Netflix has finally released some data about how much its members binge on certain programs.
According to a Netflix press release published on Wednesday, “when members are focused on finishing a series, they watch a little over two hours a day to complete a season.” (This conflicts directly with my personal binge-watching, which is best done all day, in bed, over an entire weekend.)
Using that metric, Netflix looked at the viewing patterns of 100 TV shows and Netflix-original series—a la House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black—and used the results to categorize each show based on whether they were “devoured” (watched more than two hours a day on average) or “savored” (watched less than two hours a day). “Savor” is simply used as a fluff term for the shows people don’t obsessively consume.
Shows that fell into the “devoured” range, per Netflix, primarily include thriller programs: Orphan Black, The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Nurse Jackie, etc. Also, comedies like Orange is the New Black. Netflix doesn’t publicize specific viewing stats, but here’s a cool chart.
The less binge-able programs, which are consumed as Netflix describes “at an unhurried pace,” include dramas and period pieces: House of Cards, Bloodline, Peaky Blinders, Mad Men and “irreverent comedies” like Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. The latter, they write, because “the societal commentary that powers their densely layered comedy paired with characters that are as flawed as they are entertaining allow them to be savored.”
Yeah, yeah, yeah. People who really want to finish a show, especially those with lots of suspense, spend a lot more time watching it. Netflix also found that the average time it takes to finish a series is five days.
Image via Netflix