Ever since the release of Netflix now offering an online service, I found myself to be that one person who constantly bashed the idea of watching TV shows and movies online. As time went by and the Netflix craze became stronger, my views remained unchanged. Not only were people watching a movie or two, but many began binge-watching for hours on end.
Binging, an action originally associated with bar-hopping and excessive drinking, sure does give this pastime a negative connotation. I understand this is all a way to exaggerate someone sitting in front of a screen for a continuous amount of time, but this, too, is a form of addiction. Can this addiction cause harm to you or others? No. Can it ruin the anticipation of having to wait an entire week to watch the next episode and see what happens next? I think so.
The idea of buying my own Netflix subscription never crossed my mind, and it still doesn't. Let's be honest, how many people actually have their own account? Thought so. Well, like many, my sister started using her friend's account, and it wasn't long before I began noticing signs of the dreaded addiction: Never leaving the bedroom, minimal human interaction and essentially dissociation from the outside world. Unfortunately, it wasn't long until I myself decided to sit down and watch an episode with her, then two, then three...I couldn't help it! I had stood by my beliefs for so long, only to have my barrier weakened by this inevitable curse.
If it's any consolation, it wasn't just any show; it was "The Flash." And so, every now an then, I found myself in front of the television, signed into my XBOX, and ultimately Netflix. Each time I'd sign on, I'd go through an average of three episodes. To make things worse, I wasn't even consciously going to the next episode; there's just something about that inescapable, "Next episode playing in..." countdown.
After about week of binging, I finally finished the 23 episode season. Now what? The show is over and I have nothing to look forward to anymore. But there's much more to it. What I quickly came to realize was that this one week's worth of binging could have taken me about six months. Every week for six months, I could have looked forward to finding out what happens next.
Each week would have had a cliffhanger that would leave me wanting more. Sure, that same anticipation was still present, but it was gone in an instant because I knew all I had to do was continue to the next episode. However, although I did gain that immediate satisfaction of being able to watch the continuations, I feel like I lost the attachment that I could have established with the series by watching it over a longer period of time.
This experience was definitely not a wasted one. Yes, I did get to watch an entirely new show in a week's worth of time, but I also learned firsthand what it's like to be part of the Netflix craze. To be honest, I probably will continue to utilize the provider in all of its glory, but it does not it any way change my preference for watching a series in the traditional weekly manner.
