c/binge-worthy-shows

Why does nobody talk about how slow the pacing is at the start of Stranger Things season 3?

I binged the whole series last month and everyone raves about season 3 being the best, but those first three episodes felt like watching paint dry at my desk job, anyone else think it picks up way too late?

Why does nobody talk about how binging a show with someone who talks through it ruins everything?

I was watching Dark on Netflix last month with my buddy Mike, and he kept asking "who's that guy" every 5 minutes. By episode 3 I just paused it and asked him to watch it at his own pace instead. It made me realize how different people handle complex shows - do you watch alone for full focus or deal with the chatter for company?

Rant: That hyped show everyone told me to watch totally flopped for me

My friend kept bugging me to binge The Bear on Hulu because she said it was the best thing since sliced bread. I finally caved last weekend and watched the first 5 episodes straight. But man, the constant yelling and kitchen chaos just stressed me out more than entertained me. Did anyone else drop a popular show after a few episodes or am I the only one who couldn't get into it?

Am I the only one who hit 50 episodes in a single weekend and felt weird about it?

Honestly, I binged The Bear from Chicago in like two days and when I saw the count hit 50 episodes across multiple seasons, it kinda shocked me. On one hand, I felt proud of the dedication, but on the other, I wondered if I wasted my whole Saturday. Do you guys track your binge numbers or just let it flow without caring?

Showerthought: Do you binge shows in order or skip around? That changed for me at a friend's place last week.

I was over at my buddy's apartment in Portland last Friday and he started watching season 4 of The Expanse first. He said he always jumps to whatever season looks interesting, then goes back. I've always watched shows from episode 1 no matter what. But now I wonder, are we both wrong? Which way actually gives you a better experience, or does it just depend on the show?

I never understood the hype for The Wire until I forced myself through 5 episodes

I kept seeing people call it the greatest show ever, so I tried it three times over the years and always quit after the first episode. Finally stuck with it past episode 4 last month and now I get it - the slow build actually pays off once you start recognizing all the characters. Am I the only one who needed that many tries before it clicked?

Can we talk about that one friend who insists on talking through every show?

Last month my buddy Dave came over to watch the new season of The Bear. Every scene he'd pause it to say something like "oh that guy was in that other show" or "wait why did he do that". After 45 minutes we were only 20 minutes into the episode. I finally had to say "dude can we just watch it and talk after?" and he got all quiet the rest of the night. Anyone else have a friend who just cannot let a show play through?

Used to binge watch shows one episode a week like it was church, now I crush whole seasons in two days

I remember back in 2016 I was watching Game of Thrones and I'd actually wait till Sunday night to catch it live with snacks and everything. Now I just wait till a show is fully out and watch it all in one weekend, like I did with The Bear last month that took me from Friday night to Sunday morning. My wife thinks I'm crazy but I can't stand waiting a week for a cliffhanger anymore, it feels like torture. Anybody else switch from weekly viewing to full season drops, or am I just impatient?

Shoutout to that one episode of The Office that made me binge the whole thing

I always thought it was overhyped until my buddy made me watch the 'Dinner Party' episode. That cringe was so real I had to see what else I missed. Anyone else have a show they avoided until a single scene sucked them in?

Went back and watched season 1 of The Wire after finishing season 5 - completely different show

A coworker told me I was bingeing shows wrong. She was right.

I always skip around in shows. Watch episode 5 then 2, skip the boring parts. This girl at work saw me doing it and said I was ruining the experience. Called me out for missing character development and little details that pay off later. I got defensive at first but tried it her way with The Bear. Watched every episode in order no skipping. Caught so many small moments I would have missed. Now I watch everything straight through unless its really bad. Anybody else have someone call them out on their watching habits?

Just realized my buddy was right about skipping the opening credits

He said I was wasting 3 minutes per episode on The Americans, added up to over 2 hours by season 4, so now I auto-skip every intro on any streaming show, has anyone else done the math on that lost time?

Was rewatching The Last Kingdom and caught a weird historical detail

I found out that Uhtred's character is about 90% fictional - the real guy from that time was just a minor noble mentioned in a few old charters. It blew my mind because they built this whole epic saga around him. Has anyone else stumbled across a show that totally made up its "historical" lead?

Started watching a show from 2008 and it holds up way better than I expected

I just finished Battlestar Galactica (the 2004 one) last week. I figured a 20 year old sci-fi show would feel super dated, especially the effects. But honestly the story about AI and politics felt like it was written last year. It made me think maybe old shows are worth a second look instead of always hunting for something new. Anyone else have a show from that era that surprised you?

Finally finished that 7 season show I started 3 years ago

I started watching this long drama series back in early 2021 when I was stuck at home after a surgery. Got through like 4 seasons that summer and then just stopped for no real reason. Last month I randomly picked it back up and decided to just power through the last 3 seasons. It took me about 6 weeks because I could only watch a couple episodes a night after work. I actually missed a whole subplot with a side character because it had been so long since I saw the middle seasons. The ending was kind of mixed honestly, some parts felt rushed but the last episode made me tear up a bit. Has anyone else gone back to a show after a huge gap and felt like it hit different the second time around?

Dropped $80 on a streaming bundle and it totally backfired

I thought I was being smart signing up for that premium streaming bundle with HBO, Showtime, and Starz for $80 a month. Figured I'd save money compared to paying for each service separate. But after 3 months I realized I was only watching maybe 2 shows total across all of them. The rest of the time I just kept scrolling and never actually watched anything. Meanwhile my buddy pays $15 for Netflix alone and watches way more than me. I finally canceled it last week and now I'm back to just rotating one service at a time. Anyone else fall for those "value" bundles that end up costing more for nothing?

Just finished The Pitt in two days and I'm still thinking about it

Started it last Friday night around 8 PM, and by Sunday afternoon I was done with all 15 episodes. Has anyone else found that shows set in real time make them feel way more anxious than a normal medical drama?

My binge of The Bear backfired hard on a Sunday night

I was 6 episodes deep in season 2 of The Bear at my apartment in Portland when my laptop died because I forgot to plug it in during the last episode. Anybody else had their binge completely wrecked by a simple thing like a dead battery?

Question about watching The Wire for the first time in 2024

I finally started The Wire last month after hearing about it for years. I'm on season 2 now and I keep wondering if I would have appreciated it more back when it first aired in 2002. The show feels so different from the fast paced streaming stuff I watch now, with all the slow build up and focus on city politics. Has anyone else tried watching a classic HBO show years later and found it hard to get into?

That stat about how many shows Netflix cancels after one season really got me

I was reading a breakdown on a streaming stats site last night and saw that over 60% of Netflix original series don't make it past season two. It makes me wonder if anyone else hesitates before starting a new show on there, knowing you might get left hanging.

I finally binged The Wire after years of people telling me to watch it

Last month I had a week off work and decided to finally start The Wire. Watched 4 seasons in 6 days, barely left my couch, and my dog was not happy about it lol. Something about how Baltimore looked in the early 2000s felt so real and raw compared to shows now. Has anyone else put off a classic show for years and then regretted not watching it sooner?

Switched from watching shows alone to doing a buddy watch with my sister

I used to binge entire seasons by myself, zooming through 5 episodes a night with no breaks. Then last summer my sister suggested we watch The Bear together, one episode per call every Tuesday. Now I actually pause to talk about scenes and catch details I missed before. The pace is slower but I remember way more of the plot. Has anyone else tried watching a show with a friend and found it changed how you experience the story?

Just finished The Bear season 2 in one sitting... be careful

I started The Bear on a Tuesday night after work figuring I'd watch an episode or two. Ended up calling in sick Wednesday because I literally couldn't stop at episode 5. That scene in the season 2 finale where they're all prepping for the soft opening got me so tense I nearly cracked my phone screen. Honestly that show wrecked my sleep schedule for a solid 48 hours has anyone else had a binge just totally derail their week?

Picked subtitled Korean drama over dubbed and it changed everything

I was deciding between watching 'Crash Landing on You' with the English dub or the original Korean with subtitles and went with subtitles after my friend insisted. The acting felt way more real and I caught so many emotional moments that got lost in the dubbed version. Has anyone else switched from dubbed to subtitles and found it made a show way better?

Finished The Wire in 8 days flat. That was a mistake.