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Is Netflix's TV model really the future of television?

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I hate the Netflix release model. I've said it in other threads before, but I'd much rather watch 13 episodes of 13 different shows in a week than 13 episodes of one show.

Do you think that House of Cards is consuming the budget of 12 other shows?
 
In my household, the only tv we watch as it airs is a live production like sports or the occasional awards show (with a rooftop antenna). It's been that way for us since 2008. My son's entire experience of tv growing up will be of being able to watch whatever he wants whenever he wants without commercials, on a variety of screens (tv, tablet, pc). I imagine that watching cartoons as a child in this way must be tremendously enjoyable for him, not missing episodes or having to interrupt play to catch a show on someone else's schedule. So once people like my son are all grown up, something that resembles the Netflix model will be the way it works as anything else will seem totally old, foreign, irritating, and not even worth any consideration.
 
I'm also not a fan of the Netflix model. The best balance between the two would be if they just release 1 episode a day.
 
I work in Broadcast and if our sub numbers are anything to go by, regular linear transmission isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Don't get me wrong, on-demand is going to be an ever increasing presence, but it won't be able to take the place of live broadcast because people like watching programmes simulateously with others and experiencing the events as they happen (just look at twitter traffic during episodes like GoT Red Wedding).

On top of that, broadcasters and advertisers have caught on to the fact that most people stare at a phone or tablet while watching TV. They've got a ton of ideas for this whole "second screen" thing to create a more interactive experience, and whilst that sounds like hell to me, it's probably going to be a huge success with the general masses.
 
I really hope Netflix kills off traditional broadcast models. No commercials, a'la carte viewing, and without the need to wait and be disappointed if that week's episode was filler or just plain terrible. You can just skip it and move on to the next one.
 
For example, MASH, the hit show, its last episode had 125 million people watching it.

That is completely unheard of today for any show not a sporting event.

Considering it is a record, it was unheard of back then too, and every moment between. Cheers, The Fugitive, Seinfeld, ... nothing came close.
 
I hate the Netflix release model. I've said it in other threads before, but I'd much rather watch 13 episodes of 13 different shows in a week than 13 episodes of one show.
+100.

Dude, you've totally summed up my own thoughts perfectly. I'd gladly watch 13 episodes of 13 different series in one week. But the same show? Sorry, that just doesn't interest me. I have zero interest in Netflix.
 
+100.

Dude, you've totally summed up my own thoughts perfectly. I'd gladly watch 13 episodes of 13 different series in one week. But the same show? Sorry, that just doesn't interest me. I have zero interest in Netflix.

No one says you have to watch all 13 episodes in one week.

That's the most absurd thing about this complaint: the idea that all episodes being released at once suddenly creates the expectation of having to watch through them as quickly as possible. There's no ticking clock on when you have to watch them, all it does is offer a choice that wasn't there before without taking away from anything else.
 
I think people need to remember that on-demand is not a specific part of the Netflix model that is being discussed here. So anyone who loves the Netflix model because it allows them to never miss an episode or watch it whenever they want is missing the point. This discussion is about whether all episodes should be released at once or on a set schedule. You can have new episodes released on a schedule and still allow for on-demand viewing of all currently released episodes.

Personally, I much prefer the traditional scheduled approach much better, it also seems to be the best compromise as well. A scheduled release works better for people who prefer binge watching than releasing all episodes at once works for the people who want it weekly.
 
I love the Netflix model of releasing the full season at once. For a story that grows over a season it's great to watch it back to back. I don't give a damn about the weekly discussions. I want to be able to just watch the story unfold without week long breaks where I forget what happened in pervious episodes. I hope Netflix continues to make lots of great shows like this. House of cards and orange is he new black are fantastic shows.
 
No one says you have to watch all 13 episodes in one week.

That's the most absurd thing about this complaint: the idea that all episodes being released at once suddenly creates the expectation of having to watch through them as quickly as possible. There's no ticking clock on when you have to watch them, all it does is offer a choice that wasn't there before without taking away from anything else.
The reason I love television is because I love getting NEW CONTENT every week to discuss with friends, co-workers, family, online discussion forums, etc. I loved knowing every Sunday night there would be NEW CONTENT related to Breaking Bad that I could discuss with people and reflect on. With Netflix, you only have new content to discuss one day a year. I would prefer to get new content unseen by the general public for a single series I feel passionate about 13 weeks or 22 weeks a year.
 
+100.

Dude, you've totally summed up my own thoughts perfectly. I'd gladly watch 13 episodes of 13 different series in one week. But the same show? Sorry, that just doesn't interest me. I have zero interest in Netflix.

So watch different shows instead of them all at once? They aren't going anywhere, I don't see the problem here
 
I vastly prefer having all of it at once, without commercials, for $8/month. So I certainly hope the Netflix model is the future. Instead of anticipating one show week to week, you can anticipate a whole new show every month or so. All of show A in Feb, all of show B in March, all of show C in April etc...
 
It's a shame losing on those water cooler moments, but I think it's a small price to pay for the benefits. Shows that don't need to abide by the seasonal structure, allowing for breaks that couldn't be afforded to most other shows, for one. Then there's less arbitrary rules being imposed, riskier projects being taken on and decisions made on more accurate viewing numbers.
 
Sounds like those still clinging on to traditional release models just miss being part of a group and being able to discuss and experience it together. Cant realate since I never discuss tv shows in a social setting,
 
Both can exist. I mean radio still exists in a time of streaming music and MP3 players I don't see why Netflix will change anything too drastically.
 
I guess what I'm getting at is this: is the convenience of having the full season available day 1 worth the loss of community normally associated with television?

Hell yes it is. Cant stand waiting for shows to draw out over months and most of which are commercial spammed if they arent on HBO/Showtime
 
The idea of releasing a show that caters to a "community" is the moment I lose credibility for that show. The creators, writers, and directors goals shouuld always be to deliver the highest entertainment value. Not catering to a discussion community. Don't worry about building hype, and radio morning discussion points. Deliver quality to your viewers.

Also, what if I cant adhere to the airing schedule of a traditional show? I miss content because my daughter had her piano recital that night? I also shouldn't have to cater my schedule to the schedule of any in home entertainment. I shouldn't have to make sure both my and my girlfriends schedules are free because we enjoy a show together. We can catch up on a few episodes when we spend a Saturday together, awesome!

You should always be able to digest in home content at your will, pace, and comfort. Movies do this, books do this, music does this, traditional TV is a dinosaur and a nightmare.
 
So watch different shows instead of them all at once? They aren't going anywhere, I don't see the problem here
You completely missed my entire point. My arguments regarding the Netflix model have nothing to do with run-time or personal viewing habits. Regardless of whether or not a series is a 5 minute webisode, 22 minute comedy, 45 minute drama, or a 13 hour block of Netflix programming, the Netflix model gives the public "new" material 1 day a year. When you release new material across a traditional 13 or 22 week period, you essentially create a very different type of experience which Netflix cannot replicate.

The idea of releasing a show that caters to a "community" is the moment I lose credibility for that show. The creators, writers, and directors goals shouuld always be to deliver the highest entertainment value. Not catering to a discussion community. Don't worry about building hype, and radio morning discussion points. Deliver quality to your viewers.
I couldn't disagree more strongly. I'll use Breaking Bad as an example as it's one of my favorite shows of all time. Imho, Breaking Bad wasn't a great show because of its writing, it was a great show because it had excellent writing that brought people together into a huge community. It became a living, organic series that formed a soul of its own. 10 years from now I doubt I'll care about the raw entertainment value I got from Breaking Bad, but I'll certainly never forgot all the great people I met along with all the friendships I formed because that show existed.
 
You completely missed my entire point. My arguments regarding the Netflix model have nothing to do with run-time or personal viewing habits. Regardless of whether or not a series is a 5 minute webisode, 22 minute comedy, 45 minute drama, or a 13 hour block of Netflix programming, the Netflix model gives the public "new" material 1 day a year. When you release new material across a traditional 13 or 22 week period, you essentially create a very different type of experience which Netflix cannot replicate.

They could. They choose not to.
 
The idea of releasing a show that caters to a "community" is the moment I lose credibility for that show. The creators, writers, and directors goals shouuld always be to deliver the highest entertainment value. Not catering to a discussion community. Don't worry about building hype, and radio morning discussion points. Deliver quality to your viewers.

Also, what if I cant adhere to the airing schedule of a traditional show? I miss content because my daughter had her piano recital that night? I also shouldn't have to cater my schedule to the schedule of any in home entertainment. I shouldn't have to make sure both my and my girlfriends schedules are free because we enjoy a show together. We can catch up on a few episodes when we spend a Saturday together, awesome!

You should always be able to digest in home content at your will, pace, and comfort. Movies do this, books do this, music does this, traditional TV is a dinosaur and a nightmare.
All commercial products are made for some one so they make money. All entertainment caters to a community the trick is hiding that fact to the entertainees.
 
Also, what if I cant adhere to the airing schedule of a traditional show? I miss content because my daughter had her piano recital that night? I also shouldn't have to cater my schedule to the schedule of any in home entertainment. I shouldn't have to make sure both my and my girlfriends schedules are free because we enjoy a show together. We can catch up on a few episodes when we spend a Saturday together, awesome!

Nobody is talking about having to actually watch live broadcasts as they air at a specific date and time.

They mean weekly episodes that can be viewed through various methods of time shifting (Hulu, DVR, network websites).
 
I like house of cards but i agree. I hate the Netflix model of dump the whole show. Would Lost have had the same experience if all the episodes were just dumped there on the first day? What about breaking bad?

Even things like HIMYM there is some fun in coming on gaf and bitching about the new episode and how they should fix it.
 
Nobody is talking about having to actually watch live broadcasts as they air at a specific date and time.

They mean weekly episodes that can be viewed through various methods of time shifting (Hulu, DVR, network websites).

Ahhh, I see. I stand corrected with that gripe in this case.
 
The reason I love television is because I love getting NEW CONTENT every week to discuss with friends, co-workers, family, online discussion forums, etc. I loved knowing every Sunday night there would be NEW CONTENT related to Breaking Bad that I could discuss with people and reflect on. With Netflix, you only have new content to discuss one day a year. I would prefer to get new content unseen by the general public for a single series I feel passionate about 13 weeks or 22 weeks a year.

That's only true if: a) Netflix only had one series (they don't), and b) you and your group burn through all 13 episodes within one day.

Also, are you more interested in the scheduling of the content than the content itself? House of Cards and Orange is the New Black are great shows -- better than most everything on TV, really -- and it seems odd that a self-admitted television lover would write them off because they aren't stretched out over several months.

Ashok said:
Imho, Breaking Bad wasn't a great show because of its writing, it was a great show because it had excellent writing that brought people together into a huge community. It became a living, organic series that formed a soul of its own. 10 years from now I doubt I'll care about the raw entertainment value I got from Breaking Bad, but I'll certainly never forgot all the great people I met along with all the friendships I formed because that show existed.

Well, that answered that question. :lol

Breaking Bad is a great show because of how it's written, acted, shot, directed, etc. That's what perseveres 10 years from now. It sounds like you're less interested in the actual show and more interested in just having something to do and talk about.

kurbaan said:
Would Lost have had the same experience if all the episodes were just dumped there on the first day? What about breaking bad?

For a lot of people, the Netflix model is how they watched Breaking Bad in the first place. That experience is a huge reason why the show became as popular as it did.

Also, if LOST were going to be released that way, it would have been structured differently. For example, each episode - as with many (all?) network shows - was written around commercial breaks, so that every 6-7 pages ends with some kind of narrative hook. That isn't necessary for cable and Netflix shows, which don't have those breaks. So LOST on Netflix would have been written very differently by default, just like LOST on HBO would be. You can't take a series that was tailored for one format, drop it into something completely different, and pretend that's a fair comparison.
 
For a lot of people, the Netflix model is how they watched Breaking Bad in the first place. That experience is a huge reason why the show became as popular as it did.

This cannot be overstated. Most people don't want this "community" some are so attached to.
 
This cannot be overstated. Most people don't want this "community" some are so attached to.
Do you have some statistics to back up your claim that most people would rather binge watch? Breaking Bad is not a great example in favor of the Netflix model anyway because if you binge watched it and liked that then great for you, you got what you wanted while the people who wanted to follow the show weekly also got what they wanted.
 
It's all about the convenience. Netflix's model is convenient for everyone.

Who wants to sit through commercials? Nobody.
 
When a televison season or even when the whole show ends, it's available to marathon. As time progresses the way most people will have watched the show will be through marathoning. Netflix knows this from studying how people streamed shows in the past, and it's why they release shows the way they do.

You can argue all day how it's better to watch a show week-to-week, but most people don't care.

It really doesn't matter to me. I've enjoyed watching TV shows both ways. I marathoned through the first 5 seasons of Lost (it took a while mind you, that's a lot of time) and watched the last season live. I have no complaints watching it that way.
 
I hate the netflix model so much. Binging TV shows is tiring and makes all the episodes blend together into a yucky mush. Also, you can't talk to anyone about the show until you finish the entire series. Which means you miss out on a big part of some shows (like lost, for example. If you marathon it without discussing the episodes with anyone or having that sense of anticipation you're basically watching a completely different show.) And if you dont watch the entire show the minute its released on netflix you're now at risk for a bunch of spoilers. Its so annoying.

Weekely episodes are far more relaxing and fun. You have the excitement and anticipation, the fun discussion the show with friends, and you don't have to worry about being spoiled for the most part. I can't understand why anyone would prefer the neflix model unless they're ADD and need to have all the episodes now.
 
Do you have some statistics to back up your claim that most people would rather binge watch? Breaking Bad is not a great example in favor of the Netflix model anyway because if you binge watched it and liked that then great for you, you got what you wanted while the people who wanted to follow the show weekly also got what they wanted.

But it's a great example because the show got huge because of people being able to catch up at their convenience.

I didn't say most people prefer to binge watch. I said they don't care about this community around shows weekly. Which as evidenced by the success of DVR, DVD sets, Netflix and others proves this to be the case. It's only a small portion of audiences that are concerned with that aspect of shows. Most people just want to sit and be entertained.

You can argue all day how it's better to watch a show week-to-week, but most people don't care.

Truth.
 
I hate the netflix model so much. Binging TV shows is tiring and makes all the episodes blend together into a yucky mush. Also, you can't talk to anyone about the show until you finish the entire series. Which means you miss out on a big part of some shows (like lost, for example. If you marathon it without discussing the episodes with anyone or having that sense of anticipation you're basically watching a completely different show.) And if you dont watch the entire show the minute its released on netflix you're now at risk for a bunch of spoilers. Its so annoying.

Weekely episodes are far more relaxing and fun. You have the excitement and anticipation, the fun discussion the show with friends, and you don't have to worry about being spoiled for the most part. I can't understand why anyone would prefer the neflix model unless they're ADD and need to have all the episodes now.


Insulting people who care more about watching the show instead of talking about it and also having to sit through commercials isn't going to convince anyone.
 
Weekely episodes are far more relaxing and fun. You have the excitement and anticipation, the fun discussion the show with friends, and you don't have to worry about being spoiled for the most part. I can't understand why anyone would prefer the neflix model unless they're ADD and need to have all the episodes now.
+100.

That's only true if: a) Netflix only had one series (they don't), and b) you and your group burn through all 13 episodes within one day.
Let me rephrase... with traditional television, for TV shows I feel really passionate about there is new content for that SINGLE series each week.

Also, are you more interested in the scheduling of the content than the content itself?
It depends on show to some degree, but many shows work beautifully because of the scheduling of traditional television. For example, "The X-Files" is one of my favorite shows of all time. It worked because of many reasons, but the writing, acting, cinematography, directing, etc. were only tiny factors in why the series persevered across nearly a decade. What made it most special was that it wasn't just a technical exercise. It was an experience, or essentially a "ride" which made it something highly unique and very different from what was offered by going to see a movie at the theater. Every week, I always had an anticipation about going on a new adventure Friday night (and later Sunday night) with Mulder and Scully. The show didn't just have great content, it had content that wouldn't even work well if it was scheduled differently.
 
Insulting people who care more about watching the show instead of talking about it and also having to sit through commercials isn't going to convince anyone.

I wasn't trying to convince anyone, no sure why you thought I was. I was just saying my opinion about how I don't like the netlfix model. I'd very upset if it was the future of television.
 
I definitely think Netflix should release one episode at a time, week to week.

Hell no. You want to watch it like that? The option is there for you, but you control it. I personally love to watch 2 or 3 episodes of shows and will usually do so at a friends who DVRs a lot of stuff for the group to watch.
 
I wasn't trying to convince anyone, no sure why you thought I was. I was just saying my opinion about how I don't like the netlfix model. I would be very upset if it was the future of television.

You were also trying to insult people who prefer the Netflix model. Good thing you weren't trying to convince anyone though.
 
+100.


Let me rephrase... with traditional television, for TV shows I feel really passionate about there is new content for that SINGLE series each week.


It depends on show to some degree, but many shows work beautifully because of the scheduling of traditional television. For example, "The X-Files" is one of my favorite shows of all time. It worked because of many reasons, but the writing, acting, cinematography, directing, etc. were only tiny factors in why the series persevered across nearly a decade. What made it most special was that it wasn't just a technical exercise. It was an experience, or essentially a "ride" which made it something highly unique and very different from what was offered by going to see a movie at the theater. Every week, I always had an anticipation about going on a new adventure Friday night (and later Sunday night) with Mulder and Scully. The show didn't just have great content, it had content that wouldn't even work well if it was scheduled differently.

As anecdotal as it may be. I experienced the X-Files one way. And that was watching it through Netflix. Did I binge watch an entire season at a time? No. I enjoyed it as I felt I wanted to experience more of the content. I experienced that 'ride' through a 2 year time span. And the X-Files is my favorite show as well.

It seems we both enjoy the same show for the same reason, and watched it on a completely different structure.
 
I just really dislike the model and would be very upset if it was the future of television, okay? Sorry if I offended you in my venting.

I'd prepare to be disappointed. More and more content is going to be coming that way. Weekly won't die, but it's going to be less and less.
 
But it's a great example because the show got huge because of people being able to catch up at their convenience.

I didn't say most people prefer to binge watch. I said they don't care about this community around shows weekly. Which as evidenced by the success of DVR, DVD sets, Netflix and others proves this to be the case. It's only a small portion of audiences that are concerned with that aspect of shows. Most people just want to sit and be entertained.
On demand and binge watching is obviously a great way to catch up but it doesn't mean that most people don't care about following a show weekly. It might be true, and I'm not really saying it isn't, but unless we have hard data that's not a claim anyone can make.

Also, DVR's are irrelevant here. A DVR allows you to watch an episode whenever it suits you (another form of on-demand really) but this is about release schedules. Even if you watch the episode a day or two later that doesn't mean you can't be exited for next weeks episode or speculate with other people what will happen next.
 
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