To Binge Watch or Not to Binge Watch
When I was little, I saved my Halloween candy, eating it for months afterward. And when I read the Magicians trilogy the first time, I only allowed myself 10 or so pages per day, switching to a different book when my daily allotment was up. In other words, I hold onto things that I really love and stretch them out for as long as possible because I don’t want to consider the day that I won’t have that thing in front of me anymore.
I was dumbfounded a week or two ago when Netflix cancelled their fourth most popular show — Daredevil. Why wouldn’t they renew something that was clearly well-loved? But they seemed to be cancelling all Marvel shows left and right, so it made sense in the moment that even a popular show wouldn’t survive the purge if they were shedding Marvel properties.
But then I read a hypothesis that Netflix puts more (different?) emphasis on binge watching. So regardless of whether or not a show is widely watched (popular), it looks at how quickly a show is consumed.
But what about people like me? I specifically save episodes BECAUSE I like a show. I watch things I enjoy slower because I want to savour them as much as possible. Sure, there are things we watch quickly, but on the whole, the more I like something, the slower I go. I haven’t even seen the final episode of the second season of The Crown yet because ChickieNob and I are too sad to let that cast go.
I don’t want the speed in which I consume something to dictate whether or not I get to keep it. I don’t fit in this quickly moving world.
Do you like to consume shows (books, etc) quickly or spread it out?
10 comments
I’d rather drag them out a bit, but my husband likes to binge. It’s not a savoring thing – I speed through most things I enjoy because I’m greedy – but I get a little bored with watching even if it’s interesting. I have a couple hours of directed attention in me before I need to move on to something else.
I have no self-control so I binge. Though not so much with tv shows anymore because I no longer have that kind of attention span.
I’m the same as you. I haven’t watched the final New Girl and I think it’s been over a year. Lol.
I’m not sure I particularly like to stretch things out, but I am not much of a binge watcher either. I don’t even make that much use of my Netflix subscription, for binge-watching or otherwise. I got it specifically because I wanted to see “The Crown,” and I did semi-binge watch both seasons of that, a couple of episodes a night until they were done. (I got it in December, just before season 2 came out, and we were heading out for Christmas holidays, so I wanted to finish watching before we left.) I also binge-watched “The Keepers” over a couple of nights, which I really enjoyed. But I’ve just never gotten into the habit. I’m still in more of an “appointment TV” kind of mindset, I guess. 😉 If I don’t have a specific time when I’m supposed to watch a show, and can watch it any old time, chances are, it’s not going to get watched. (Although I do appreciate having some flexible options if I happen to miss an episode of my favourite show, lol.) But then, I’m a bit older than you & most of the bloggers here… I was in university when the first VCRs and video rental stores were becoming common. 😉 (While we did used to rent videos now & then, it was never a big habit of ours either. )
I simply don’t have time to binge watch —the only time I’ve ever done it is once when I was really sick and home alone all day. Usually when I’m sick enough to stay home I’m too miserable to watch TV anyway…
I don’t binge-watch or read a whole book in one sitting. Not because I’m not eager to devour some content but because I don’t have the time or energy to do it!
Before having children and so little free time, I read many books in a day or a weekend and probably would’ve binged TV shows, if that technology had been available. I’m not good at delaying gratification.
Hi! New here. Found you on the WordPress “Discover” page.
I’m with you. Two years ago, I stopped my “The West Wing” binge during the final season because I wasn’t ready for it to be over. I’ve started from season one at least five times since, but I refuse to finish.
I do remember keeping my candy (from Sint Maarten, Nov 11th, so more or less the Dutch version of halloween). I also remember being disappointed when finally opening that last KitKat bar (after too many months) the chocolate had gone white and yucky.
Reading about how you save books I am really surprised, since recently you wrote about rereading books so often they become family members! For me, the more gripping a book is the faster I will read it.
The book I wanted to read ( The River That Flows Uphill: A Journey from the Big Bang to the Big Brain by William H. Calvin) but found so hard to get into, I managed to read in small increments while commuting with the subway in Vienna. (wait , sit, change to other line and wait, sit, couple of pages every time)
I’m a pacer here. I also like to make it last.
I just got Handmaid’s Tale S2 from the library. It may take me all 3 weeks to watch.
I like to drag books out. When I really love a book but realise I’m getting close to the end I’ll read it slower! My husband and I will binge watch series that we love but then feel sad when it’s over and wish we hadn’t watched it so fast!