After getting home from a stressful day at school, junior Matthew Greason plops down on his soft, plush couch surrounded by his Totino’s Pizza Rolls, Doritos and a tall glass of Kool-Aid, all within arm’s reach. He reaches for the remote to watch One Tree Hill on his favorite streaming service, Netflix. Greason stares at the screen episode after episode. Suddenly, he glances at the clock and realizes the time: 11 p.m.
Greason and others participate in “binge watching.” Oxford Dictionaries defines binge watching as “watching multiple episodes of a television program in rapid succession.” Because Netflix offered seasons of “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad” and “The Walking Dead” at the same time in late 2011, Videonuze reports that research experts often consider this to mark the start of the binge watching phenomenon.
“I binge watch because I get so interested in what happens next, and the suspense makes me want to watch more,” Greason said. “It’s intense.”
A Netflix survey reveals almost 80 percent of people believe that binge watching helps increase the enjoyment of a show, and over 60 percent of people admit to binge watching regularly. In a survey conducted by The Rider, the majority of students binge watch either weekly or one to two times a month. Junior Angela Austin explains her philosophy on binge watching.
“Binge watching makes me happy,” Austin said. “It’s just like anything else. If you love to read books, you’re going to read books.”
Popular streaming services people use include Netflix, Hulu Plus and Amazon Prime. The Rider’s survey shows that about 95 percent of people use Netflix as their primary streaming source. With a subscription to Netflix, viewers have access to constant streaming as well as DVDs and Blu-rays mailed right to their doorstep. Features such as no late fees, thousands of available titles and a recommendation system work to entice customers and create an enjoyable, convenient viewing experience.
“I watch a lot of geek shows, and [Netflix] gives you a great variety,” Austin said. “It introduces me to new things.”
With 49 percent of the vote, Gossip Girl prevails as the most popular show to binge watch among students. Time Magazine reports the most popular genres for binge-watching include dramas, reality TV, sitcoms and home improvement shows. Sophomore Savannah Guerrero watches Gossip Girl and loves the excitement each episode delivers.
“I love how I just get so into it,” Guerrero said. “Every episode has so much drama and [it] gets more and more addicting.”
But, as the saying goes, too much of a good thing is too much of a good thing. A third-year doctoral student at UT Austin, Yoon Hi Sung concludes, “When binge watching becomes rampant, viewers may start to neglect their work and their relationships with others.” Spanish teacher Kristi McDonald knows firsthand the accuracy of this statement.
“I can get so lost in a show that I neglect my family,” Ms. McDonald said. “I can hear my kids heating up a Hot Pocket and I say, ‘Oh crap, I forgot to cook dinner.’”
The autoplay setting common in streaming services automatically plays the next episode as soon as the previous one finishes, encouraging binge watching, according to NPR. Autoplay forces the viewer to stop on their own. Freshman Shianne Davis admits to binge watching up to seven hours in one sitting as a result of autoplay.
“When I see my reflection in the screen waiting for autoplay to load, I feel no shame,” Davis said. “I tell myself, ‘Man, Shianne, that was funny — you should watch another one.’”
Oftentimes, the most appealing time for students to binge watch is when piles of homework await.
“[Binge watching] has surely made me slow down on homework,” Greason said. “It gets done, but I just lose sleep.”
Binge watching can also result in adverse health effects. For example, Time Magazine reveals that binge watching may increase the risk of diabetes, attaining a metabolic disorder, possible obesity, and even premature death. In some cases, NPR found that binge watching can alter the mindset of a viewer in more negative way, such as causing depressing or miserable feelings. One of these consequences is of particular concern to senior Madison Lindsey.
“I definitely see obesity being an issue,” said Lindsey. “You’re just sitting there, probably eating Cheetos.”
As a response to the trend in binge watching, Netflix saw a 20 percent increase in subscriptions last year. As an April Fools’ joke in 2015, the Netflix corporation responded to the increase with a campaign to “Binge Responsibly,” featuring characters from the company’s original productions.
“We believe every member, after watching great originals such as ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,’ movies and TV shows should break away from the screen for a little ‘me time,’” Netflix spokesman Cliff Edwards said in a statement.
With increasing subscriptions and more titles becoming available to stream, binge watching is a trend unlikely to die anytime soon.
“I love Netflix,” Guerrero said. “I consider it my best friend and I don’t know what I’d do without it.”
(Featured image by Sterling Greback)
