There is nothing quite like the thrill of getting into a new TV show. Over the past several years, there has been a shift in how people watch television, with cable TV slowly becoming obsolete and streaming services gaining widespread acceptance.
What once felt like a communal experience — friends planning weekly watch parties or families gathering around the TV to tune in to the latest episode — has been disrupted by the rise of binge-watching.
This format encourages rapid, individual consumption, with entire seasons often finished in one sitting. However, streaming platforms have begun to stray from this model and revert to traditional tactics, releasing weekly episodes of their latest hit shows.
In 2013, Netflix transformed the way we consume TV with the launch of Netflix originals. Over a decade ago, “House of Cards” became Netflix’s first original series, releasing an entire season at once, and this introduced the beginning of the binge-watching era.
Viewers could now watch shows at their own pace, burning through seasons in just a day or two. This new style of TV was addictive, and other streaming services quickly followed suit, launching their original shows in full season drops and reshaping how audiences experienced television.
While binge-watching offers instant gratification and doesn’t require waiting in suspense between episodes, it also has its own set of drawbacks. The buzz that comes along with binging TV shows often fades within days or weeks.
Since viewers finish shows at different paces, the discussion of content is fractured. This fragmented viewing experience diminishes the overall collective conversation, making it harder for shows to maintain relevance. There have been countless occasions in which I’ve had to avoid social media to dodge spoilers because I hadn’t finished a show yet.
Although binge releases are perfect for solo viewing marathons, they limit fan engagement by preventing viewers from forming a sense of community. The shared anticipation of waiting for weekly episodes that once made TV watching a joint experience has largely disappeared.
Lately, some of my favorite shows have switched to a weekly release schedule, and this has proven to be a surprisingly refreshing change. Eagerly waiting every Sunday night for a new episode of “The White Lotus” to unfold has restored my appreciation for television.
The staggered release has given these shows a second life, with sustained cultural relevance that lasts for months instead of dying out after a weekend binge. I love reading weekly reactions and fan theories, which not only add to the excitement but also deepen my understanding of the plot, making the overall experience much more enjoyable.
The shift back to weekly episodes is more than a business strategy — it is a revival of the integrity of television. While I love binge-watching as much as the next person, I find this style of viewing most enjoyable with shows that have been out for a while or comfort series that I’ve already seen.
For new releases, the weekly format extends the lifespan of these productions and creates a greater cultural impact, which is what is hoped for when they premiere. By embracing the wait and sharing in the excitement of weekly releases, we can make the viewing experience more rewarding, one episode at a time.