Netflix was a brand built on several key things, but one of the things that has been very much the norm for them has been the binge release model with full seasons dropped all at once.
While they have experimented with some of their shows, from seasons split into two parts to some in a weekly release pattern, but those are the exception and not the norm.
Almost every other streamer however, from Disney+ to Apple TV+ to HBO Max, takes the opposite approach and generally adopts a weekly release strategy for new seasons of series. It’s only occasionally those services offer full seasons all at once.
One high-profile switch-up of Netflix’s model was seen this month as the fourth season of “Stranger Things” was split into two pieces with the second part to arrive in a few weeks and anticipation already building.
The success of this experimental splitting of a season doesn’t mean Netflix is in a race to shake up their release model and consider weekly releases for their originals – especially the next season of “Stranger Things”.
Peter Friedlander, Netflix’s head of scripted series for U.S. and Canada, appeared on a panel this week as part of the HRTS Presidents Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. He said (via Variety):
“For the fans of ‘Stranger Things,’ this is how they’ve been watching that show, and I think to change that on them would be disappointing. To not give them exactly what they’ve been expecting – which is ‘Stranger Things’ as a seasonal experience, they go through that with them – I think that it would be an abrupt change for the member.
We fundamentally believe that we want to give our members the choice in how they view, and so giving them that option on these scripted series to watch as much as they want to watch when they watch it, is still fundamental to what we want to provide. And so when you see something like a batched season with ‘Stranger Things,’ this is our attempt at making sure we can get shows out quicker to the members.”
Friedlander goes on to say though they have had some experimentation in that space, especially in unscripted or competition genres, they’re best known for offering multiple-episodic-viewing experiences which aren’t a series of standalones and: “we think, honors our relationship with our members and what their expectations are.”
Old school thinking has been that weekly releases not only lead to subscribers sticking around but also generate more conversation than shows doing a one-and-done release.
However the likes of “Squid Game,” “Bridgerton” and “Stranger Things” have shown that the binge model can generate conversation for many weeks after their initial release.
On the flip side, a show like Netflix’s “Masters of the Universe: Revelation” was actively hurt by its season being split in half while talk has begun to arise over whether certain Marvel or “Star Wars” series at Disney would’ve scored a better reception had the full seasons been released at once.
For now, varying approaches depending upon the material seem to be the best fit as opposed to an all-weekly or all-binge model. Netflix plans to stick to the binge model for now but, like its recently announced plans to offer an AVOD tier of its service have shown, things once thought impossible could well come in time.
Source: Variety
