There’s one dramatic change thatNetflixcould make to its business model that would actually benefit its most popular shows. However, it’s unlikely that the streaming service will ever make this change. Netflix is by far themost popular streaming servicein the world, and is largely responsible for ushering in the era of streaming. Some ofNetflix’s best showsincludeStranger Things,Wednesday,Squid Game, andBridgerton. These shows and many more have brought in huge viewership numbers for Netflix. However, they could be even more relevant if Netflix made one major change.
Ever since Netflix began producing original content, each season of the streaming service’s shows have been released all at once. Initially, this was refreshing and unique, as traditional network TV forced viewers to wait a whole week for a new episode. Netflix’s strategy of releasing entire seasons at once made the service even more popular, and completely changed how shows were consumed. However, many years later, this strategy actually negatively affects Netflix’s biggest shows.2025 could be Netflix’s biggest year ever, butthe streamer could be even more successful if it didn’t release seasons all at once.
Netflix’s All At Once Releases Used To Work Brilliantly
Netflix Practically Invented The Binge Model
Some of Netflix’s early original shows wereHouse of CardsandOrange Is the New Black. The acclaim of these series proved that Netflix was serious about producing original content. Initially, a lot of people didn’t take Netflix seriously compared to other TV networks. However,through its unique release strategy and consistently well-received series, Netflix became the home of several of the biggest shows in the world. When Netflix first started coming out with shows, watching an entire season of a series in one sitting was something audiences had never experienced before.
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Therefore,the binge model of consuming television quickly became more mainstream. Netflix basically transformed how people watch TV. For many years, it was clear that the binge model was preferred. While Netflix was once an outsider in the TV landscape, its release strategy made it so that network TV was outdated and no longer cool. In the early years of Netflix producing original content, there was a lot of hype around its new releases, and it seemed like its critically-acclaimed shows could lead to the death of weekly TV.
The All At Once Release Hurts Netflix’s Biggest Shows
Netflix’s Biggest Shows Could Generate More Conversation
While bingeing entire seasons of a new show was the preferred way to consume content for several years, this release model has started to hurt Netflix’s most popular series. Currently,shows like the aforementionedStranger Things,Squid Game, andWednesdayare the most popular shows the streaming service has to offer. In 2025, these three series are all coming out with new seasons. While these shows are all very popular, they could actually be a lot bigger if Netflix adopted a different release strategy.
When seasons of these shows are released all at once, hype for the series dies down much quicker than it does for a popular series that releases new episodes on a weekly basis. All of these shows, and many other Netflix series, could be talked about for two months, if not more. However,when whole seasons are released at once, people stop talking about the show after just a couple of weeks.
In addition to hype dying down much quicker for Netflix’s most popular shows,Netflix’s binge model also makes it much easier for a show to be spoiled. If someone doesn’t have the time to watch an entire season of television in one weekend, then they will want to avoid discussions about the show. Therefore, Netflix’s binge model actually likely results in fewer people talking about its shows, since everyone watches at a different pace.
Netflix’s Delays Make The All At Once Release Even Worse
Fans Have to Wait A Long Time For New Seasons Of Netflix Shows
The fact that a lot of Netflix’s series have extremely long gaps between seasons also doesn’t help the streamer maintain hypefor its shows. For example, the most recent seasons of bothStranger ThingsandWednesdaywere released in 2022. These are both shows that generate a lot of hype, but fans have had to wait three years for new seasons. Once theupcoming seasons ofStranger ThingsandWednesdayare finally released, fans will have one weekend to binge them in their entirety so as not to risk having them spoiled.
Under Netflix’s binge model, fans are pressured to rush to finish their favorite shows, rather than enjoying the seasons at a more normal pace.
This is not the ideal way to watch a season of television. Under Netflix’s binge model, fans are pressured to rush to finish their favorite shows, rather than enjoying the seasons at a more normal pace. Therefore, it would be a lot more satisfying if Netflix released episodes of its most popular shows on a weekly basis. The streamer can keep the binge model for some shows, butseries likeStranger ThingsandWednesdaywould generate way more conversation if episodes were released once a week.
Will Netflix Ever Change Its Release Model?
Netflix Seems Committed To Its Binge Model
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It would be great if Netflix tried a different release strategy, but this seems very unlikely. As reported byVariety, a 2022 Netflix shareholder letter claimed, “We think our bingeable release model helps drive substantial engagement, especially for newer titles.” This letter was written the year afterSquid Gameseason 1 became a massive success for the platform. Therefore, the letter also argued thatSquid Gamenever would have been as popular if viewers were not able to watch the entire season at once.
In addition to this letter, multiple Netflix executives have claimed that the streaming service will never move away from the binge model. After all,Netflix has found so much success by staying committed to this model. Therefore, even though shows likeStranger Things,Wednesday, andSquid Gamecould potentially generate even more discussions if new episodes were released weekly, it doesn’t seem likeNetflixwill ever change its release model.
