Streaming sites such as Netflix and Disney + give us access to so many different shows and movies, which in theory is a positive thing as being exposed to a wider range of different genres and storylines can expand audiences’ views through the deeper meanings of the shows and movies however it can be argued that these streaming sites are damaging to television and cinema rather than positive as they are causing binge watching.

All streaming sites just the same as social media sites have ‘a sophisticated algorithm to nudge viewers towards specific choices’ this works as it is based on audiovisual media that has previously been watched on that account ensuring that you will want to watch it and as most shows on streaming sites are all released at once rather than episode by episode the viewers can fall into binge watching. As a result of streaming sites such as Netflix and Disney+ we have access to over thousands of different shows and movies and access while out and about due to downloading media features within the apps on your phone, this causes access to our favourite shows at all time as a result we now have a lack of community viewing and an increase in spoiler culture.

When shows like ‘Desperate Housewives’ used to air it was weekly on a broadcasting channel so the audience would have to wait each week to watch a new episode this creates a sense of community as the whole audience is at the same part of the show and can talk about what they think thus far and what will happen next, however, due to Disney + we have full access to every episode of every season at our finger tips meaning as it’s not a new show there are a lot of spoilers out there and people don’t feel the need to hide it as they’ve either already watched it or are ahead and want to talk about it. These are just two of the many reasons binge watching is detrimental to television and the value of episodic storytelling.

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bibliography

Mareike Jenner (2018), ‘Introduction: Netflix and the Renvention of Television’, ‘Introduction: Binge Watching Netflix’, Netflix and the Reinvention of Television, pp. 1-31, 109-118.