In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the phenomenon of binge watching television shows. A term originally coined in the late 2000s, “binge watching” refers to the act of watching multiple episodes of a television show in quick succession. thanks to the advent of streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, which make it easy to watch entire seasons of shows at one time, binge watching has become increasingly popular. Indeed, a recent study found that 61% of Americans have engaged in binge watching behavior.

In 2018, Mareike Jenner wrote an essay entitled “Introduction: Netflix and the Reinvention of Television.” In it, she discusses how streaming services like Netflix have changed the way we consume television. No longer are we confined to watching shows on a linear schedule; now, we can watch entire seasons of shows all at once. This “binge watching” culture has had a profound effect on the way we think about television.

In her essay, Jenner  also cites a 2017 study by Amanda Lotz which theorizes that binge watching is a result of the nonlinearity of internet-distributed television. lotz defines nonlinearity as “the absence of a temporal or structural layout that viewers must follow in order” (2017, p. 2). In other words, because we are no longer beholden to a rigid schedule, we are free to watch shows whenever and however we want. This freedom has allowed us to develop new ways of interacting with television.

Interestingly, the rise of binge watching has coincided with the resurgence of the sitcom genre. Once thought to be dying out, sitcoms have made something of a comeback in recent years thanks to shows like The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. So, what is it about sitcoms that makes them so well-suited to binge watching?

There are several reasons why sitcoms are particularly well-suited to binge watching behavior. First, sitcoms are typically shorter than other television genres like dramas or reality TV show; most sit coms clock in at around 22 minutes per episode without commercials. This makes them easy to watch in quick succession without becoming too fatigued. Second, sitcoms are highly serialized; each episode builds upon the events of previous episodes, meaning that viewers who watch multiple episodes in a row will have a better understanding of the characters and storylines. Finally, sitcoms tend to be relatively lighthearted and low-stakes; they offer viewers a way to relax and escape from the stresses of everyday life.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a perfect example of a sitcom that is well-suited to binge watching. The show follows the day-to-day lives of detectives in New York City’s 99th precinct as they solve crime andtry to get along with one another. With its fast-paced humor and lovable characters, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is the perfect show to watch when you need a break from reality. And thanks to its short episode lengths and serialized nature, it’s easy to watch multiple episodes in one sitting without becoming overwhelmed or bogged down.

References:

Mareike Jenner, “Is this TVIV? On Netflix, TVIII and binge-watching”, New Media and  Society, Feb 2016, 18 (2): 257-273

Amanda D. Lotz, “Television Outside the Box: The Technological Revolution of  Television”, in: The Television will be Revolutionized, 2nd edition, NYU Press, 2014, 53- 94

Jenner, Mareike. Netflix and the Re-invention of Television. Germany: Springer International Publishing, 2018.

Author: Eike Gantois