Quite often we’ll be sitting around enjoying Netflix when we get distracted by our smartphone, or someone actually wanting to indulge in a little human interaction. In either case, it often leads to faffing around rewinding in order to get another look at the plot point you just missed.
In the hope of remedying such annoyance, Netflix is testing an instant replay feature that will enable viewers to easily watch an important scene again. The streaming giant confirmed the tests, saying it’ll be easier to revisit the most enjoyable scenes without manually rewinding or scanning YouTube.
Users see a pop-up “watch this scene” again pop-up that allows them simply to jump back to the beginning of the action. So, if you want to watch the scene in Ace Ventura where he falls into the shark tank over and over and over again, you will be able to.
Related: What’s new on Netflix?
In a statement to the LA Times, Netflix said: “We’re trying out a feature which gives Netflix members the ability to rewatch favourite scenes and memorable moments with the click of a button. Right now we’re just looking to learn from it and may or may not roll it out more broadly in the future.”
However, the feature isn’t proving that popular among subscribers with access to it, with many claiming it’s proving a distraction that compromises the viewing experience.
Update: I watched initially via Internet TV, and have not been able to duplicate it on my desktop or phone app. So at the moment it appears to be specific to one platform.
— Scott Renshaw (@scottrenshaw) December 11, 2018
Another took to Reddit, bemoaning that Netflix is a “giant anchor in the future of film culture.”
The user, alohasprinting, wrote:
“Watching Dumbling (which is fairly meh) but throughout the movie a popup link of “watch this scene again” will appear. Why does Netflix insist on devaluing film even more than it does with its washdowned color grading and poorly executed original plotpoops? This bothers me Netflix is such a giant anchor in the future of film culture. Gahhh”
A feature like this is always going to be pushed back on by film purists, but for those who simply enjoy streaming in the background, while doing other things, it may be quite useful. If Netflix ever decides to roll “watch this scene again” out to all customers, perhaps a nice middle ground would be to make it optional?
What do you make of Netflix’s new feature-in-testing? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
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.
