Reasons That We Binge-Watch TV Shows

We've all felt it. “The Show Hole.” That’s the 21st century’s descriptive expression for a feeling that didn’t exist before streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime became a part of our daily lives.

While back in the twentieth century we sometimes experienced a brief sense of loss each spring when we knew we were stuck with repeats of a favorite series until the next season, the loss of a program watched once a week didn’t quite leave the same vacuum we feel when we finish one of the best shows to binge-watch today and haven’t yet found one to replace it. Finding the next series to binge-watch is the only way to fill this purely 21st-century empty feeling known as the show hole.

The Beauty of the Binge-Watch

In the not-so-distant past, viewers had to wait a week to see the next episode of their favorite television series. Unlike a movie with a beginning, middle, and end, all viewed in less than two hours, a television series in the past brought the viewer in slowly with much more emphasis on character-building. They won viewers over with the characters and their trials and triumphs over time.

Many episodes ended on a cliff-hanger in order to increase the chances of the viewer tuning in a week later to watch the next episode. With a week to wait, we sometimes lost small details and overall momentum in between.

But with some of the best shows to binge-watch, streaming services release entire seasons of episodes at the same time so rather than waiting a week, we have only to wait for the next episode to load… and they load automatically, often tempting us to watch just one more. And when you tune in to a series with many seasons already available to watch, the binge-watching phenomenon really kicks in. Pop some popcorn and get comfortable, this may take up a rainy weekend and beyond.

But what exactly happens inside our brains when we binge-watch? What makes this feel-good phenomenon so difficult to resist?

Binge-Watching and the Brain

Psychologists describe binge-watching as watching 3 or more episodes of a series in a day. As far back as 2015, over 90 percent of people in a TiVo study engaged in this kind of serial show watching on a regular basis.

Psychologists note that today’s series writers write differently than they did in the days before streaming services dumped entire seasons of episodes at a time. Episodes no longer need to be as self-contained as they were back when we watched one per week. Instead, writers keep viewers glued to their screens by writing a continuing story with each episode leading into the next — a writing recipe aimed at keeping us glued to our screens. But what happens in the human brain that makes binge-watching such an enjoyable, irresistible experience?

Similar to gambling, sex addiction, and even substance abuse, a binge-watching session triggers the reward chemicals in our brain, including dopamine. Also similar to substance abuse and behavioral addictions, the brain may begin to require larger “doses” over time to trigger the same sense of satisfaction. For some people, this may lead to longer and longer sessions with some of the best shows to binge-watch. These feature a format designed to keep you wanting just one more episode.

Is Binge-Watching Bad for You?

When we’re stuck indoors for long periods of time due to a pandemic, illness, injury, or even a long rainy weekend, there’s nothing wrong with accessing your favorite streaming service, grabbing a bowl of popcorn, and getting comfy on the couch to catch up on the latest favorite.

There’s also absolutely nothing wrong with choosing one of the best shows to binge-watch and tuning in to watch an episode or two every night, whether alone, as a couple, or as a family. These shows draw us in and we may feel heavily involved with the characters and their conflicts. Watching an episode or two every night is fun, relaxing, and something to look forward to.

As with all addictions, binge-watching can become a bad thing if it interferes with your life or your relationships. If you are calling out sick from work or neglecting your loved ones in favor of spending most of your time with your favorite shows, then binge-watching may be a problem for you. But for most viewers, watching responsibly offers much-needed stress relief.

Benefits of Binge-Watching

Psychologists tell us that tuning in to one of the best shows to binge-watch can be like shutting a door on our thoughts and worries and focusing on the lives of fictional characters from a safe space on our sofas. It may be a good way to recharge our batteries and relax, taking a break from our own troubles.

For fans of specific shows, it may also offer opportunities to join online communities of people with the same interests or foster conversations with friends or coworkers who also watch.

Chances are, if you didn’t tune into Game of Thrones from day one, you soon found yourself checking it out when conversations around the water cooler turned to daily updates on the Mother of Dragons, and John Snow.

Resources— Wistia, NBC, PsychologyToday

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