You hear more and more about it: binge-watching programs for hours at a time.
People wait months for a show to become available on Netflix so they can spend the weekend watching an entire season in one or two sittings.
Television sure has changed. Remember when you couldn’t wait for next week’s episode and you talked about it to friends and co-workers? Remember when anticipation was half the fun?
Now we can’t mention any details for fear of spoiling the story for others. And who would be around to discuss it anyway since everyone’s still glued to their screens elsewhere?
This can’t be healthy.
Studies on binge-watching are limited as this is a relatively new behaviour but those out there have focused on the non-traditional viewing sources such as DVD box sets and Netflix shows that are downloaded by the season.
However, some cable TV channels are now offering “marathon” weekends of regular network programs just to feed your need to binge.
The results? While studies are not saying that binge-watching actually causes depression, they did find that people who are lonely or depressed are more likely to binge-watch.
It allows them to avoid those negative feelings instead of dealing with them. So it’s certainly not helping.
And researchers have also noted some other odd behaviours emerging.
Binge-watchers often get so caught up in their favourite characters that they live vicariously through them instead of living out their own hopes and dreams.
Binge-watchers often stay up late to finish “just one more episode.” This leads them to ignore things like sleeping and associating with real people.
Which may not be a bad idea because … bingers are twice as likely to skip showers as those who don’t binge-watch.
And when the series is finished, binge-watchers are often left feeling lost and bereft, as though a relationship has ended. So they desperately search for another series to take its place fast, regardless of what it is. And rebound relationships are never healthy.
Then there’s binge-watching’s effect on traditional television.
New network shows are having a tough time competing. But it has nothing to do with their content or quality.
Even when shows look really good, some viewers have questioned their own ability to wait an entire week for the next episode. So much for the concept of delayed gratification.
They’ve also stated that they don’t think their interest can be held-over without constant stimulation. So apparently binge-watching is television for A.D.D.
Remember, those extra seven days between episodes means we have time to get things done in the real world. Television should be just a means of short-term escape. It should not demand our heart, soul and every waking hour.
So traditional television is a much healthier alternative. At the end of the hour, the story pauses and you continue on with your own life. And, you know, talk to other people.
Or you can binge-watch and to heck with the consequences. But please, consider that shower first.
