Series and TV Shows: What Kind of Binge Watcher Are You?

Binge-watching TV shows is not a recent phenomenon. However, it has become ubiquitous in a society where streaming services are plentiful. There’s simply not enough time on earth to be able to watch every show that you would like to see. From drama, fiction, documentaries and reality TV, it’s a given that these streaming companies have managed to glue us on the couch pretty much every day of the week.

If you are a binge-watcher, you probably know that you’re one of many. We can divide these large cohorts into multiple groups that share common interests, habits of viewing, and similar tastes. There is not one binge-watcher like the other, but you might recognize yourself in one of these five categories

The Multitasker

If you work an office job, you’ll often feel that you spend a large part of the day in front of a medium screen (the old laptop), just to end up on your couch in the evening, watching a bigger screen (your 4K TV) while scrolling on a smaller screen (your phone). Such is the life of a multitasker.

Even if some people can still zone out and concentrate on one thing at a time, it’s not the case for multitaskers because they always feel compelled to do something else while watching their favorite shows. TV, for them, is more akin to a comforting background noise. They’re probably typing ‘how to find the best casino bonuses’ on their phone while watching their 7th rerun of The Office. Nothing is wrong with that, but please don’t overstimulate your brain before going to sleep.

The Netflix Goblin

The Netflix Goblin is a common specimen that counts binge-watching as a primary hobby. Nowadays, this type of person probably has subscribed to two or three streaming services – one they rarely watch but enjoy browsing “where there’s nothing left on Amazon Prime”. They also have deep and extended knowledge about the three most influential shows of 2010 (The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, and Games of Thrones), even though they think the last seasons of said shows were like “a knife to the heart” when their favorite protagonists met a brutal end.

We are talking about people who truly enjoy the blessing of a Sunday afternoon spent in front of a mere four hours of programs. Despite their cultural interests, it is admitted that these people need to take a walk and smell the roses. There’s a life beside Westeros and their bunch of giant dragons.

The TV Nostalgic

Once in a blue moon, you will come across a rare breed. In a world where almost every program on Earth is available instantly or on Replay, the nostalgic TV sits in front of his TV at a specific time to watch his preferred show. It could be Telenovelas for seniors or something a bit modern like a game show or reality TV.

The TV nostalgia doesn’t binge because he has to wait for his program to appear on television. Of course, he is more than free to watch reruns later, specifically on the Internet. However, the fact that he is waiting in front of the TV at a certain time certainly gives purpose to his life. In a world where everything goes too fast, waiting for your show is kind of poetic.

The Non-Committed

Have you ever met somebody who wasn’t “that into TV shows?” During a typical conversation, this type of individual gets to admit shameful things such as “I don’t know who Walter White is” or “I’ve never seen a second of RuPaul’s Drag Race.” This can come as a shock to many people out there who essentially live in a virtual world full of fantasy, certainly more enticing than our day-to-day lives.

The non-committed binge-watcher doesn’t have actual commitment issues. The person can freely jump from drama to drama, starting a season, not getting into it, and perpetuating this superficial circle of not being passionate about TV and having something else to do in their spare time.

Meeting a non-committed binge-watcher can be a harrowing experience. However, it has many advantages: you can explain the plot of The Sopranos to him at least ten times. He won’t remember a thing and probably thinks you’re an intellectual.

The Appreciator of Finer Things

Even though the biggest streaming platforms probably have millions of movies and shows, it’s not enough for our dear appreciator of finer movies. This somewhat elitist friend decided that mainstream cinema wasn’t good enough for him. Sure, he has seen all the most popular shows, but what about a Soviet movie from the 1970s? What about a three-hour documentary about a silk factory in South Nepal? These types of bingers are more likely to collect physical media, in order to get their hands on these obscurities.

The appreciator of finer things claims to enjoy culture with a big C. It’s only natural that he values his time and will not spend it watching insipid cooking shows and dramas about teen vampires. However, you might catch him binging on something mind-numbing when nobody’s watching, such as Love Island or even old seasons of Top Gear. Even intellectuals deserve a break, sometimes.