Luis Rosario
Contributing Writer
A few days ago, I asked a close friend how their winter break was; they replied by saying, “It was alright I guess, I just binge watched Breaking Bad, Heisenberg is so cool bro.” This friend hurt me more then they’ll ever know. Walter White didn’t go from highchool teacher to the infamous Heisenberg in the span of four and a half weeks.
It took years — five to be exact.
Televsion is a type of long-form art. Writers, directors and producers work diligently to bring their thoughts and imaginations into homes when making a television show. Bingeing might as well be known as anti-art. Imagine telling somebody they are defacing art by bingeing Game of Thrones. I bet that’ll get them to stop. Bingeing is anti-art. Don’t binge.
There is a certain novelty to watching a television show from start to finish in real time. You build a relationship with the characters and even the places they visit and live. In The Office, Jim and Pam didn’t get together in one season; it wasn’t overnight, and there’s no way to fully appreciate that in one weekend. Characters change, grow and they do suspicious things at times.
There’s no way to truly get to know a character and become attached to them in one week. Imagine telling everyone you and your new roommate are best friends after one week of knowing each other. It’s kind of weird and doesn’t feel right. Get to know people, get to know the characters — and don’t binge.
Have you ever heard of a cliffhanger? It’s when a character or characters (hopefully one you love and have become attached to) is in a dangerous situation. This danger can be actual physical danger or danger like someone found out the character’s secret past. Regardless, the episode ends in a cliffhanger and the viewer is forced to wait until next week or even next year for the conclusion. When bingeing, I’m sure you won’t even notice a cliffhanger, you just click continue watching on Netflix to see the outcome. Last season, The Walking Dead ended on a cliffhanger.
I spent the whole year thinking about what would happen, when it premiered I cried. Get invested in a show and a cliffhanger’s full effect. Don’t binge.
Most shows come on weekly. That week is actually for the viewers. That week allows everyone to gather themselves, to prepare for the adventure they’ll be on for the next 30 minutes through an hour. Feel the build-up. Feel the story. Don’t binge.
To solve your binge problem, watch one episode every night. This is still bingeing but a light pace, so at least you can tell yourself you’re not bingeing but you’re actually enjoying the show.
It’s 2017. Be different, go against the grain. Be proud to tell your friends you don’t binge.
rosaril14@bonaventure.edu
