Netflix Releases ‘Binge Scale’ Showing Pace At Which Certain Series Are Consumed

It goes without saying that Netflix has helped make binge watching the de facto viewing format for TV fans across the globe. But now, the streaming giant, which does not disclose ratings, is giving a slightly more detailed glimpse into consumption habits.

In a company blog post, Netflix said that, on average, viewers finish an entire season of a series in the span of one week. Netflix, which examined global viewership of more than 100 series across 190 countries, also found that members typically watch roughly two hours per day. But while certain genres of shows tend to be devoured immediately, others tend to be savored more gradually. Accordingly, Netflix has devised its own “binge scale”. At the savor end, viewers tend to spend less than two hours per day on episodes. On the devour end, it can be much more.

Thrillers and horror shows tend to be devoured, Netflix says, noting that Sense8, Orphan Black, The Walking Dead, and American Horror Story “grab you, assault your senses, and…make it hard to pull away.” Similarly dramatic comedies like Orange Is The New Black and Grace And Frankie “tickle our fancy and make it easy to say ‘just one more’”.

On the other hand, complex narratives, period pieces, and irreverent comedies tend to fall more on the savor end of the spectrum. House Of Cards, for instance, tends to be “indulged at an unhurried pace,” while the societal commentary and dense layers of comedies like BoJack Horseman and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt are also viewed more gradually, Netflix says.

“The viewing experience of a series can range from the emotional to the thought-provoking,” Netflix’s VP of original content, Cindy Holland, said in a statement. “Netflix helps you to find a series to binge no matter your mood or occasion, and the freedom to watch that series at your own pace.”