Binging Buffy in my college dorm started it all back in 2002

I was stuck in my tiny dorm room at UT Austin with a fever and a stack of season 1 DVDs from Blockbuster. Ended up watching 8 episodes in one night because there were no streaming apps and no way to pause without getting up to hit the disc menu. Does anyone else have a show that hooked them before binge culture was even a thing?

2 comments

2 Comments

troy_gibson432mo ago

I can't disagree more with the idea that watching 8 episodes in one night was some kind of golden age. I was there too, renting DVDs from Blockbuster, and I remember the frustration of having to get up and change discs. But you know what else I remember? Actually having to wait a week between episodes. That built anticipation. It made each episode feel like an event. Binge watching turns shows into background noise you can half pay attention to while scrolling your phone. The old system made you sit and pay attention.

emery6031mo ago

Oh man, this is such a great point and it connects to something I've noticed everywhere lately! People seem to want everything fast and easy but we're losing the good stuff that comes with waiting. Like I remember when you'd save up for a CD and actually listen to the whole thing, read the liner notes, really know every song. Now people just skip through playlists without even knowing the artist's name. Same with food - everyone wants instant delivery instead of taking time to cook something good together. That patience you're talking about wasn't just for TV shows, it was how we learned to actually appreciate things. We traded anticipation for convenience and I'm not sure we got the better deal.