Grounded and glued to your screen? What’s keeping you hushed? Netflix, Amazon Prime, Viu, MX Player, and hoichoi.
Watchers from all over the world who look for potential distractions are now rooted in such streaming services. New shows, movies, especially the originals that these streaming giants releases, most importantly the web series’, include full series online.
People are no longer watching a single episode, waiting for advertisements to end, and then getting back for the second episode the next day. A series of 10 to 15 episodes finish in a day or two. The rush to connect with others in an in-depth discussion of the show engages your mind in the exposure to constant media engagement.
No more switching channels or opting for any other form of visual entertainment. Online web series has changed how people spend time today. They are drawn from their everyday households, college campuses, and even from work to finish watching the episodes as if the characters are running away.
Remember the last time you went to a Cineplex? Or the last time you watched a show on Netflix? The latter is within scope, isn’t it? It must be, a minute ago you shifted to a different website, and now planning to get back soon.
We all become an honest self of the one we pretend to be. We start doing things more often just to consume the energy that is flowing around. Movies are still bringing a record amount of money at the box office, despite a growing number of subscribers of Amazon Prime, and Netflix. Although it keeps stress at bay, binge-watching acts as a steel door blocking our brain from the constant stressors forcing themselves into our thoughts.
Today research has reported 59 million subscribers only in the US for Netflix. A modern media company, Netflix has left a tremendous impact on several industries today.
Speaking of which, to catapult and unknown actor overnight to fame is called the “web series affect”. Some have also named it the Netflix effect, or the Amazon Prime effect.
Also read 11 ways to become successful YouTuber in 2020
Change Is Constant – Bring On The New Viewpoint
The exhilarating visits to movie halls and popcorn binging are in no place today. Records, DVDs, CDS have long-demolished themselves. The constant streaming of content anywhere today has made people sans patience.
Instead of buying cable plans, the population is focused on purchasing unlimited data. Just in 2018, nearly 33% of the population worldwide disconnected the cable connections, at the same time there has been an increase in Netflix, Amazon Prime, and hoichoi users.
Programming of extensive applications contributes to the biggest factor for consumers to decide how they want to view content today. Media in terms of print and visual both have taken away the hassle because of such technological progress.
One-touch advancement has been the journey, an aggregator providing information to consumers for all the new content flooding online. Consumers get assistance in deciding what’s new across all streaming devices.
The use of artificial intelligence drive content classification and system recommendation to suggest content according to the user’s taste. If you remember, once you sign in these applications you are asked to submit your preferences, such as language, movie genre, and actor, for example.
The biggest aggregator today Flixjini, Doco Digital, collects readings, reviews of Web series, movie shows, and assists users in deciding the next choice. A promising feature of these aggregators includes the notify option.
So of the content of your choice is not available at the moment, you can keep it in your wish list, and whenever it is available you are notified on it.
Also read Underrated TV shows to Binge on this Quarantine Season
Societal Impact
As soon as, a new Web series or original of the application is dumped online, people are no longer watching a single episode. They keep away all the important households, pending work, and stay glued to those Web series. To name a few we have money heist, friends, black mirror, big bang theory from Netflix, four more shots, Vampire diaries & How I met your mother from Amazon Prime topping the list.
Upon questioning a binge-watcher, you will receive a justification for the entire time wasted. Excuses flow in the form of stress-relieving, break from a hard day at work, or time is taken to slow down at night. Today you can just count the number of people not having and a Netflix account.
Once you start watching a series, it keeps the reality away. Hours and hours flow pass easy, and the one episode you took as a break has lead you to the end of the show. If you discover all your free time wasted sitting in front of these mind bogglers, waiting for the day to finish, the impact is tremendous, already.
Report of children slipping grades, employees reaching late to work and even people not going outside has been increasing. The competition with traditional TV has already drawn users to existing TV shows airing on these applications. Your so-called achievements are peeping eyes from the shelves, left unnoticed.
The move towards a more personalized and convenient content, now clarify how households are not immune to the Web series effect. Web series are not the one to be blamed, the entire application can be held responsible.
In a way, your mind settles for a marathon, unprepared. The brain releases chemicals, keeping you awake and away from your other engagements. The enjoyment produces dopamine, releasing an internal reward of pressure. What you call, “a feel-good factor”.
This is a pseudo-addiction phase. Its non-discrimination against pleasure. The consistent production of dopamine makes you addicted, and there’s no end.
Fierce, Is The Competition!
College goers, especially, have a knack to evolve their lives around the popular shows dumped now and then. The original content created has grabbed more shizz than movies and shows aired previously, ever since. All of this is taking away viewers from the traditional content, more so because, there are so many things at once to glide on.
The competition is fierce. The film and TV companies are leveling up their launches to keep up with Netflix & Amazon Prime. Although these can have their demarcations and cannot be similarities, the online streaming industry is to be blamed for.
The entire media and publication industry has so much to learn from Netflix. From personalization, disruption to innovation – an interface fighting, teaching, and competing at the same time. The risk of being demolished by the “web series effect” can easily take away the charm of daily soap and other traditional content.
It’s You, Not The Show
Your favorite characters fuel the desire to binge-watch. Most likely, you experience a live event. Even if the show is 10 years old, you watch it like, it’s just today. For example, a F.R.I.E.N.D.S fan never loses interest in constant repetition. Of course, the show is to be credited, but it’s the “Web series effect”.
Realize this later!
From fantasizing magic like Sabrina Spellman to wishing to die and a vampire – All of it basks in the “Web Series Effect”. You start caring about the conflicts, realize life can take such eventful turns, change your expression of who you are – often giving your true self on the characters that interest you.
This area is occupied by “wishful identification”. Here, you are immersing in fantasy. The shows exploit virtues of power, success, and prestige. This makes shows more pleasurable to watch. The close connection, constantly booming your nerves to release dopamine proclaims a parasocial connection.
Would love to see an article on torrents vs online streaming
Sure, will post it shortly 🙂
Awesome Papri… its true
Thank You 🙂
Wow really nice Papri. Keep up ur good work
Thank You 🙂
Informative
Lovely… Very nicely thought… keep posting
Sure, thank you 🙂
Overall a really well written article with good sub headings. Has been explained well describing its role into our everyday lives. Loved reading your article and yes a lot of those situation does seem applicable very recently with the pandemic situation.
Some pointers from my side –
1. Alongside taking Netflix and Amazon Prime’s name it would be more welcoming to take Hot Star’s name from the Indian web subscriber point of view. Hoichoi is not bad but definitely less popular as compared to Hot Star.
2. If you are saying about the ‘Notify’ option then there is no need to explain the rest that contents will notified when is available later.
3. In Societal impact sub column personally I feel people don’t remain glued to their devices as these web subscription functions with a very basic feature called ‘Pause’. So, you can just easily play and watch at your own convenience. Ofcourse some shows and sitcoms can be quite interesting but its upto the viewer how they want to maintain their personal lives. But the ‘Pause’ feature does help a lot rather than sitting infront of your device in the old school manner.
4. It would be good to say – Today you can just count the number of ‘WELL TO DO’ people not having a Netflix account. This is because as the world we know still have people where owning a regular TV set is still considered a luxury (may be not so much in Asian countries but still in parts of Africa). Also, the price of those subscriptions varies across countries.
5. I think slipping grades of children and employees reaching late to work might be the case happening recently and to this it would be good to discuss the principles of self discipline which is necessary not to be totally carried by the web subscriptions.
6. Also, it would be good to discuss the how the way of contents are being showed. Example – Black Mirror: Viewers get to choose the outcome of the show by clicking options on their remote. Also, it shows as the dark side of the society proliferating the negative aspects into our lives un-noticed.
New Example – Corona Virus explained: This is the latest development from Netflix’s side to show its viewers about a realistic situation we are living in, they say its a short series which is beneficial in understanding the technical aspects of the pandemic and at the same time giving the viewer an experience of their own lives which they are living currently.
Hi,
First of all, thank you for all the warm observations.
Starting with the “pause” option, not applicable for shows. if you talk about games, i think its more frequently used to keep up the scores and reaching levels.
Will share an article on the use of “pause”.
Next, the notify option is often misunderstood. Even after constant barges, we stick to the ones already available. Moving on to a new show is only when you are done with the ongoing options. No matter how long has it been since you have been notified.
Not all shows on Netflix and other streaming channels fictional. I have explained the sides most likely causing damage. Of course, there is good content. I can save some of your search time, try watching “our planet” on Netflix, for some more knowledge.
Next, I would like to explain the motive of this article. It focussed on binge-watching and the effect of web series. no part of this piece was intended in describing shows streaming online (in reference to point 6)
The concept of “well to do” comes from showcasing. some choose to flag, some dont.
*are fictional
Great article.. factual and comprehensive..providing a holistic view…enjoyable read..
Thank you 🙂
One of the finest thing I read in recent time. This is so real and relatable. Hoping to look for new contents soon.
Thank you for all the aspiring thoughts. Will keep you posted for sure 🙂