An ultimate case of binge-watching TV.
By Swhitty in the City
This weekend, in an attempt to save some money, I decided to stay in, do some spring cleaning, try out some new recipes, read a new book; translation: slip into the deep, dark abyss that is Netflix. I am your typical millennial who hates the silence and constantly needs something to drown out the world; resulting in me watching, re-watching, and re-re-watching television series’, movies, and documentaries. In order to prevent myself from really giving in to the addiction that is Netflix, I have evoked a solid 3.5 star + principal. Nothing below 3.5 stars will be watched in my house.
The troubling/amazing part of Netflix is the ability to waste/spend hours watching full series from start to finish. 5 seasons of Mad Men in 2 weeks, 7 Seasons of Dexter in 13 days; I forfeit my social life in order to find out whether Walter White and Jesse Pinkman finally get caught. When I try to break the binge, I spend my time with friends quietly wondering what happens next on Friday Night Lights. (Full series watched in 1.5 weeks).
It starts simply enough; you try one episode of a show, just to see what all the hype is about. Then you are given a mere 12 seconds to decide, ‘get out now?’ or ‘continue to series finale’. Those are the only two options.
It is this capability of binge watching television shows long after they are off the air that keeps the hype surrounding them. Now that ‘Breaking Bad’ has ended in such an explosive way, new followers have become intrigued and started the series from scratch. It is an evolution that allows great television shows and movies to continue to be buzz worthy through the generations, all through word of mouth recommendations, and online reviews from other viewers ranking the movie on a 5 star scale.
The only downfall to this wonderful website is when you are finally up to date on your shows, and have to enter back into the real world of waiting 7 days for the next episode.
Netflix is the new era of television. Their ability to listen to their consumers’ demand for more, and the development of two Netflix Original Series: Orange is the New Black and House of Cards; shows that Netflix is a force to be reckoned with. With many more new original series plans in the pipeline, it will be interesting to see how the larger networks will keep up with the powerhouse that is Netflix, coming full steam ahead.
Top Recommendations for Netflix Binge Watching:
- Orange is the New Black
- House of Cards
- Dexter
- Friday Night Lights
- Mad Men
- Breaking Bad
- Suits
- Sherlock