c/binge-worthy-shows

My sister told me to skip the first season of 'The Expanse' and just read a summary online

She said the show 'didn't get good' until season 2, so I listened and jumped right in. Big mistake. I was totally lost on who Avasarala was, why Mars and Earth hated each other, and what the heck the protomolecule even was. I spent the next three episodes constantly pausing to google basic plot points from season 1. I finally went back and watched the whole first season last weekend, and it's actually fantastic setup. Has anyone else gotten really bad skipping advice that ruined a show for them?

Saw a framed script from the first episode of 'The Wire' at a bar in Baltimore

I was at a place called The Horse You Came In On in Fells Point, and they had it hanging above the dart board. It was the scene where McNulty talks to the judge, with handwritten notes in the margins. Made me want to start the whole series over from season one, episode one. Anyone know of other spots with cool TV memorabilia like that?

Pro tip: I watched the whole first season of 'The Bear' in one weekend and my cooking changed for good

Before I saw that show, my kitchen was a mess and I'd just throw stuff together. I'm talking about burnt grilled cheese and sad pasta, you know? But after binging those eight episodes last month, I started treating my home kitchen like their restaurant line. I got a cheap timer, started prepping my veggies first, and kept a towel on my shoulder. The biggest shift was cleaning as I go, which I never did. Now I can make a full meal without a mountain of dishes waiting. It's funny how a show about a chef can make you better at your own dinner. Has anyone else picked up real habits from a TV show like that?

I finally gave up on trying to watch 'Severance' after the third episode and just skipped to the finale, and honestly, it made the whole show click for me.

I was so lost in the weird office rules and slow burn that I almost quit, but watching the last episode first gave me the 'why' and made going back to watch the rest way more engaging.

Went to a friend's cabin in Vermont and saw their whole TV setup was just for one show

They have this big screen and a nice sound system, but the only thing they've watched for months is the old show 'The X-Files'. They said they're on their third full watch-through this year. It got me thinking, what's the one show you'd set up a whole room for just to watch it over and over?

My dad said something about old TV that made me watch a show totally differently

I was at my parents' place last weekend and my dad was flipping channels. He stopped on some random cop show from the 80s and said, 'You know, we used to watch this whole thing in one go because we had to. No skipping, no fast forward, just what they gave you.' He wasn't complaining, just stating a fact. It made me realize how much I've been trained by streaming to treat shows like a buffet, grazing on the 'best bits' and dropping anything that doesn't hook me in ten minutes. I decided to watch 'The Wire' again, but this time I forced myself to watch every episode start to finish, no phone, no skipping the slower political parts. It was a totally different show. The build-up mattered. The quiet moments had weight. I felt like I finally got it. Has anyone else tried watching a show the 'old way' and had it change the experience for them?

Just found out I've been watching a show in the wrong order for a whole season

I was halfway through season 2 of 'Dark' on Netflix when my friend asked me a question about a character I hadn't met yet. I looked it up and realized the episodes on my streaming list were sorted by release date, not the intended story order. I'd been watching all the 'bonus' or 'extra' scenes first, which totally spoiled major plot points. It completely ruined the mystery for me. Has anyone else had a streaming service mess up the episode order like that?

Question about picking between two shows for a long flight

I had a 14 hour flight to Tokyo and couldn't decide between starting 'The Bear' or 'Severance'. I went with 'Severance' because the weird office mystery seemed more gripping, and I ended up watching 7 episodes straight. Has anyone else tried 'The Bear' and is it worth going back to now?

I finally gave in and watched that show everyone's been yelling about for three years.

My friend in Denver would not shut up about it, so last week I started the first episode. By Friday I was on season two, and I completely forgot to order parts for a job. The whole thing just pulls you in and suddenly it's 2 AM. Does anyone have a trick for watching just one episode at a time?

Just realized I was watching shows all wrong for years because I kept skipping the opening credits.

I finally got why my friend in Portland always lets them play, after noticing how the music and visuals in the 'Severance' intro perfectly set the creepy, off-kilter mood I was missing.

Hot take: I finally finished a show I started three years ago

I had like 4 episodes of The Americans left from 2021 and finally watched them last night. Has anyone else ever taken a literal multi-year break in the middle of a series?

My sister keeps calling 'Severance' a slow burn and I think she's missing the entire point

She said she gave up after two episodes because 'nothing happened yet,' but the whole first season is about the eerie, deliberate pace of the office and the horror of not knowing. I told her the tension IS the show, not a flaw you have to wait through. Does anyone else get annoyed when people bail on a show before it even establishes its own vibe?

Vent: I tried to watch a show from my childhood and it didn't hold up at all

I found the old DVD set of 'Space Rangers' from the 90s at my parents' house last month. I used to love that show when I was a kid, so I thought it would be a fun nostalgia binge. I got about four episodes in and had to stop. The special effects look terrible now, the jokes are corny, and the pacing is so slow. It made me realize how much TV has changed. We're used to tight writing and high production value now. Shows back then had a different feel, but they don't always work for a modern binge. Has anyone else had this happen with a show they remembered fondly? What did you try to rewatch?

My cousin said to skip the first season of The Wire... and I almost did

He told me it was too slow and to start with season two instead. I tried the first episode and got bored, so I jumped ahead like he said. After a few episodes, I was totally lost with all the new characters and docks story... had to go back and watch it from the start anyway. Anyone else get bad advice about how to watch a show?

Unpopular opinion: I think 'The Crown' got worse after season 3

I was talking with my sister-in-law in Denver last weekend, and she said she stopped watching after season 4 because it felt like a soap opera. I argued with her at first, but after rewatching the first two seasons, I see her point. The early seasons had a tight focus on the institution itself, but by season 4, it felt like it was just chasing dramatic headlines about Diana and Charles. The nuance of the first 20 episodes is gone. Has anyone else felt the show lost its original, more thoughtful tone?

My barber in Austin told me to watch 'The Bear' because of the kitchen chaos

I was getting a haircut last month and he said the stress in that show's kitchen felt exactly like his first job at a diner in Houston. He described a scene where the ticket machine just keeps printing and it gave me real anxiety. Has anyone else had a show recommended because it matched someone's old job that perfectly?

Unpopular opinion: I think the 'Golden Age of TV' talk is making us miss good shows

I was at a friend's house in Austin last weekend, and his 'to watch' list on his streaming service was over 80 shows long. He was paralyzed, scrolling for an hour, because everything is called 'binge-worthy' or 'a masterpiece'. We ended up watching a quiet British detective show from 2012 that none of us had heard of, and it was fantastic. The constant hype for new stuff buries simpler, well-made series. Has anyone else found a great older show by ignoring all the 'must-watch' lists?

Pro tip: My wife said my 'binge pacing' was ruining shows for her... now we use a 3 episode max rule.

I gave 'The Bear' a shot after my friend wouldn't stop talking about it

Honestly, I was pretty sure I wouldn't like it. The whole 'high stress kitchen' thing didn't sound fun to watch, and I thought it would just be people yelling about food. My friend made me watch the first episode last month, and I was hooked by the end. The way it shows the pressure, but also the quiet moments, like the main guy just making a simple sandwich, got me. I ended up watching the whole first season in two nights. It's less about cooking and more about the people, which I didn't expect. Has anyone else had a show they were totally wrong about at first?

My sister kept saying I should watch 'Severance' in one weekend

She said the show's mystery gets better if you don't stop, so I tried it. I started on a Friday night and finished all nine episodes by Sunday morning. The plot twists hit way harder back-to-back, and I was totally hooked in a way I wouldn't have been watching weekly. Anyone else have a show that really only works as a full binge?

Serious question, what's a good show to watch after a long shift?

Just got home from a 10 hour day delivering around Phoenix and my brain is fried. I need something easy to follow but still gripping, like a comfort watch that pulls you in. I binged all of 'The Bear' last week and loved the high energy, but now I need something different. What's your go-to show when you're totally wiped?

My brother told me to skip the first season of 'The Expanse' and I'm so glad I didn't listen.

He said the world-building was too slow, but I watched all ten episodes and that foundation is what made seasons 2 and 3 absolutely mind-blowing for me, so has anyone else had someone give them terrible show-skipping advice?

My power went out for a full day and I accidentally watched an entire season of a show I'd been avoiding.

We had a crazy storm here in Austin last week that knocked out the power for almost 24 hours. My phone was the only thing with a charge, so I finally started that weird show 'Severance' everyone talks about. I got so sucked into the weird office mystery that I finished the whole first season before the lights even came back on. What's a show that completely hooked you when you had nothing else to do?

Hot take: My wife and I started 'The Bear' last week and we've already watched the whole thing.

We told ourselves we'd do one episode a night, but we finished season two at 2 AM on a Tuesday. Anyone else completely lose control with that show?

My brother-in-law said he only watches shows with his wife now, no solo binges. It made me realize I watch everything alone.