Weekly episodes VS Binge-watching: Are you a weekly warrior or a web series marathoner?

Time of India

10-05-2025

When streaming was still a novelty, Netflix turned viewers into binge zombies – entire seasons dropped at midnight, and finishing a show in a day felt like a badge of honour.
What if The White Lotus had dropped all at once? Most fans would've inhaled it in one bleary-eyed binge, only to be left hollow, aimlessly scrolling for the next fix. But its weekly release? That turned TV into a delicious ritual – waiting, watching, swapping fan theories, and obsessively refreshing timelines for the next drop. For the impatient, it was agony.
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For others, it was like being handed a ticket to a shared pop culture party. When streaming was still a novelty, Netflix turned viewers into binge zombies – entire seasons dropped at midnight, and finishing a show in a day felt like a badge of honour. But even they started pacing releases: while K-dramas drop weekly, Stranger Things 4 came in two helpings. Turns out, waiting might actually make watching sweeter. So, what's your flavour – instant binge or slow-sip storytelling?
I like the fact that you have to wait for an episode for an entire week:
Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar says, "Sometimes a show is so is so interesting that you want to watch it quickly. But I like the fact that you have to wait for an episode for an entire week. I really enjoy waiting for a week.'
With weekly drops, you sometimes forget and end up missing an episode:Ram Madhvani
Ram Madhavani
Filmmaker Ram Madhvani
says,'When I created the first season of Aarya, the trend was to drop all episodes - the entire season - at once. But in recent years, we've been seeing weekly episode releases on platforms, much like the old TV model. Personally, I prefer watching episodes together, because with weekly drops, you sometimes forget and end up missing an episode. Recently, I finished Studio, which followed the episodic format, but I would have preferred to watch it all at once if the entire season had been released together.'
Ted Sarandos
Ted Sarandos
, co-CEO, Netflix says,'I like it when people say that attention spans are getting shorter - and then those same people binge-watch an eight-hour show in two days.'
'I always binge-watch all the shows'
Binge-watching section
Binge-watching is an immersive experience: Ashwath Bhatt
"I always binge-watch all the shows. I think binge-watching is an immersive experience. Most people I know binge-watch. Sure, if I'm busy, I might split it over two nights. But the norm? You start in the evening, and before you know it, it's 2 am. Everyone's done that at some point. I can't really do the whole 'watch one episode a week' thing - it breaks the momentum for me. And don't even get me started on the six-month wait between seasons. By the time Season 2 drops, I've already consumed ten other shows. I need to sit and recall everything, or rely on those quick recaps that pop up before the new season starts. Otherwise, I'm lost. Binge-watching works for me because good shows demand that kind of attention. They trigger something - you're not just watching passively. And honestly, the people I know, they're all busy people - directors, actors, lawyers, designers, editors - who don't have time during the week. But come Friday night - they'll switch off everything else, press play, and go deep for hours. I'd say - that's the new version of a movie night. Not the theater, not the crowd - just you, the screen, and back-to-back episodes. People want that. They don't want distraction, they want immersion. And if the story's good, they don't want to wait."
I go into spoiler lockdown mode - no group chats, no social media until I've finished the show my way: Devika AnilKumar
"I prefer watching shows only when all the episodes are out. I'm just that kind of person. Every episode ends with some cliffhanger or dramatic twist. And then what? I'm supposed to just sit with that? I need to see what happens next. So yeah, I wait until the whole thing is up and then binge it in peace. I go into spoiler lockdown mode - no group chats, no social media. No one is allowed to ruin that for me. Once I've finished the show my way, then I'll go back and read all the theories, all the breakdowns, all the internet drama. But not before. It's tough, yeah, staying away from spoilers. But I've mastered it. I remember that I binged an entire season of Game of Thrones all at once while everyone else was watching weekly. I managed to stay away. With something like
Squid Game
, sure, I can wait a year for the next season. That's fine. But asking me to wait seven days for one episode? Not happening!"
Once I'm into a show, there's no exit! The show takes over my sleep and my schedule: Neha Grover
If I'm hooked on a show - I'll stay up the entire night to finish it. I'm a Korean drama fan, and they don't make it easy for you - 16 episodes, each almost an hour long. Chalo next dekh lete hain, achha ek aur episode - before you know it, the whole night's gone. Of course, there's guilt the next morning. But do I still do it? Every single time. And it's not just me. I know people - so many people - who do the same. My mother-in-law stayed up the whole night while watching Aashram because the next episode was just right there, waiting to be clicked. Maine apni kitni raatein kharab kari hain.
Emily in Paris, Queen of Tears, Mismatched, Business Proposal - I've binge-watched all of them. Korean shows really just take over your life. You'll be at work, but it's so difficult to concentrate, mentally you're still in the show, kab laut ke dekhein! Some of us even sneak in episodes during the commute. Once you're in, there's no exit! The show takes over your sleep, your schedule. So, I really never watch weekly episodes."
Vs
Weekly episode drops section
Weekly drops keep you on edge, but more than that, it lets you be part of a culture: Tushar Tyagi
"I've come to really enjoy this format of weekly episodes. It's fun because it gives you a whole week to anticipate. It keeps you on edge, but more than that, it lets you be part of a culture. You go online, you take part in conversations, and you're mentally preparing for the next episode. You're engaging in group chats where people are tossing out theories - 'This is going to happen, that's going to happen'. There's a certain anticipation now. You feel like you're part of a community of that show - and it's not like Friends or Big Bang community, it's like something that's going on - the conversation that's happening out there. I really enjoy the gap between episodes - after every episode, there's a whole week where you're waiting. I'm a big fan of White Lotus, and I follow influencers on YouTube who are speculating. As a filmmaker, I think it's actually a brilliant strategy - it keeps your audience coming back. With weekly drops, if your series is good, it builds momentum. People talk about it. For something like White Lotus, fans were dissecting each episode. That's engagement. That's viewership beyond just the show. And it creates a sense of community."
Weekly drops make it participatory:
Lubdhak Chatterjee
"With binge-watch, we miss out on the fun born out of anticipation as we wait for the following episode. But with weekly drops, that one week becomes participatory as we conjure up our own narratives. I would have loved to watch Indian series like
Pataal Lok
, Sacred Games if it would have been in the format of weekly drops."
Binge-watching smaller episodes is way more fun than watching those 45 minutes-1hour duration shows, don't mind waiting for a week: Deepti Chawala
"For me, it's like a mix. If I get half an hour, I can watch something for half an hour and if I have three hours then I'll quickly finish two or three episodes. So, for me, binge watching smaller episodes is way more fun than watching those 45 minutes-1hour duration shows.They take a lot of time. So, I'm good with weekly drops too. If I like the show and it is a weekly drop and I have to actually wait to watch the next episode next week, I'll be fine."
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