I like Netflix. I think it is great, and I am sure that I am not alone in thinking this. No matter who you are or what interests you, there is a show for you. Countless hours of entertainment waiting to be unleashed with the click of a button—what is not to like about that?
The idea of streaming movies and TV shows in the comfort of your own home is so appealing, and as of April 18 of 2016, there were about 47 million US Netflix subscriptions. This astonishing statistic does not even tell the full story; there are an average of 2.5 viewers per subscription. I don't think I need to overwhelm you with any more numbers. You get the idea. A lot of people watch Netflix. But Netflix does not only affect the lives of its viewers; the new medium has transformed the entertainment industry itself.
Theater Enhancements
The first time I came home after beginning college, I returned to find a town far different than the one I had left. Or at least the movie theater was different. Where there used to be hard, rigid seats, there now were cushy, reclining armchairs. In addition to the usual popcorn, candy, and soda, the lobby boasted a fully functional bar. Even the movies being shown were different than when I had left!
In all seriousness, the changes of this particular theater represent a widespread movement taking place across the country. With the availability of Netflix, more and more people are choosing to watch movies in the comfort of their own homes rather than in theaters with overpriced refreshments and socially mandated silence. So, in effort to make themselves more appealing, theaters are adding luxurious chairs and bars. For a while, 3D was also a big draw, but then people realized that the discomfort of the glasses far outweighs their filmic enhancement. Overall, movie theaters find themselves continually innovating and renovating to preserve their audiences.
Though the lure of Netflix is strong, it will never push movie theaters out of business. The theater experience cannot be replaced or replicated by an entertainment streaming website. In a theater, when the lights dim and the film begins, the outside world vanishes. We are completely immersed in the universe projected on screen—no external distractions. We go to movie theaters exclusively to watch movies. On the other hand, we use computers for all sorts of activities—work, social media, games, and so on. Distraction encapsulates computer movie-watching. Just as we sleep better if we use our bed exclusively for sleeping, we watch movies better in spaces exclusively used for watching movies. This is why movie theaters will remain; the experience is a much richer one than Netflix allows for.
Binge-Watching Allows For More Serialization
The formats of television and Netflix are radically different. Whereas television follows a firm program schedule, Netflix allows users to select movies or shows to watch at any time. Because of this format, Netflix allows for binge-watching— watching many episodes of a show in one sitting.
Binge-watching creates a sense of continuity in shows that is not achievable on television, where week-long gaps separate the episodes. Netflix allows people to watch shows at their own pace, on their own schedule. Television sets the pace and schedule. If you miss an episode, too bad; the series will not wait for you to catch up. Television’s inherent struggle for continuity pushes networks towards airing episodic shows, whose stand-alone episodes do not require weekly attendance.
Because its viewers can watch at their own discretion, Netflix is not averse to serials, whose episodes form a collective narrative. Experimental serials which would have been immediately shut down by TV networks are being given a chance. The creativity of Netflix productions is not bounded by the same constraints as television. Serials and episodic shows have equal footing.
Is Television Being Displaced?
Why do we need traditional cable TV? With Netflix, there are no commercial breaks, strict schedules, or weeklong inter-episodic gaps. As described by this Business Insider video, "Imagine you wanted to read a new book, but you can't just pick up the book anytime you want. You can only read that book on Wednesdays from 8:00-9:00 PM. You would be outraged because it makes no sense. But TV has always been that way. So it doesn't seem to bother us that much."
People are beginning to realize the irrationality of the traditional TV model. Cable subscriptions have been gradually trending downward whilst Netflix has boomed.
I think the biggest reason for keeping cable TV is sports, but you can imagine even sports shifting entirely to online streaming. Regardless, the main source of concern for cable TV is not people who cut their subscriptions, but the youth who do not sign up in the first place. A study in the Wall Street Journal found that "7% of the U.S. population are cord-nevers between the age of 18 and 31." As time progresses, the generation of cable TV will further recede to the new generation of online streaming. The future does not look bright for television.
Final Thoughts
I like Netflix. I think it is great, and I am sure that I am not alone in thinking this. Netflix is not just a place to watch movies and shows. It is leading an innovative charge in the entertainment industry, motivating movie theaters, creative content, and television to improve and reach their greatest potential—what is not to like about that?
