Pretty Much Pop #2: Binge Watching

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:21 — 50.9MB)

Partially Examined Lifers, please enjoy the continuing adventures of the new podcast. Episode 3, the interview with Yakov Smirnoff on the dangers of conformity, and how they're expressed in media and culture more generally, will be going up today, but you won't hear them it yet. You have to go subscribe to the podcast; look it up on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, or just go to prettymuchpop.com.

What counts as binge watching? Why do we do it? Is it bad for us?

Mark, Erica, and Brian reveal their watching habits (growing up and now) and marvel at crazy-high stats about how much people watch. We think about what people get out of this activity, what shows work do and don't taste good in bulk, and whether watching is best done in solitary despair or as a bonding experience as you waste the precious hours of your life sitting next to another person.

We touch on many shows including The Office, Game of Thrones, Battlestar Galactica (by way of Portlandia), Jane the Virgin, Pretty Little Liars, Arrow, CSI, and Chernobyl (which we'll devote the whole of Ep. 5 to).

Articles we bring up:

• "Infrequently Asked Questions: why do we binge-watch?" by Brandon Baker
• "A Critical Theory of Binge Watching" by Jake Pitre
• "These are the real causes and effects of binge-watching, says science" by Kendi Banks

"I like to watch, Erica. I like to watch."

This episode includes BONUS CONTENT that you can only get by becoming a $1+ supporter at patreon.com/prettymuchpop.

We are proud to have received this great celebrity endorsement of our episode. The wise Chickie provides much-needed prerequisite information for a proper appreciation of the discussion: