By Arwen Lehmann
Many popular shows on streaming platforms have indulged in the recent trend of releasing episodes weekly.
‘Cape Fear’ on Apple TV+, ‘House of the Dragon’ on HBO Max and ‘Not Suitable for Work’ on Hulu are all present examples of this.
The weekly episode release model has become a new fashion and is reminiscent of the episode schedules of cable and satellite TV.
However, the reason the streaming subscription service Netflix became a cultural juggernaut in the first place is because of their introduction of the binge model.
So why have more and more streaming platforms reverted back to the traditional weekly release model?
The binge model
The subscription-based streaming service Netflix can be credited for the invention of the binge, or ‘all-at-once’, model.
In 2007, Netflix revolutionised the TV industry when it offered streaming services to its users, which allowed them to watch their favourite shows and movies on demand.
In 2013, Netflix began producing its own original shows, starting with the political thriller ‘House of Cards’, which attracted many more viewers to their platform.
The streaming platform had created a TV-watching culture that had made viewers forget what it was like to watch their favourite shows on cable or satellite TV.
‘Binging’ had thus become the preferred way of consuming new shows. It allowed viewers to watch a new season of TV several episodes at a time.
Gone were the days of waiting day after day for the highly-anticipated follow-up episode of a show. Binging meant watching as many episodes of TV as you wanted, whenever you wanted.
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What are the pros of binging?
At the height of Netflix’s reign, it made more sense for viewers to watch shows they enjoy based on their unique schedules.
To watch the newest episodes of a popular TV show only on a specific day of each week during a specific timeframe was too limiting and too inaccessible for the average viewer.
Watching shows on demand also ensured that viewers could finish entire seasons of TV within days, creating buzz for popular shows that many people could participate in.
This also meant that viewers could jump from one big show to the next more quickly and that a higher number of shows could be consumed within less time.
Why has the weekly episode release model become popular?
If being able to watch many episodes and many TV shows in shorter time periods is so convenient and accessible, why are current popular shows neglecting this model?
Over time, the binge model had exposed its own shortcomings, which its viewers couldn’t overlook anymore.
The success of the binge model relied on the fact that it was for a purely individual experience. It was specifically tailored to the schedule of its viewers.
What viewers were missing was the communal aspect of TV watching. The watching of weekly episodes is more suited as a family activity and bonding experience.
This made the show that viewers are watching with family and friends more enriching on an interpersonal level.
The weekly release model also ensures that spoilers can’t be circulated. Each viewer is no more ahead than another viewer.
The fact that a season run of a show was spaced out over 8 to 12 weeks also made the show linger in the cultural memory longer than the shows that released their seasons in one go.
Viewers can excitedly talk amongst themselves about the latest plot developments and shocking reveals, creating a community for fans and engagement between family or friends.
The anticipation of follow-up episodes also creates hype and fervent interaction or speculation for what can be expected. Even the absence of an immediate next episode creates immersion.
Bingeable shows had also gradually flattened their narratives by concluding plotlines as fast as they were created to keep the viewer interested.
The weekly release model, however, keeps the viewer hooked by drawing out a larger narrative over the span of an entire season in order to motivate viewers to tune in every week.
The new giants
Streaming platforms such as Disney+, HBO Max, Apple TV and Hulu have given Netflix a run for their money.
These platforms prioritise TV shows with a weekly release model, which ensures that viewers are returning to their platforms week after week instead of day by day.
Netflix has tried to acclimatise to this industry shift by hosting a few shows that make use of this model. However, Netflix won’t be able to shake its reputation as a platform for ‘bingers’.
Netflix ultimately failed in its mission to create a new standard of watching TV that couldn’t maintain longevity.
This is because they tried to amend a model that didn’t need to be fixed in the first place.
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