c/binge-worthy-shows

Buddy in Chicago told me to watch Dark on Netflix with the German audio and subtitles, not the dub. Best TV decision I ever made.

Visited a video store in Vermont and it felt like 2002 all over again

I was driving through Burlington last Saturday and stumbled into this old mom and pop rental shop. They still had VHS tapes in the back, believe it or not. The owner told me he gets maybe 10 customers a day now, mostly older folks who don't stream. I spent an hour just browsing the horror section and picking up cases with that crinkly plastic smell. Made me realize how much I miss the hunt of finding a random movie based on the cover art alone. Do you guys ever miss the physical act of renting something, or am I just being nostalgic?

Had a convo with a bartender about crime shows and now I'm questioning everything

I was sitting at a dive bar in Austin last Thursday and this bartender told me she binges forensic files to fall asleep, but she said it's all fake drama to keep you watching. She pointed out how every episode has that perfect timeline and final clue that never happens in real life. Did that conversation mess up anyone else's ability to enjoy true crime binges?

Just realized The Office laugh track is fake in the later seasons

I was rewatching season 7 last night and something felt off about the timing of the studio laughter. Looked it up and yeah they started adding canned laughs after Steve Carell left because the live audience wasn't reacting as much. Why do shows even bother pretending with fake audience noise? Has anyone else noticed this in other long running shows?

Changed my mind about The Wire after years of skipping it

I always told myself I'd never watch The Wire because everyone hyped it up so much. But last month my brother sat me down and made me watch the first three episodes. The way they build up Baltimore in season 1 with all the different characters hooked me. Now I'm halfway through season 2 and I can't believe I waited so long. Has anyone else been stuck on a show they thought they'd hate?

Almost lost my entire watch history on Netflix last night

I was at a friend's place in Austin and their kid accidentally factory reset the smart TV while we were mid-binge on a 6 season show. That little scare made me realize I should check if my streaming profiles are backed up or linked to anything - has anyone else had this happen and lost their progress?

The night a stranger at a bar got me to finish The Leftovers

I was at this dive bar in Pittsburgh about 3 years back, complaining to a buddy that I couldn't get past season 2 of The Leftovers because it felt too weird. Some guy next to me overheard and just said, "Stick with it, episode 6 of season 2 is the payoff." He was super calm about it, not pushy at all, and then bought me a shot. I went home that night, pushed through, and he was right - that episode hooked me hard. Now I tell everyone the same thing when they're stuck on a slow burn show. Anybody else had a random stranger change your mind on a series like that?

Binged The Bear and Succession back to back - no contest which was better

I finally got around to The Bear last week after hearing all the hype. Thought it would be just another kitchen drama. But man, the intensity and the way they film those kitchen scenes, it's like a whole different level. Succession felt like slow walking after that, The Bear just grabs you from episode one and doesn't let go. Has anyone else had a show totally ruin another show for them like that?

My buddy swore I'd hate The Bear and I almost skipped it

Tbh my friend Mike kept telling me The Bear was just stress in a kitchen and I wouldn't like it because I hate shows where everyone is yelling. I almost listened to him. But last month I was bored on a Sunday and gave it a shot. By episode 3 I was hooked. The chaos actually makes sense when you see where the story goes. Ngl I called Mike after season 1 to tell him he was dead wrong. Has anyone else had a friend steer you away from a show that ended up being your favorite?

Hit 500 episodes watched this year and it finally clicked

I was scrolling through my streaming history last night and noticed I hit exactly 500 episodes watched since January. That number surprised me. It made me realize I spend about 3 hours a day on average just watching shows. I never counted before because I thought it was just a casual thing. But 500 episodes means I basically watched 20 full seasons of TV in 9 months. That's half my waking free time gone. Has anyone else checked their total and gotten a shock from the number?

My buddy warned me about season 2 of The Bear and I didn't listen

My coworker Dave told me to stop after season 1 of The Bear. He said season 2 gets way too stressful and the family drama goes nowhere. I binged all 10 episodes in one night last week and honestly I should have listened. The whole season just felt like people yelling at each other with no payoff. I was so anxious by episode 6 I almost turned it off. Has anyone else felt like season 2 was a letdown compared to the first one?

I think Stranger Things season 3 is the weakest one and nobody agrees with me

Everyone raves about the mall and the summer vibes but I spent half the season bored during that whole Russian subplot. The Scoops Troop stuff dragged on way too long for me. Anyone else think season 1 was tight and focused while season 3 just got bloated?

Showerthought: I found out the most binged show on Netflix is actually a kids cartoon from 2011

I was scrolling through some stats on a site called Flixed last night and it said The Office isn't even in the top 5 for total minutes watched, which blew my mind since everyone I know has it on loop, anyone else surprised by that or am I just out of touch?

Tried rewatching a show from 15 years ago and it did not hold up at all

I loved The Wire back in college. Got through the whole series twice. Last week I started it again and couldn't get past episode 3. The pacing felt so slow and the phone tech looked like a joke. Maybe I just have a shorter attention span now. Has anyone else gone back to an old favorite and been let down?

Can we talk about season 2 of that show where everyone said 'it gets better'?

I put off watching The Expanse for years because the first 3 episodes felt like homework. Everyone kept telling me to stick with it, that season 2 is where it really picks up. I finally forced myself through season 1 and by episode 4 of season 2 I was hooked. Has anyone else spent too much time grinding through a slow start just because of hype?

Rewatching The Office and noticed something weird about the background extras

I was on my fourth rewatch of The Office (you know, the US version) and started paying attention to the background actors in the bullpen area. Turns out, there are only like 12 distinct extras who rotate through, and I found this breakdown on a fan wiki that tracked every single one across all 9 seasons. Does anyone else get distracted by stuff like this or am I just watching too much?

Got told my pacing was way off after 6 episodes of a show I loved

So I finished this crime drama last week, thought it was amazing, and told my buddy who writes for TV. He watched the first 3 episodes and said the pacing was terrible. Too much setup, not enough payoff until episode 5. I was like wait, I didn't even notice that. Now I rewatched it and yeah, I see it now. That feedback changed how I pick shows to binge because I pay more attention to how fast each episode moves along. Has anyone else had a friend totally ruin a show for you by pointing out something you never saw?

Just found out Netflix removes shows after 2 years even if they're popular

Got hooked on The Americans after skipping it for 5 years

I used to only watch crime dramas with big car chases every 10 minutes. My buddy in Seattle made me sit through the first 3 episodes of The Americans and I almost walked out. Has anyone else found a slow burn show that totally changed your view on what good TV looks like?

Friend told me I skip the first 3 episodes of shows and it drives them crazy

I used to always skip the first few episodes of a new series because I thought they were just setup and boring. My buddy called me out on it after we started watching The Expanse together and I tried to jump to episode 4. They said I was missing all the character groundwork that makes the payoff hit later. Now I force myself to watch from episode 1 and honestly it has made shows way more rewarding. Anyone else get called out for bad binge habits by your friends?

Blew $60 on a show that got cancelled after one season

I started watching this crime drama called 'The Undercover' on a streaming app last month. Paid for the whole season pass thinking it would be a good binge. Got to episode 4 and found out the network already pulled it with no ending. Total waste of cash and time because the final episode just stops mid story. Anyone else get burned by a show that vanished without wrapping up?

Had major doubts about that new Korean thriller series my friend pushed on me

I rolled my eyes for weeks about Squid Game because the hype was just so LOUD and everywhere, but after 3 episodes I was totally hooked and even stayed up until 2 AM to finish it. Has anyone else been scared off by hype only to get completely converted like that?

Hit episode 100 on my podcast this morning and nobody showed up to record

Realized after 6 months of audio issues that my co-host had been using his laptop mic instead of the USB one I bought him, and the only reason I figured it out was because my 7 year old asked why uncle Dave sounded like he was in a bucket, has anyone else wasted that much time on a simple fix?

Binge-watched a show in one night at a friend's cabin and it backfired hard

Went up to a buddy's place near Lake George last weekend for a chill getaway. We decided to binge 'The Bear' season 2 all in one go, like 10 straight hours. By the end, my brain was fried and I couldn't sleep at all, just laid there thinking about kitchen drama. Next morning, I tried to make breakfast and almost burned the whole cabin down because I was so spaced out. Now I'm strictly a 3-episode max person, no matter how good the show is. Has anyone else ruined a trip by over-bingeing a series?

Really frustrated with how my favorite show's later seasons wrecked all the character growth

Watched seasons 1-3 of The Good Place and felt like every character had learned and grown so much, but by season 4 it felt like they just reset everyone back to their selfish ways and I just binged the whole thing in 2 weeks and now I'm mad about the wasted potential.