Art of Binge Watching

Twenty years ago, life was sad. You watched a TV show, and while it was exciting to be watching it at the same time as thousands of people, you got stabbed in the back with cliffhanger endings. You had to go to some event your parents dragged you along to, and you missed that week’s show. And apparently, it was the best show yet. The on-air TV was a whole different world, and it lacked one of TV watching’s most cherished potentials: the binge watch.

Binge watching TV is the art of sitting in the same spot for several hours. It’s the art of choosing not one episode, not two, but upwards of four or even ten. It’s an immersive experience, a chance for hours-long escapes. A plate of takeout and four episodes of Stranger Things season 2, and you have one of the most enjoyable nights of your life–including a heart rate that doesn’t slow down for forty-five minutes. The intensity and freedom of binge-watching are two of its most worthy qualities, but a proper binge watch takes care and planning. Here are some of the necessary steps towards fully appreciating your binge watch.

Step One of appreciating your binge-watch is being ready for it. To fully appreciate your binge watch, you have to balance it with a week of hard work. There’s not nearly as much satisfaction to be gained in doing it when it’s all you do every night. Binge watches are best left for after long and grueling weeks of study, after a week of a good social life, or after a week of steady, dedicated, hard work. Nothing feels better than a break when you’ve actually earned it.

Step Two of appreciating your binge-watch is to choose your companions wisely. You may need to be an introvert like crazy, in which case, turn off your phone, lock your door, banish your relatives, and go. Or, you may desire the company of a friend who’s just as nerdily invested in the show as you are. You can binge on the same couch or interact over text or Skype, but if you want to binge with friends, make sure you plan your madness together. You can also use this excellent guide if you’re going to use a VPN to unblock Netflix geolocation restrictions, so you and your friend can browse titles from other countries, and pick from a variety of films.

Step Three of appreciating your binge-watch is finding the right shows. Some shows are nice but never worthy of one. Some shows are not worth your trouble at all. While recommendations from friends can be a great way to go, not all of your friends binge-watch with the alacrity that you do. Plus, some of your friends have weird suggestions. It always helps to find a list online of the best Netflix shows to watch, so you can get well on your way to properly bingeing, and experiencing the art of escape.