With the Netflix model of releasing every episode of a show's season at once, a new way of watching television has been born. But is that actually a good thing?
A new Hollywood Reporter piece discusses the growing backlash against binge-watching, with some notable showrunners speaking out against it.
Orange Is the New Black creator Jenji Kohan said that she misses everyone being on the same page when a show would air week to week. She did say, however, that it's kind of a waste of time for her to lament that, since Orange Is the New Black doesn't follow that format.
Matthew Weiner, creator of Mad Men, also dislikes binge-watching, saying that if he were to make a Netflix series, he'd want to have it released week by week so viewers could have the shared experience. "I love the waiting [and] marination," he said.
This raises an interesting question of if binge-watching is a good thing for how we consume television, and which shows are appropriate to be released all at once. In theory, Netflix wouldn't be opposed to Matt Weiner's request, as their new original show Between will be airing its episodes once a week, as we previously reported.
Releasing a show all at once can definitely allow people to get really into the series very quickly, even if the first episode doesn't immediately hook them. Netflix's new show Daredevil, for instance, has become a big hit and is now their highest rated show, but would it have done as well if it was airing on television week by week? Would as many people have stayed with it?
Photo Credit: INFphoto.com