The streaming revolution Netflix unleashed with that decision has radically transformed the landscape of television with a boom in binge-watching habits. At this point in what Mareike Jenner terms the fourth stage, “TVIV,” the success of streaming services like Netflix has led to the production of these complex, serialized narratives that keep viewers captivated through prolonged periods of viewing and not simply through the act of episode distribution (Jenner, 2016). Additionally, whereas normal networks would roll out episodes week by week, Netflix became known for the “season dump,” allowing all episodes of a series to be available at once, which encourages binge-watching (Lecture Slides).

Through this paradigm, shows such as House of Cards and Stranger Things have flourished as non-linear, on-demand viewing has become the new normal, presenting audiences with a fantastically flexible and entertaining experience. The trailer for Stranger Things (2016) showcases the series’ high budget, and the sense that bingeing provides a spirit of continuity to the shows it promotes, and identifies the filmic qualities and serialized storytelling that have come to define Netflix Originals.

This transformation from scheduled television to steaming is what Amanda Lotz refers to it as the “post-network” period, in which we have the freedom to decide when and how to watch without the constraints of a networks schedule (Lecture Slides). This thinking helped move TV broadcasts into a cinematic look, merging the distinction between film and TV. And convenience is far from the only benefit. Netflix Originals attract a diversity of viewers and they question traditionally held notions of what television is. They often feature intricate plots that make viewers want to go back and watch them again, and high production value.

While binge-watching can be fun, some people arguing bitterly that binge-watching promotes too much time in front of screens and not enough in front of everyone else — even if they don’t exactly use those terms — and that it can mess with people’s daily rhythms and mental health. But Netflix’s binge-catered design has a place in the modern-era need for instant insight into complete plots (Jenner, 2016). With the combination of cutting-edge streaming and an extensive content library, Netflix is rewriting the rules of TV — and, indeed, creating a new hybrid model — and enabling customers and the entertainment industry to rewrite some rules of their own.

Reference

– Jenner, Mareike. “TVIV: The Transformation of Television and the Power of Binge-Watching.” In ‘Television and New Media’, 2016.  

– Lotz, Amanda. ‘The Post-Network Era: The Evolution of Television Viewing’. Lecture Slides.  

– Stranger Things Official Trailer (2016). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWxyRG_tckY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWxyRG_tckY)  

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