The rapid rise of Netflix helped to coin the term binge-watching. All of those box-sets in one place and the disruptive tactic of dropping entire original seasons at once have enabled users to feast on shows until their heart’s content.
However, it has emerged Netflix is none-too-keen on term. In fact, it would rather be rid of it completely according to actor Guy Pearce.
In an interview with Empire Magazine’s podcast, the Aussie star revealed Netflix explicitly asked him not to mention the dreaded ‘binge-watching’ during promotion of the new Netflix Original series The Innocents.
“I don’t think Netflix likes the term ‘binge,’” Pearce said (via IndieWire). “When we did the promotion for in the US we were strictly sort of instructed beforehand not to talk about ‘binge-watching.’”
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Given the unhealthy connotations with the word ‘binge’, it’s hardly surprising Netflix is keen to avoid using the term wherever possible.
Binge-drinking and binge-eating are considered to be unhealthy pastimes, and so is sitting on your couch for ten hours straight blasting through a season of Stranger Things on Netflix. Netflix itself used the term as early as 2013 when it sent out a press release to promote the first season of House of Cards.
It’s not clear what the company would prefer. Perhaps we’ll see the company speak of ‘viewing marathons’ from now on? Perhaps the company will choose to issue polite warnings when a new series drops telling viewers to ‘watch responsibly’?
Supernatural drama The Innocents arrived on Netflix on August 24. You can binge-watch, I mean, enjoy at your leisure, this weekend should you desire.
Do you associate the term binge-watch with bad habits? Which was the last you blasted through in a short space of time on the streaming platform? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
