I have a confession: I’m a binge-watcher. Give me a good show and the “Next Episode” button, and I’ll be there for hours. I know I’m not alone in this.
Some may say that binge-watching is negative and only leads to procrastination. While this can be true, I believe that binge-watching TV can be beneficial. It’s a way to unwind while also enjoying a production that hundreds of people invested their time and money into. That has to be for a reason; their show is important.
Nearly all TV shows have integral themes woven through the plot and into the characters’ experiences that will help audiences learn from characters’ mistakes. Ultimately, this helps viewers be exposed to various backgrounds and situations that they wouldn’t normally get to experience. TV shows broaden horizons and they help us gain more empathy. So how can binge-watching shows be a bad thing?
Here are some attributes of TV shows that make a good show, as well as an addictive one:
- Relatable Characters
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I believe having related characters is one of the most important aspects of any TV show. This medium means audiences have to follow these characters for much longer than a movie. Whether it’s one season in a limited series or 15 seasons of a sitcom, characters are the backbone of the show.
They need to be well developed and dynamic. These characters are going through so many conflicts in a single episode, so audiences need to feel connected to them, no matter if they root for or against them. They need to have a strong emotional connection to these characters because if they don’t, then why would audiences care to watch the show?
This makes TV shows so addictive. If audiences relate to these characters on an emotional level, then they truly care about what’s next on the character’s journey.
- Cliffhangers
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Cliffhangers between episodes are also a huge way that the show will hook you. In almost all shows, there’s some small or large mystery at the end that makes you want to keep watching so you know what happens.
That’s why the “Next Episode” button is dangerous. You don’t have to do anything to find out what happens to your favorite characters. It’s so easy — so simple. Then, all the sudden, it’s 2 a.m. and you’ve watched half of a season. Yes, I’m guilty of this.
But, again, there are benefits to this. No, we shouldn’t do this every night, but it can be occasionally healing. It’s good medicine and a great break from reality. We can learn from these shows, which will help us improve our lives.
- Interwoven Themes
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The underlying messages in these shows are another reason why watching TV is beneficial. While sometimes it’s not as exciting as cliffhangers and action-packed mysteries that may happen in an episode, these messages are still addictive because they subconsciously become the core reasons we watch these shows.
Courtesy of Netflix They are humanity. They are the soul of the show. Audiences should change along with the characters that they’re following.
All in all, TV can be addictive, especially good TV. However, binge-watching our favorite shows gets a bad reputation. Binge-watching can lead to procrastination, but it’s also a necessary escape from reality. When done occasionally, binge-watching can even be healthy for us.
We all need to watch a show straight through at some point in our lives.
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