c/binge-worthy-shows

Just finished the new season of that show about the space hotel

I watched the first season when it came out two years ago and it was a tight, fun mystery. I just binged the new season this weekend and it feels like a totally different show. The pacing is gone. They added three new main characters and every episode is now 70 minutes long, filled with flashbacks that don't go anywhere. The main plot from the first season got solved in the first two episodes, and now they're chasing some magic artifact that was never mentioned before. It went from a sharp 8-episode story to a bloated 12-episode drag. I'm honestly mad I spent my whole Saturday on it. Has anyone else felt a show they liked completely lose its way in a later season?

Vent: My internet went out right at the climax of the new 'Shogun' episode

It happened last night, just as the big scene with Lord Toranaga was starting. My whole screen froze and the router just gave up. I had to use my phone's data to finish the episode, which used up almost 2 gigs. Has anyone else had a streaming night totally wrecked by bad tech?

My barista said she binged a whole season in one sitting and it made me realize I haven't done that since 'Stranger Things' season 3.

I used to think binging was just for lazy weekends, but hearing her talk about getting totally lost in a show for a whole day reminded me how fun that feeling is, so what's the last show that completely stole your weekend?

Rant: My power went out for a whole weekend and I finally watched 'Severance'

A huge storm hit my area last Friday and knocked out the electricity for like 36 hours straight. My phone battery was dead, I couldn't work, and I was just sitting there bored out of my mind. I remembered I had downloaded a few episodes of 'Severance' on my tablet a while back but never got around to it. I ended up watching the entire first season in one go, only stopping when the lights finally flickered back on Sunday night. The show is so weird and tense, and being stuck in my quiet, dark house made it feel even more real, lol. I was totally hooked by the mystery of what Lumon Industries is really doing. Has anyone else binged a show because they were forced into a situation with nothing else to do? What did you watch?

Vent: I used to watch shows one episode a week, but now I can't even start a new series without the whole season ready

Back in 2015, I'd watch 'Better Call Saul' every Tuesday night and talk about it with my friend the next day... it was an event. Now, if a show like 'The Bear' drops and I hear it's good, I won't touch it until all the episodes are out. The change happened about two years ago when I got burned waiting a week for a cliffhanger on a show that just fizzled out. I need that control to just finish a story on my own time. Does anyone else feel like weekly releases just kill the vibe now?

My friend in Chicago insisted we start 'Dark' at 10 PM and I've never been so mad at a cliffhanger.

We hit the season 1 finale at 2 AM and I had to be up at 6, so I just called in sick and finished the whole thing by noon, which show has wrecked your sleep schedule the worst?

Tried to watch 'The Haunting of Hill House' in one sitting and it messed me up for days

Okay, so I'm a huge horror fan and everyone said this show was a masterpiece, perfect for a binge. I decided to do the whole thing in a single Saturday, starting around noon. Big mistake. By episode 5, the slow-burn dread had me totally on edge, and the jump scares in episode 8, you know the one with the car, actually made me yell. I finished it around midnight, but I couldn't sleep. I was checking corners in my own apartment for like three days straight, jumping at every little noise. I learned that some shows, especially ones that build atmosphere so well, are just too intense to consume all at once. It's better to space them out to actually process what you're seeing. Has anyone else had a show get under their skin like that from binging too hard?

I finally gave up on that new fantasy show after 5 episodes

Spent like 15 hours on it and it just never got good, felt like a total waste. The plot was all over the place and the characters were boring. Anyone have a solid fantasy rec that actually hooks you fast?

I finally gave up on trying to watch 'The Wire' in order

Everyone says you have to start with season 1, but I kept getting stuck three episodes in. A friend in Baltimore (where it's set) told me to just jump to season 4, which focuses on the kids, and it completely hooked me. Has anyone else found a different entry point for a show everyone says you must watch 'properly'?

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

My buddy Mark has been telling me for months to watch 'The Expanse'. I tried the first episode twice and just couldn't get into it (the pacing felt so slow). He finally said, 'Just start with season two, I promise it makes sense.' I was sure this was bad advice, but after another failed attempt, I gave in. I started with season two, and wow, he was right. The story just grabbed me right away, and the show filled in the needed backstory without making me sit through the slower build. I binged the whole thing in about two weeks. Now I'm wondering, has anyone else had a show where skipping ahead actually made it better?

I finally gave that show about the chess prodigy a shot after my brother swore by it for months.

I was sure it would be boring, but the tension in episode 3, especially that final match in Moscow, completely hooked me. Has anyone else been surprised by a show they thought they'd hate?

My friend's cabin in Vermont ruined my usual show picks

We were up there for a week last fall with terrible internet, so we just watched whatever was on the hard drive they had. It was this old British detective show from the 90s, 'Cracker'. I'd never have clicked on it myself. Now I'm back home and my usual streaming picks feel so safe and boring. Has anyone else had a trip or a place totally change your taste in what you watch?

I finally watched that show everyone said was slow and it completely hooked me

Gave 'Station Eleven' three episodes after my friend in Austin said it was a slog, and the quiet parts are what got me. The scene with the graphic novel in the airport made me pause it. Who else has a show they almost skipped that turned out amazing?

Tried to watch that new show everyone's talking about and it was a total miss

I finally sat down last weekend to watch 'The Acolyte' after seeing it all over my feed. I was ready for a new Star Wars thing to binge, you know? I got through three whole episodes, and I just felt nothing. The story felt slow, and I couldn't connect with any of the characters. It's weird because my friend in Denver said it was the best thing since 'Andor'. I guess I learned that hype doesn't always mean it's for you, even with a brand you usually love. Has anyone else given this one a shot and felt let down? What's a better sci-fi binge right now?

I used to watch shows one episode a week, now I wait for the whole season

For years, I watched shows as they aired on TV, like everyone else. I'd see an episode of something on Wednesday night and have to wait a full week for the next one. It drove me nuts, especially with cliffhangers. About three years ago, I started waiting until a full season of a show was out before I even started it. The first show I did this with was 'The Witcher' on Netflix. Now I can watch at my own pace, usually two episodes a night, and the story feels way more connected. Does anyone else do this, or do you still like the weekly wait?

Rant: My power went out for a whole day and I finally watched that show everyone's been on about.

Binged all of 'The Bear' on my phone battery and a power bank, and honestly, the stress of the show matched my stress about the fridge thawing. Anyone else have a show they only got into because they were stuck somewhere?

Rant: People keep saying 'slow burn' when they mean a show is just boring

I see this all the time in reviews... a show has a dull first season with maybe one good moment, and folks call it a 'slow burn' that pays off. But a real slow burn, like the first 5 episodes of 'Better Call Saul', builds tension you can feel. A boring show just drags. This matters because it wastes people's time when they're looking for something good to watch. I gave up on a show after 8 episodes because everyone said 'stick with it,' and nothing ever happened. How many episodes does a show get to be 'slow' before it's just not good?

Found a great show after seeing a poster in a coffee shop in Austin

I was at a place called Houndstooth Coffee on North Lamar last week and they had a poster for a show called 'Reservation Dogs'. I'd never heard of it before. The art looked cool so I looked it up when I got home. Ended up watching all three seasons in a week. Has anyone else found a good show from a random poster or flyer somewhere?

I used to think 'The Bear' was just a stressful show about cooking

My friend in Chicago, who actually works in a kitchen, told me I was missing the point by focusing on the yelling and said to watch for the quiet moments of teamwork. I went back and binged season 2 again, paying attention to those scenes, and it completely changed my view of the characters. Anyone else have a show they totally misjudged until someone pointed something specific out?

Warning: I spent $15 on that new fantasy show everyone's hyping and it was a total waste.

I watched the whole first season waiting for it to get good, but the plot just went nowhere. Has anyone else felt let down by a show that got a ton of buzz?

My husband and I finally watched 'The Bear' after putting it off for a year

We started it on a Friday night and ended up finishing the whole first season in one weekend, which we haven't done since we were in our twenties. The stress of the kitchen scenes was so real it made us order takeout both nights. What's another show that grabs you that hard from the first episode?

Can we talk about watching shows with subtitles on vs off

Honestly, I always watched everything with subtitles off, thinking it was more immersive. Then I tried binging Dark on Netflix with the subtitles on, and it was a total game changer. I caught so many small plot details and character names I would have missed, especially with the German dialogue. Has anyone else found a show that got way better when you changed how you watched it?

I used to just watch whatever was new, but after forcing myself through a whole season of 'The Recruit' I finally tried 'Slow Horses' and wow, what a difference.

After resisting for months, I binge-watched the whole series in one weekend.

I thought it was overrated, but now I see why people love it.

I finally kept a diary for my binge shows, and now I'm hunting for more slow-burn mysteries

In my experience, keeping a journal for shows I watch has made me notice patterns in what I enjoy. I write down characters I like, plots that grab me, and even the music scores. Your mileage may vary, but this has helped me avoid shows that don't fit my taste. Right now, I'm into slow-burn mysteries with strong female leads. I binged 'Sharp Objects' and 'Mare of Easttown' back to back, and my journal is full of notes on them. But I'm running out of shows that match this vibe. Take this with a grain of salt, but I'd love some recommendations for similar binge-worthy mysteries. What have you all been watching that fits this description?