The advent of streaming – and Netflix’s model in particular – did its best to kill that,with the shift to the binge model that saw all episodes of a show released at once.
Unless it’s a breakout hit,like,a new show on a streaming platform has a huge challenge in finding – and holding on to – an audience. In large part,that’s because a show’s entire life cycle from premiere to post-mortem happens within a week. They get a fortnight if they’re lucky.
Has binge-watching killed the art of TV?Getty
But even big breakouts likeBaby Reindeerdon’t elicit the same conversational joy as shows of yore because everyone’s experiencing them at a different pace.
You may have spent all weekend devouring that particular buffet of social awkwardness,and the next day,you might have eagerly asked a friend or colleague if they’d also seen it. They’re only on episode two,they say,so we’ll wait to debrief until they’re caught up. What follows is ... nothing. You never discuss the show again.
The episodic release model isn’t perfect,of course. Apple TV+ and Disney+ both use the week-to-week release strategy to varying degrees and they still have plenty of shows that disappear without trace. But it does mean when you do release a big hit – likeShogun for Disney+ most recently – the attention,conversation and potential new customers it attracts are spread over ten weekends,not one.
We’re starting to see some strong indications that even Netflix,the godfather of the binge,is beginning to pull back from the altar of all-at-once.
Netflix decided to release season three of Bridgerton in two parts.Liam Daniel/Netflix
Last Thursday,Netflix released part one ofBridgerton’s hotly anticipated third season. Hours later,impatient fans who had already binged all four episodes were anguished over waiting a month for the final four to be released. They were annoyed,but the month-long wait has undeniably created anticipation for part two.
The two-part drop is a model the streamer has increasingly used for some of its biggest shows since season four ofStranger Things in 2022. Not only does it attempt to put an end to fans who sign up for one month and then cancel,but it’s also a tactic that extends the hype around a successful show. Instead ofBridgerton dominating headlines for a week and then exiting the cultural conversation for another year,Netflix gets at least a month of publicity,marketing,online forum discussion and delirious group WhatsApp messages about The Carriage Scene (if you know,you know).
More split season drops are on the way. Season four ofEmilyinParis will be released in two parts,and season six ofCobra Kai will be split into three. It’s a clear acknowledgment that the binge model allows too short a window of cultural relevance for the big-ticket items. What’s the point in months of promotion,if it can all be over in just one weekend?
Netflix knows it’s onto a good thing by splitting seasons. They need to take things further and go back to weekly episode drops. They’ve already brought back ads,live talk shows and live sporting events – why not continue the slow inexorable march into just being cable television all over again?
Again,a binge isn’t inherently bad. Sometimes it’s a great way to spend a weekend. But Netflix is increasingly showing signs that they’ve recognised the limitations of forcing that model on their audience. It’s time that they – and others like them – returned to the weekly drop.
