The result is consumer whiplash. We are no longer "binge-watching." We are churning . We subscribe for Succession , cancel, resubscribe for The Last of Us , cancel, and pirate Bluey for the kids out of sheer subscription fatigue. The average household now spends over $100 a month on streaming—more than the average cable bill of 2015.
This has led to the rise of the "Limited Series." Big Little Lies, The White Lotus, Beef, Baby Reindeer. These are closed loops. They have a beginning, a middle, and an end. They promise resolution. In a world of infinite scrolling, the finite story is the ultimate luxury. So, where are we going? a27hopsonxxx
Right now, the system is unwinding. The contracts are broken. The old kings—Netflix, Disney, the studio system—are bleeding. And in the chaos, the weird stuff is getting through. A documentary about a paedophile janitor ( The Curious Case of... ) becomes the most watched thing on the planet. A two-hour black-and-white courtroom drama ( Anatomy of a Fall ) wins an Oscar. The result is consumer whiplash