ZHIVOTOVSKI: HBO Max’s weekly episode releases make TV exciting again
Column: Are You Thinking What I Am Thinking?
As the clock inched closer to 9 p.m., I eagerly prepared my usual spot on the couch for what was sure to be an eventful Sunday evening.
With "Euphoria," "House of the Dragon," "The White Lotus," "The Last of Us" and "Succession," HBO Max Sundays have become a tradition of mine and many other households around the world, with millions of viewers joining in for the weekly watching experience of the network's biggest shows.
It has been a long time since I have felt so excited about any TV show. As a child, I relished the nights when I would stop everything, run to the couch, watch my favorite show at 8 p.m. and discuss the episode and its bombshells with friends and family afterward.
With the rise of streaming services, the wonder and excitement for TV slowly left, replaced by a culture of binge-watching as whole seasons were released at the same time. The death of traditional TV watching has taken away the anticipation of waiting for each episode to be released, leaving little time for anticipation and imagination.
There is no room for theorizing and discussing the show when the whole series is available with one click of a button. While binge-watching is a convenient way to view the entirety of a show, it takes away the wonder and mystery that TV series can build in a way a movie simply cannot.
HBO Max is paving the way for other streaming services by reviving recurrent TV. For example, a new episode from "Succession," one of the network’s most popular shows, drops every Sunday at 9 p.m., which gives viewers something to look forward to every weekend.
This weekly episode structure has also created a thriving public discourse about whatever show is currently airing. TikTok, Instagram and Reddit users can interact, bounce fan theories off of each other and simply get excited to discuss their favorite shows.
Clearly, this business model is working for HBO Max. The network has been seeing a steady increase in subscribers since 2020, jumping from approximately 57 million to nearly 95 million subscribers worldwide in the final quarter of 2022.
Every new show aired on HBO Max seemingly breaks viewer records, generating strong media coverage, full of predictions and positive reviews, in between each episode. This weekly episode structure is working better than comparable streaming services.
While HBO Max has seen a steady rise in both viewers and subscribers, streaming giant Netflix has lost subscribers for the second year in a row and is currently struggling in the stock market.
Adapting a hybrid viewing style that incorporates weekly episodes of top-performing shows is not only a great way to boost numbers but is also a more enjoyable watching experience.
It brings viewers together to watch TV in a way that has not been seen in a long time. I look forward to my Sundays: They provide a designated time to unwind and not only watch a show I enjoy but also unpack with my friends as multiple group chats erupt with excitement once the episode ends.
It can be said that trend cycles tend to repeat themselves, and I, for one, am hopeful that the culture of binge-watching is phased out in exchange for a more communal recurrent TV structure.
Emily Zhivotovski is a junior in the School of Arts and Sciences majoring in cell biology and neuroscience and minoring in health and society. Her column, "Are You Thinking what I am Thinking," runs on alternate Fridays.
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