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Are you a binge-watcher? Do you like to watch TV episodes back-to-back, devouring an entire season in a few sittings? Do you prefer to watch TV through online subscription services? Or do you prefer watching traditional TV, where you can savor each episode during the week until the next one airs?
TV viewing habits have changed dramatically within the past few years. Viewers can watch an entire series in a few sittings to get their fill of shows without having to wait. No more eager anticipation over days, weeks or even a year to find out what happens next. With binge-watching the only pause in the action is for bathroom breaks or the occasional refill of the snack bowl.
Binge-watching has been defined as viewing more than two episodes of the same show in a single sitting. Some subscription TV services help make binge-watching even more compelling by starting to play the next episode after the last one is over. See, The Plaid Zebra, Turns out binge watching isn’t actually your choice.
Netflix has become a haven for binge-watchers with entire seasons of House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black released on a single day. Some people prefer to power through the entire season in as few sittings as possible, while others spread out their viewing realizing that a year will pass before the next release.
Shows such as Game of Thrones can attract both traditional TV watchers and binge-watchers. Some viewers want to watch the latest episodes when they’re aired, while others prefer to wait until the season is over then watch all of the episodes at once.
With subscription TV services, you don’t even need to have a TV to watch shows. View shows from your phone, tablet or computer, anywhere, any time you have an Internet connection. Some people use subscription TV services to save costs by cutting out cable services. With subscription services there’s always something to watch, or binge-watch.
Playing Catch-Up
Subscription services can help viewers catch up with TV series. If you missed the earlier seasons of a series, but are wondering what the buzz is about, you can stream past episodes until you’ve caught up. If you missed watching previous seasons of Homeland, The Affair or The Walking Dead, a few marathon viewing sessions will get you caught up before the next season airs.
The Best TV Series to Binge Watch gives a ranking of the best shows for you to binge-watch. You can filter the rankings by age, gender and region of the voters. Filters are also available for you to find shows to watch on streaming services such as Netflix, HBO, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.
Shows that are no longer airing can be binge-watched, so you can join in the conversation with fans who watched when the shows were on the air. You may also want to re-visit past favorites to watch them continuously. Shows such as Breaking Bad, Lost and Mad Men can be viewed from beginning to end, or you can re-watch only the best episodes.
Beware of Spoilers
Binge-watching brings a danger of spoilers. If you aren’t up-to-date with the current episode, you may accidentally learn of important plot points before you have a chance to watch them. Be sure to stay far away from Twitter as an episode is airing if you don’t want to be spoiled.
Spoilers can be especially challenging with TV series that are released an entire season at a time. Before you start discussing an episode of Orange Is the New Black from the 4th season that was released on Friday, be sure that others have watched it.
To avoid being spoiled, use tech tools that can block spoilers from being seen. Check out How to Block Spoilers from Ruining Your TV Fun! for helpful spoiler blockers.
Poll
Do you binge-watch TV shows? Do you prefer to watch traditional TV? Vote in today’s Wonder of Tech poll:
Infographic
For an interesting view of how TV watching has changed, check out this infographic:
Your Thoughts
Do you prefer binge-watching or traditional TV viewing? Have your TV viewing habits changed in the past five years? What do you think the future of TV will be in the next five years?
Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!
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* Man watching TV photo, courtesy of Ambro via freedigitalphotos.net
* Infographic courtesy of Drew Burstein, used with permission.
I have been without a traditional TV service for the past 3 years. Paying $100/month for hundreds of channels that you don’t watch just seems silly to me. The only thing I feel like I’m missing out on is live local sports. I would love it if I had the option to choose a package of like 10 channels that I actually care to watch for $20-$30/month.
Hi Eric, You’re not alone. Many people are upset at having to buy cable packages that include channels they don’t want to watch. Services such as Sling and Apple TV are getting closer to offering what you’re looking for.
In five years your wish may be granted! We don’t know what the future holds for TV viewing, but changes are sure to continue.
Yes Online TV Killing Traditional TV. But there are benefit for Online TV also.
Hi Golam, You’re right. Watching online TV means you can schedule what you watch instead of depending upon the TV schedule to choose what’s on now. You can always find something interesting to watch with online TV.
Hi Carolyn,
Sadly, as a parent to small children, my wife and I have become binge watchers.
I think it makes certain shows unwatchable or at least difficult. It depends on the show though.
We binged watched for example, a number of seasons of “The West Wing” which is generally uplifting and light.
But then we also binged in less than a week on each season of “House of Cards.” Nauseatingly dark when you watch it this way, to the point where I am not sure if I will have the stomach for season 4….
You?
Hi Carolyn,
It is true that TV viewing habits have changed dramatically within the past few years.
I did not know the term “Binge -watching” is used for watching several episodes of same serial at once. Now with the evolution of Smartphone people watch their favorite shows on the Smartphone.
But it is not true that traditional style of watching TV has became extinct. Yet people do watch their favorite serial on mobile due to its portability But, still they love to watch it on traditional TV.
The technology has turn many user to turn into Portable TV but a huge Mass of people still spend some of their time on traditional TV like me 🙂
Thanks for your share,
With regards,
Saurav
Hi Saurav, Excellent points! You’re right, many people still do love watching traditional TV but others love the convenience of watching online TV. Binge-watching can be immersive, with people’s craving to “see what happens next” being fulfilled by watching an exhaustive amount of episodes in one sitting. How wonderful that we live in a time where peoples’ preferences can be satisfied no matter which they choose.
Yes, I am a binge-watcher. I watch TV episodes back-to-back devouring an entire season during weekend. Due to busy schedule I find it hard to watch TV episodes traditional way.
Hi Anu, That’s great you are able to binge-watch TV shows. You can watch according to your own schedule that way and you don’t have to rely on when the shows are aired.