As a current college student living in a microscopic dorm room, space matters — which means I had to part with my beloved TV.
With this in mind, I decided to subscribe to Netflix through my laptop, instantly receiving TV shows and movies with a few mouse clicks.
Damn, how times have changed.
Netflix has not only given me the power to watch my favorite TV shows and movies at ANY time, but it has also given me the opportunity to see shows and films that may not be in the video rental store or on the air anymore. As a result, I have recently been exposed to the wonderful shows that are The Office and Arrested Development (and Sherlock)!
But ultimately, Netflix has done something bigger than that: it has given older, almost forgotten shows a regenerated lifespan, allowing them to continue to “live” through internet viewers — a phenomenon unheard of in previous generations.
Shows like Arrested Development and The Office continue to build large fan communities despite having been off the air for years (in the case of Arrested Development) or having just recently ended the series. This increased fandom ultimately lead to the revamping of Arrested Development exclusively through Netflix.
This is only one of the many “Netflix Original Series” shows along with the increasingly addictive House of Cards. These popular programs have lead to astounding numbers of Netflix memberships as these shows are only available through the entertainment website.
Sherlock is gaining a fanbase outside the United Kingdom thanks to Netflix, providing access to BBC shows that may not have been easily available to the American public.
While Netflix may serve as a convenience and easy way to access entertainment, it does raise questions concerning the fate of real-time broadcasting.
Critics of Netflix may be concerned that viewers may turn to the Internet for TV shows instead of turning on their TVs on a weekly schedule, however, Netflix does not stream TV shows in real time, meaning that for Sherlock fans like myself will have to wait quite a while before Netflix picks up newer episodes, as they must first air on TV before they can be released on the web. In fact, most still-airing shows available on Netflix do not including the latest season (still waiting on season 9 of The Office…)
With these factors in mind, more and more viewers are considering their options before deciding whether or not to invest in Netflix. Now, it is YOUR turn!
Thanks for reading and subscribe today for more updates! -C
Entertainment Junkie 