Netflix recently announced that there will be no binge watching of its new series, Between, starring Jennette McCurdy.
Netflix, the hugely successful online video streaming service, has become popularized in American culture in large part for its allowance of binge watching. Binge watching is the act (well, really, the lack of actual action in all honesty) of watching an entire season of a show or at least a significant portion of a season in one sitting.
The concept of binge watching has some what revolutionized the way many viewers watch their favorite TV shows. Instead of waiting patiently each week for the latest episode of their favorite show to air, many people are now electing to forgo the weekly airings and wait till the entire season is released on Netflix. Then, upon the seasons posting to Netflix, people will simply sit down and watch the new season, in its entirety, in a couple of hours.
Netflix has allowed for this popular viewing option on all of its past original series. The posting of new seasons for hit shows such as House of Cards or Orange is the New Black meant that many fans’ time were completely preoccupied with watching the new episodes in bulk.
Now, with the recently announced release of its newest original series, Netflix is putting a stop to the practice of binge watching.
Netflix’s newest original series is entitled Between, and stars former Nickelodeon actress Jennette McCurdy. The show’s central plot revolves around the spread of a disease that kills everyone who is over the age of 21 and was developed in partnership with Canadian TV channel City. It is Netflix’s partnership with City that has caused this prohibition on America’s new favorite pastime — binge watching.
In its contract with Netflix, City has what is known as “ first window rights .” This, according to the Hollywood Reporter , means that City has the right to air episodes prior to any other viewing platform. As a result, Netflix has been barred from being able to release the entire first season all at once. Instead, Netflix is confined to abide by the antiquated model of releasing a new episode each week. According to scheduled lineups, new episodes of Between are set to air every Thursday at 8 p.m. on City. Then, after waiting its turn, Netflix will be allowed to air the not-quite-as-new episodes of Between at 9 p.m. every Thursday. Airings are scheduled to begin on May 21.
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