Do you find yourself constantly saying “Just one more episode” when watching your favourite new series? A survey conducted on behalf of Netflix found that bingeing is a widespread behaviour, with 61% or respondents binge watching regularly.
If the common perception of binge watching was a weekend-long, pyjama-wearing marathon of TV viewing, survey respondents don’t see it that way.
A majority (73%) defined binge watching as watching between 2-6 episodes of the same TV show in one sitting. Nearly three-quarters of TV streamers (73%) say they have positive feelings towards binge streaming TV.
Netflix members around the world are certainly making their own rules when it comes to watching TV. Last year, they watched more than 140 million hours of TV shows, movies, documentaries, stand-up specials and more a day - that’s about one billion hours a week.
“Our viewing data shows the majority of streamers prefer to have a whole season of a show available to watch at their own pace,” said Ted Sarandos, chief content officer of Netflix.
“Netflix has pioneered audience choice in programming and has helped free consumers from the limitations of linear television.”
South Africans are no different when it comes to their bingeing habits, with escaping to a different reality and devouring (watching more than two hours per day) international titles the likes of Ingobernable, Suburra: Blood on Rome and Cable Girls.
But not all escaped from reality - some embraced it and were left in suspense with crime documentary titles including The Confession Tapes, The Keepers and true-crime satire American Vandal, Greenleaf, Anne with an E, The OA, Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later.
Apparently South African consumers need a laugh, but savour those laughs at their own pace with shows such as Dear White People, Big Mouth, You Me Her, and Disjointed.