Binge or Bust: I Refuse To Watch Anything One Episode at a Time

Something very strange happened this fall. No, not the election, and thankfully, no, not those clowns. But one day I realized, I’ve got several unwatched episodes of You’re The Worst just hanging around on my DVR. A whole handful of episodes. They’ve been sitting there for weeks. And I haven’t watched them. Now, a lot of things sit around on my DVR. It took me 3 months to get to The Night Manager. But You’re The Worst ranks as one of my current favorite shows. Each episode is always interesting and twisted and funny. So why was a I letting them collect cable dust?
Because I will no longer watch anything one episode at a time, that’s why. We are living in a binge world and I am a binge girl. Many streaming platforms, including Netflix and Amazon Prime release all the episodes of a season, usually anywhere from 6-13 episodes, all at the same time. They are designed for a binge. Watch them all! Right now! Don’t go outside, they don’t have Luke Cage or Transparent out there, why would you bother? Hulu has yet to jump on board with this process, choosing to release one episode per week of their original programs, similar to TV networks. Which is why I ran into this problem with Casual. I love Casual, it’s another unique show that’s unafraid to be innovative with its storytelling. But I want all of that story, all at once, all at my fingertips. Why yes, I am a millennial, why do you ask?

Maybe I’m a teensy bit selfish and entitled and want to collect all the TV episodes in one swoop, but it’s the streaming platforms that made me this way! And it’s a mutually beneficial relationship. They give me what I want (a full television season) and I give them what they want (that sweet, sweet word of mouth). I recently savored every joke and every emotion sprinkled throughout the brilliant first season of Fleabag on Amazon, and since then, I’ve told everyone in my path to watch it all at their absolute earliest convenience. Plus, at 6 30-minute episodes, it’s really like watching two movies. With a strong recommendation and a manageable chunk of time, there’s no stopping the amount eyeballs that will land on it.
And here’s the thing about recommending shows to friends and colleagues and family members and new people you meet at a bar: you want to make sure it’s good. Really good. And that ALL of it is good. We’ve all had that experience where we were so excited about a show and recruited all our pals to watch it, only to see the second half of the season slide completely downhill. Then that’s on you. Your next suggestion will come with an asterisk next to it, and your entertainment tastes will be judged harshly. Being able to view an entire season at once allows you to wholeheartedly and confidently suggest a tune-in. The third and most recent season of Transparent started out good and only got better as it went along, so that’s why I’ve been yapping about it non-stop.

Plus, I got to hang out with the Pfeffermans for a full day. Well, about 5 hours, so an afternoon. Once I got started on the 10-episode season, I didn’t want to stop. A binge watch builds momentum and keeps you in the story. At least, the best ones do. Sometimes our brains get all jumbly and it’s hard to remember if that romance or big dramatic event happened in the latest season or the previous one or three seasons ago. Watching it all at once keeps the story more linear in our minds. Plus, being expected to wait 7 whole days before you’re presented with the next installment of your favorite show (not to mention a show you’re feeling “meh” about) is simply unreasonable at this point. Do you know how many recaps and fan theories, Facebook status updates, tweets, viral videos, and other TV shows we’re inundated with in that amount of time? An endless amount. Who could even remember where we last left off?

Ok fine, people managed to remember where a show left off for decades, and those handy “previously on” segments are nice too. But sometimes you hit that wave and you want to ride it out. Orphan Black is a show I enjoy very much. But with so many characters and storylines and moving parts, it’s easiest to keep up and stay invested if I’m able to watch 5 episodes in a row. One at a time takes me out of it, and once I’m out, it’s so much easier to drift off. You want to feel like you’re involved and on the same page as the characters, not that you have to catch up with them again and again.
Now, there are some shows that are perfect for a binge — until their new season gets underway. Once Game of Thrones is back with new episodes, our culture makes it nearly impossible to be able to stay spoiler-free, even if you start the episode 5 minutes behind. Yes, this is painful. Yes, maybe shows like Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead, and their networks HBO and AMC, are kind of being haters. We are all learning and growing every day. Hopefully, it won’t be long until they realize we want a full season’s story in an instant.
Binge-watching a full season of a show, or even several episodes in a row feels so good. It feels like an accomplishment, like you’ve achieved something in your life, or at least something in your weekend. Watching one episode is a total shoulder shrug. If you’re going to spend just 30 or even 60 minutes doing something, you may as well go to the gym or clean out your closet to feel like you’ve used your time wisely. People and networks alike, take note: bingeing is the way to be.
[Watch You’re The Worst on Hulu]