c/binge-worthy-shows

Vent: I put off watching The Bear for way too long because I thought it was just a cooking show.

My friend in Chicago kept telling me to watch it, so I finally gave the first episode a shot last weekend. I ended up watching all of season 1 in a single day because the stress and family drama felt so real. Has anyone else been surprised by how much they liked a show they were sure they'd hate?

My neighbor's kid said he watched all of 'Arcane' in one sitting

I was grabbing my mail and overheard him telling his friend he started the show at 8 PM and finished the whole first season by 4 AM. That's eight hours straight. It made me realize I haven't felt that kind of 'can't stop' pull from a show in ages. What's the last series that had YOU glued to the screen like that?

Warning: My friend in Denver said I was wrong about 'The Bear'

We were at his place last month, he said I quit after two episodes because it was 'too stressful'. He told me to push through the third one, that the whole vibe changes. Did anyone else have to get past a certain point before it clicked for you?

Just read that the first season of 'The Wire' cost about $50 million to make back in 2002.

Found that on a deep dive into old HBO budget reports. Makes you appreciate how much cheaper it is to produce a prestige show now, huh?

Spent $60 on a month of streaming to watch one show, and it was totally worth it

Can we talk about that new fantasy show everyone was hyping up?

I gave in and bought a whole month of that fancy streaming service just to watch it, cost me $18. The first episode was okay, but by the third one the plot just fell apart. I kept waiting for it to get good and ended up wasting a whole weekend on all eight episodes. What's a show you started that totally wasn't worth the time?

My dad told me to skip the first season of a show and I'm glad I did

About a year ago, I was looking for a new show to watch and my dad, who is a big fan of older crime dramas, told me to start 'Justified' with season two. He said the first season was mostly 'case of the week' stuff and that the real story, with Boyd Crowder, kicked off later. I was skeptical, but I took his advice. I jumped right into season two, and he was completely right. The show felt tight from the first episode, with a clear, long-running story that hooked me. I went back and watched season one after I finished the whole series, and it felt like a different, slower show. It made me think about how some series take a while to find their footing. Has anyone else had a show where skipping ahead actually made for a better binge?

Showerthought: My neighbor's kid said he watched a whole show in one sitting.

He's 12 and told me he finished a 10 episode season of that new cartoon in a single Saturday. It got me thinking, is that the new normal for how people watch stuff now? What was the last show you just couldn't stop watching?

I used to think watching shows on my phone was the best way to do it

For years, I'd watch everything on my phone, even at home. I thought it was so smart, being able to watch in bed or while cooking. Then, about three months ago, my friend made me sit down and watch the first episode of 'Severance' on her actual TV. It was a totally different thing. I saw all these small details in the office scenes and heard the weird music in a way I just never did on my little screen. I was missing half the show trying to make it fit my life, instead of just giving it my full attention for an hour. Now I save the phone for travel and try to watch new stuff properly. Does anyone else feel like they watch shows better on a bigger screen, or is it just me?

Finally finished that show everyone talked about three years ago

I started it last month and just watched the final episode in my living room last night. Has anyone else had a show they were late to that completely sucked them in?

My wife said my show picks were 'predictable dad TV' and it hurt lol

She called me out last week while I was starting another cop show, saying I only watch stuff where a guy solves a crime in an hour. I decided to prove her wrong and binged 'Severance' over the weekend. It was so weird and good, I finished the whole thing in two days. Now I'm actually looking for shows that make me think, not just relax. Anyone got more mind-bending recommendations that aren't just another detective story?

I dropped $15 on a Hulu add-on for a show I thought I'd love

It was for the Starz channel so I could finally watch 'Outlander' after hearing about it for years. Honestly, I got through maybe four episodes before I realized the whole time travel romance thing just wasn't for me (and the pacing felt so slow). Now I'm stuck with the charge for the rest of the month. Anyone have a better historical drama that actually moves along?

PSA: I thought 'The Bear' was just hype about a kitchen, but the third episode's silent breakdown scene convinced me it's about way more.

Anyone else get totally blindsided by how deep that show goes?

My sister said my show picks were all the same mood and she had a point

I was telling her about my plan to watch 'The Bear' after finishing 'Succession' and she just said, 'Linda, you're going to need a hug after all that yelling.' I realized I'd been stuck in a cycle of high-stress dramas for months. So last week, I made myself watch 'Our Flag Means Death' as a palette cleanser. It was so silly and good, and now I'm mixing in a comedy after every heavy series. Has anyone else gotten stuck in a genre rut and found a show that pulled you out?

My coworker in Phoenix called 'The Bear' just a cooking show, which made me finally watch it.

I binged all of season 1 last weekend and realized it's actually about family trauma and pressure (you know, with the brother's note and everything). Anyone else have a show they totally misjudged at first?

My internet went out right at the finale of a huge show

Last Tuesday night, my Spectrum connection dropped at exactly 9:47 PM, just as the last episode of that new sci-fi show was starting. I was so mad I almost threw my remote. I tried restarting the router like five times but it just wouldn't come back. Ended up having to use my phone's hotspot, which ate up like 3 gigs of data, but I was NOT waiting. Has anyone else had their binge totally wrecked by a tech fail? What did you do?

I signed up for a premium streaming service just for one show and it was a mistake

I really wanted to watch that new sci-fi series everyone was talking about, so I paid for a whole month of a service I don't normally use. It was $14.99, and the show only had six episodes. I finished it in a weekend and then spent the rest of the month scrolling through their library, not finding anything else I liked. Has anyone else done this and found a better way to watch a single series without wasting cash?

My wife said my show picks were too 'samey' and it made me change my whole system

She pointed out last month that I only pick shows with big action scenes and sci-fi stuff, like 'The Expanse' or 'Altered Carbon'. So I made a rule to pick one show from a new type each time, like a comedy or a drama. Last week I tried 'The Bear' because it's about cooking, and I ended up watching all of it in two days. Has anyone else had a rule like this that got them into a show they loved?

I tried watching 'The Rings of Power' before 'The Lord of the Rings' movies and it was a total mistake.

I watched the first four episodes of the new show, got totally lost, and then binged the original trilogy over a weekend. The movies gave me all the context I needed to actually enjoy the series. Anyone else try to watch a prequel first and regret it?

I always thought 'The Bear' was too stressful to watch. Then my friend in Chicago said to treat it like a thriller.

Binged the first season in one night. The tension is the whole point. The way they film the kitchen chaos, it's like a heist movie. The 'Yes, Chef' scene in episode seven? My heart was pounding. Anyone have other shows that are stressful but you can't stop?

Vent: I had to choose between finishing 'The Bear' or starting 'Shogun' last weekend

Honestly, I picked 'Shogun' and ended up watching all 10 episodes in two days. The detail in the sets and costumes is insane, but now I'm worried I'll never get back to the other show. Has anyone else gotten totally stuck on one and abandoned another good one?

Shoutout to my friend who called me out for watching shows on my phone while cooking

I burned three dinners in a row last week because I was trying to follow 'The Bear' while chopping onions. Anyone else have a show that's too intense to multitask with?

Unpopular opinion: I started skipping the 'skip intro' button

I got really into this show called 'The Last Kingdom' and noticed I was always hitting skip intro. After a few seasons, I realized I had no idea what the theme song even sounded like. So I made a rule for myself last month: watch the intro at least once per binge session. It actually made the whole experience feel more complete, like I was settling into a movie. Now I notice little details in the opening credits that change as the story goes on. Anyone else try something like this with their binge routine?

Walked past my old Blockbuster in Tacoma and the sign is still there

Honestly, it just hit me how different binging is now. I used to ride my bike there every Friday to pick one show for the whole weekend. Anyone else have a spot like that that makes you think about how you watch stuff now?

Wasted a whole evening trying to find the right order to watch that new sci-fi anthology

The episodes are out of chronological order, and figuring out the correct timeline took me over 3 hours with a notepad. Has anyone else run into a show that's a puzzle to watch?