Netflix Testing An ‘Instant Replay’ Function, Users Giving It Mixed Reviews
Netflix subscribers may have noticed this week that an unfamiliar button asking users to “watch that scene again” has popped up for certain series and films. This is reportedly because the streaming service is experimenting with a new feature called “Instant Replay,” which allows viewers to re-watch memorable scenes as much as they like without having to fiddle with the time bar at the bottom of the screen, according to the Verge.
A notification will pop up on the screen that users can click after a scene concludes to automatically take them to the beginning of the scene. As of right now, this feature only works on Netflix’s original series and films, as well as select licensed content. There is no word yet on if the streaming service will be rolling out the feature to all 120 million-plus subscribers worldwide.
“Right now we’re just looking to learn from it and may or may not roll it out more broadly in the future,” a Netflix spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times.
So far, the feature hasn’t been received well by many viewers, although some have said they enjoy it. Users have cited the pop up as “distracting,” and others are asking how to disable it.
Just saw the first kissing scene in the movie Dumplin. Netflix then flashes a menu, “Watch That Scene Again.” I love that their algorithms work for good, evil, and neutral. “Teens rewind this scene a bunch. We could make more scenes like it or… Add a kissing scene button!” pic.twitter.com/LPBdfJJOrr
— Shane Pangburn (@shanepang) December 11, 2018
“Hey @netflix, the ‘show me that scene again’ pop up is distracting and annoying. How do I turn it off? Because I am 100% not cool with it. I’m trying to watch a movie, not a football game. I don’t need replays, thanks,” one Twitter user wrote.
Some are questioning the particular scenes that Netflix chooses to display the pop-up for, as it doesn’t appear all the time. For example, one person on Twitter said that it wanted her to replay a make-out scene, while another said it asked about replaying an exorcism from a horror flick.
“Netflix just asked me if I wanted to watch this makeout scene again??? like I know I’m lonely but d**m,” someone wrote.
One of the benefits of having the feature is that users can easily re-watch important scenes if they get distracted, as Uproxx pointed out. But, there doesn’t seem to be a pattern yet for which scenes the service asks to replay, so viewers may not always get the option.
“Netflix just said ‘show me that scene again’ and like, yeah, how did you know my distracted eyes weren’t lookin??” a Twitter user wrote, praising Netflix for the new function.
The pop-up is similar to their “skip intro” button introduced last year, which sparked controversy because it helped to get rid of some much-loved opening sequences on television, according to AV Club.
