinda curious why it had that harsh effect on it since like I don't actually binge watch that much, but I never figured it could be that harsh for an active show to go through if it's not designed for the process
If you don't care about the weekly discussions, you could simply wait for the season to end to binge watch the whole thing. It remains on the streaming site complete.
It has it's ups and downs in my opinion. I don't mind weekly with shows that don't have many episodes a season.
I feel like Amazon, Apple and HBO Max hit the right balance with the multiple episode drop and then weekly from there.
With binging unless a show pops, it tends to end up forgetten about pretty quickly.
I feel like Amazon, Apple and HBO Max hit the right balance with the multiple episode drop and then weekly from there.
With binging unless a show pops, it tends to end up forgetten about pretty quickly.
I mean, I don't really give a shit about weekly discussion, have never had anything in particular spoiled for me even if it takes me a couple of years or so to watch something, and don't give a shit about "cultural lifespan".
I honestly don't care if something is released all at once or weekly, especially since I may not even actually have time to binge it in a weekend or whatever, but it is really fucking obnoxious how some people online love to tell you that your preference is bad and you don't actually enjoy it.
I honestly don't care if something is released all at once or weekly, especially since I may not even actually have time to binge it in a weekend or whatever, but it is really fucking obnoxious how some people online love to tell you that your preference is bad and you don't actually enjoy it.
I've definitely lost my taste for bingewatching a bit. I don't think one way or the other is necessarily better than the other, but I've definitely preferred taking my time to watch a show as of late.
I'm pretty sure I do though.
I couldn't give a shit about pretty much anything she said.
And I hate the fact that the Netflix model of releasing everything at once is slowly but surely going away.
I couldn't give a shit about pretty much anything she said.
And I hate the fact that the Netflix model of releasing everything at once is slowly but surely going away.
It depends on the show (for example, Boys S2 should've released all at once), but ultimately weekly is better, or at the very least the happy medium of releasing 2-3 episodes per week
At the end of the day, anyone who wants to binge a show can just wait for the entire thing to come out if they care that much, that option is always gonna be there for there. The binge model in comparison is the only model that takes away an option.
At the end of the day, anyone who wants to binge a show can just wait for the entire thing to come out if they care that much, that option is always gonna be there for there. The binge model in comparison is the only model that takes away an option.
Depends on the show for me. Twin Peaks Season 3 was a trip week to week, discussing all the theories and such. Lost was the same. Some shows though, I'd rather knock them out at once.
Give me volume 2 of Stranger Things 4 damnit!
Hell yeah. At its worst it's a fun ride that's a love letter to Stephen King/John Carpenter/Spielberg. Granted, there's one maligned episode in season 2 that deserves it. It can be a bit repetitive, but still enjoyable. At its best it's great.
Give me volume 2 of Stranger Things 4 damnit!
Hell yeah. At its worst it's a fun ride that's a love letter to Stephen King/John Carpenter/Spielberg. Granted, there's one maligned episode in season 2 that deserves it. It can be a bit repetitive, but still enjoyable. At its best it's great.
I'm skimming through this rn because I need to leave the house soon but I can see where she is coming from. I do disagree on a lot of it though, especially on how the weekly format can allow you to ruminate on the themes of the work longer and therefore enhance them. This is something only a small amount of people will do and even then this won't be lost on that same people if they binge it because they're already attuned to it.
But at the end of the day, anyone who wants to watch week to week can just pace themselves, and do that. I don't really see how the show coming out all at once takes that option away?
For new shows I'm pretty good at avoiding or generally not caring about all but the most major of spoilers, so like to watch at my own pace.
Love to put on like 6-8 episodes of an old sitcom or a few Law & Orders though...comfort food or background noise while doing a few chores
Love to put on like 6-8 episodes of an old sitcom or a few Law & Orders though...comfort food or background noise while doing a few chores
I don't mind binging and I don't mind week to week. Both solutions work for me, though I think some shows are better for one or the other.
Marvel's Disney+ shows WANT the prestige of a weekly drama but they honestly aren't good enough for it and would be better off being dropped binge-style.
Marvel's Disney+ shows WANT the prestige of a weekly drama but they honestly aren't good enough for it and would be better off being dropped binge-style.