You know the feeling when you start something brand new? You do not know what to expect but you think the reward is worth the risk. That is the exact feeling I get when I start a new series on Netflix. Season 1, Episode 1, from the top. There’s just something about it. The unbeatable thrill of not knowing how many episodes you are going to cram into just tonight. Will you stop at 2? 5? A whole season?
The minor details that it is midterm week or that you have 2 papers due in the next few days seem so small and insignificant. When, in all actuality, they are most definitely huge and extremely significant. It is almost like Netflix puts a spell on you, pulling you in episode after episode. At the end of one, they make it so easy to watch “just one more” since it plays on its own if you do not click anything. You do not even have to move to continue watching – its enticing, I know. It could be on the brink of ‘too long’ when the “Are you still watching?” pops up, but quite frankly I take that somewhat personally. Does Netflix really think I got up to do homework or begin studying and ‘forgot’ to pause the show? It is a longshot but at least Netflix has hope in us all, right? Maybe they do it on purpose, as a little reminder of all the responsibilities that are piling up that you just cannot seem to not avoid.
Sometimes it is more fun to re-watch a show you have already seen (multiple times possibly) because you know you are going to like it. If you are not a risk taker and would rather just play it safe with something you know, binge watching a show you have already seen is just as fun. Friends, Gilmore Girls, The Office and others are just, simply put, classics. They do not seem to get old, no matter how many times you re-watch them. Sure, you may know exactly what happens and if you watch it one more time, you could probably recite the script – but isn’t it just nice to have a constant in your life?
Netflix has ‘blessed’ us with the ability to waste inordinate amounts of time by watching other people’s lives instead of living our own. One day, I will take the “Are you still watching?” hint, but for now, I’ll continue to binge watch – whether it be a new show or an oldie but goodie. Thank you, Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph for solidifying the switch from TVs to computers. I can carry a computer around much more easily. The binge-watchers of the world appreciate you.
