As the glow of the laptop shines on their face, the words “just one more episode” can be heard spoken by someone who has found themselves trapped in the vicious cycle of binge watching.

Binge watching, the latest trend, occurs when someone finishes an entire television series in a short amount of time. Rather than enjoying one episode each week, people are now provided with the opportunity to finish an entire series within a few days.

Netflix provides subscribers with complete seasons of shows that can be streamed online. All for a fee of $8 per month… a binge watcher’s dream.

Instant streaming sites such as Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu have changed the way that people view television. Viewers are able to access the sites anywhere they go with the use of a smart phone, tablet, computer, television, you name it. They can also watch whatever they want, whenever they want. They don’t have to wait to record their favorite show that is on at an inconvenient time, or suffer through agonizing commercial breaks.

One downside to binge watching is the fact that television, one of the most common forms of relaxation, has turned into a chore. We have to make sure that we are watching the show at the same pace as our friends so that we know what they’re talking about during lunch table discussions, and definitely can’t risk spoiling the end of a show.

Another negative aspect of Netflix is that it randomly removes and adds shows. The thought of having a show removed mid-binge is a watchers’ worst nightmare. Therefore, binge watching has become a competition with oneself to ensure that this nightmare never becomes a reality; no matter what effect it has on your sleep schedule.

The growing popularity of this trend is making an undeniable impact on television.

Netflix’s original series Orange is the New Black has inspired Amazon to create their series Transparent. Both of these shows have won several prestigious awards including Golden Globes, People’s Choice Awards, and Primetime Emmys. These shows cater to the needs of binge watchers by releasing one entire season each year, which allows people to watch the show at their own pace. The audience’s reaction to the convenience of these shows could possibly change the future of television as we know it.

In the midst of these advancements being made in television, it makes us wonder if we are missing out on what used to make television special?

We are no longer forced to wait months at a time to find out what happened after a season ended on a cliffhanger, because we can instantly view the next episode. The suspense of not knowing what happened, and the heated debates about people’s theories no longer exist, because we already know. But is this instant gratification positive or negative?

Nowadays, people are no longer able to become as attached to characters as they were able to in the past. Beloved characters on popular sitcoms such as Friends and The Office were a part of people’s lives for years, and now viewers spend a few weeks with them and then move on to the next show.

Also, ending a television series used to be a huge deal. Now after ending a series, we simply ask our friends to recommend us another good show.

So, these ideas make us wonder, were people who regularly watched these shows one week at a time for years provided with a better viewing experience than people who are given the luxury to fly through all the episodes in a few weeks?

All in all, binge watching clearly has it’s upsides and downsides. Not everyone is cut out to be a binge watcher, but it is clearly an innovative idea.