Overcome TV Show Binge-Watching With A Lesson In Plot

Overcome TV Show Binge-Watching With A Lesson In Plot

When it comes to the ease of streaming entire TV series, I think many of us can attest to experiencing “just one more episode” syndrome. If you can’t seem to stop your TV show streaming marathon, learning about the plot lines that hook you in can help you break away and get some decent sleep.

Picture: Rafiq Sarlie/Flickr

The problem is that it’s cutting into your sleep hours and it’s taking up time when you could be productive. Michael Hsu at The Wall Street Journal found a way around his own addiction by understanding basic TV plot structure:

Don’t watch an episode to the end, because at that point, it’s almost impossible to resist continuing to the next one. Instead, stop about three-quarters of the way in. The next time you watch, pick up from that point until most of the way into the following episode. I know this sounds illogical. After all, how can it be easier to stop mid-show than at the end? But there’s usually a lull in the narrative arc, when story lines get wrapped up and the pacing slows down. The show actually gets pretty boring.

Most stories follow these arcs and TV is especially notorious when it comes to the hook — or cliffhanger — at the end of episodes. They want you to come back and watch next week after all! Three-quarters of the way into an episode, however, the smaller story arcs are wrapped up and you’re just waiting to see what the big moment is for the main story arc. So resist the urge and quit during that lull. And if you’re still having trouble getting away from Heisenberg and Piper, try disabling autoplay. It will help you gain control by actually having to choose to watch another episode. The whole article is worth a read, so check out more at the link below.

How to Overcome a Binge-Watching Addiction [The Wall Street Journal via Big Think]


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