c/binge-worthy-shows

Rant: The Bear season 2 was way too stressful for me to call it "binge worthy"

Everyone raves about how brilliant The Bear is, but after 4 episodes in one sitting I had to stop because my heart rate was through the roof. The constant shouting and kitchen chaos just felt like anxiety fuel, not entertainment. Anyone else find certain "critically acclaimed" shows unwatchable for that reason?

I finally sat down to watch The Bear and now I can't step foot in a restaurant kitchen without getting anxious

Went to a little Italian place called Luigi's on 12th Street last week for my birthday dinner. My wife picked it because the reviews were great. But I couldn't stop staring at the kitchen door every time a server walked through it. I swear I started noticing every little thing - the way the line cook slammed a pan down, how one guy was yelling something in Spanish, the sound of a ticket printer going off. The Bear ruined me. I kept waiting for someone to scream "hands" or have a total meltdown over a messed up order. Even the food tasted fine but I was too busy analyzing the chaos behind the scenes. Has anyone else had a show completely ruin a normal experience for you like this?

A friend told me I was skipping too much setup in season 1 of The Expanse and it ruined the payoff later.

I went back and rewatched the first 4 episodes without skipping and suddenly all those character choices in season 3 made sense, has anyone else had a show click better on a rewatch after someone called them out?

Just found out that one episode of The Office cost $3 million to film

Blew through 40 bucks on a show I hated after three episodes

I saw everyone raving about that new spy thriller "Nightfall Protocol" on Prime so I bought the whole season pass for $40. After three episodes I realized the main character is just standing around looking serious while other people explain stuff to him. Has anyone else wasted money on a show that turned out to be all hype?

Finally watched Dark on Netflix and now I need a conspiracy board

Started it three days ago. Binge watched the first season in two nights. I usually figure out twists but this show had me lost by episode 3. I had to google a family tree just to keep track of who was who. Now I'm rewatching season 1 again before moving to season 2. Anyone else have to take notes or draw diagrams for this show?

I finally hit 50 shows this year and it messed with my head

I keep a list of every series I finish and last night I hit 50 for 2024. That number just felt huge because I didn't think I watched that much. It started back in January when I was sick for a week and burned through 3 seasons of one show. Then I just kept going with shorter stuff like 6 episode seasons. Idk, 50 just made me stop and think about what I actually got out of all those hours. Has anyone else counted and been surprised at their total?

That one show where the soundtrack completely took over my life

I was at my brother's place last weekend and he put on season 2 of The Bear. I was half watching while scrolling on my phone but then that episode with the fork in the spoon drawer came on and I couldn't look away. The whole show just hits different when you actually pay attention to how they use music to build tension. Nothing else I've tried since has come close to that same energy. Anyone got a rec that has a soundtrack that works just as hard?

My shift from finishing one series a month to three a week

About 8 months ago I could only get through one show a month because I insisted on watching live as episodes dropped. Then I broke my ankle in June and had three weeks on the couch in Portland. Now I just wait until a full season is out and plow through it in two or three nights. Anybody else find their watching habits totally changed after a long recovery period?

Had a chat with my nephew about Stranger Things and it made me rethink the whole show

My nephew who is 19 came over last weekend and we got to talking about Stranger Things. He said he thinks the show peaked in season one and everything after that is just the writers trying to recreate that same magic. At first I argued with him because I love the later seasons especially season four with Vecna. But then he pointed out how the kids got way too good at everything too fast. They went from scared kids to tactical experts in like two seasons. He also mentioned how the show leans too heavy on nostalgia now instead of building real character moments. After he left I sat there thinking about it and he kind of has a point. I still enjoy the show but I see the cracks now. Has anyone else had a younger person totally flip your opinion on a show you thought you had figured out?

The OA is way better than Dark for anyone who wants a show that actually has a soul

I binge-watched both last month and The OA made me cry 4 times while Dark just left me confused and cold, has anyone else found that emotional payoff matters way more than complicated plot twists?

Hot take: That 9 episode series on the streaming platform was supposed to be a 5 season arc

I spent 18 hours over two nights binging what I thought was a complete story only to hit episode 9 and realize the creators got cancelled mid production, and now I'm stuck with a cliffhanger that will never be resolved.

Overheard a waiter say 'every show needs a slow episode to build character' and I almost threw my drink

I was at a diner last night and this server was arguing with a customer about why season 2 of The Bear dragged, and he actually said 'you need those quiet moments to make the chaos hit harder.' Has anyone else wanted to fast forward through a whole show just to skip the filler?

Is 22 episodes a season too many or too few? The 90s vs today debate

I just finished a 90s show with 22 episodes per season and now I'm watching a 2024 show with 8. Back then you'd get 3 or 4 filler episodes mixed in with the real plot. Now every episode feels like a movie but you blink and the season is over in a weekend. Which do you prefer? Does the shorter format actually make for better storytelling or just leave you wanting more?

Appreciation post: Noticed something about how people talk about slow burn shows

Way too many folks call a show 'slow burn' just because nothing big happens in episode 1, but a real slow burn has payoff later, like how The Americans built tension across seasons before every big moment really hit.

My sister made me rewatch Breaking Bad from scratch

She caught me skipping episodes and said I was missing major character stuff. Said I couldn't appreciate the show without seeing Jesse's full arc. Made me start over from season 1 episode 1. Now I'm 45 episodes in and she was 100% right. Anyone else had someone call them out on their lazy watching habits?

I finally gave The Wire a second chance

I tried watching it back in 2017 and couldn't get past the first 3 episodes, thought it was way too slow. My buddy kept saying the season 4 school storyline was the best TV he'd ever seen, so I pushed through to episode 7 of season 1 and suddenly everything clicked. Has anyone else had a show that took multiple tries before it hooked you?

Almost ruined my TV binging Ozark in one weekend

I was on episode 7 of season 3 last Saturday and my Fire Stick remote battery leaked all over the contacts. Tried using my phone as a remote but the app refused to connect to the TV in my basement. Ended up having to order a new remote from Amazon for $18 and waited 2 days to finish the show. Has anyone else had a streaming device die mid marathon like that?

The opening scene of The Leftovers has 0 people on screen for 3 full minutes

I rewatched that pilot last night and actually counted. It's just a deer walking through an empty town with no dialogue, a full 180 seconds of nothing but atmosphere. Has anyone else noticed weird pacing tricks that either hooked you or made you almost quit a show?

Just realized I'm the only person who hated Breaking Bad

Last month at a cookout in my buddy's backyard in Austin, this guy Dave started going on about how Breaking Bad is the greatest show ever made. I told him I couldn't get past season 2 and he looked at me like I kicked his dog. He actually said "you must have no taste then" and walked away to grab another beer. I stood there thinking about how everyone seems to worship that show but I found most of the characters insufferable and the pacing was a slog. Like yeah the acting was good but I just didn't care about a chemistry teacher making meth for two seasons straight. Dave came back five minutes later and tried to convince me to watch it again saying I missed the point. I told him I gave it 14 episodes and that should be enough to know if something clicks. Has anyone else had a friend get genuinely offended because you didn't like their favorite show?

I was sure I'd hate that true crime documentary but ended up watching the whole thing in one sitting

My friend kept pushing The Jinx on me and I rolled my eyes because I figured it was just another sensationalized crime show with fake drama. But after the first episode, Robert Durst's weird behavior and that whole bathroom microphone moment hooked me hard. I ended up staying up until 2 in the morning to finish all 6 episodes. Has anyone else had a show they were dead set against but ended up binging anyway?

Friend swore by watching anime at 2x speed. Actually works for filler episodes.

My buddy Mike told me to try watching shows at double speed, especially for slow parts. I thought he was nuts at first. But last month I gave it a shot on a 20 episode anime arc that dragged hard. Got through all the training montages in like 5 minutes each. The dialogue still makes sense if you don't crank it past 1.5x. Has anyone else tried this trick for powering through boring subplots?

Why does everyone skip the intro and then complain they don't know what's happening?

Watching a show with my buddy last night, he kept asking me who characters were and what the deal was with the plot. I asked him if he watched the intro. He said he skipped it. Dude, that intro literally explains the entire setup for the season. I see people in threads all the time saying they got lost halfway through a season and it's always the same thing. You can't just jump in and skip the cold open or the title sequence that lays out the premise. That's on you, not the show. Am I the only one who actually watches the first 5 minutes?

My friend swore I needed to watch this old British crime show from 2008

He kept saying 'The Wire fans sleep on this one' so I finally caved last week and binged all 5 seasons in 12 days. Has anyone else had a friend's rec that totally delivered despite your doubts?

Found out my favorite sitcom had a hidden pattern across all 9 seasons

I was rewatching The Office again for the 4th time last month and noticed something weird. Every season has exactly 3 episodes where Jim looks directly at the camera within the first 5 minutes. I checked a fan wiki and it confirmed it. The creators apparently planned it as a running gag. I never caught it before because I was always scrolling my phone. Has anyone else noticed hidden patterns in shows you've watched more than once?