When Netflix introduced its shows with all episodes at once, it broke the industry mould, and viewers are changing the nature of TV. From the characters we choose to wake up with, to what we watch in bed, when viewers have the power to program their own day, TV watching no longer looks the same.
Malaysians binge-watch as much as they like to lepak at night. Viewers fit TV watching around their daily lives, rather than the other way around, so we see peak streaming as late as 10:00PM in Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea.
In a world where news is stranger than fiction, we’re starting our days with comedy (and kopi). While you might not expect popular parodies to premiere bright and early, that’s exactly what viewers are choosing. Around 7AM, comedy sees a 34% increase in watching worldwide as viewers balance out the morning news with Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Fuller House and Jane the Virgin.
Drama at the mamak for lunch. Across the world, drama accounts for nearly half (47%) of global viewing between noon and 2:00PM (an increase of 5% compared to the rest of the day) as viewers keep the binge alive with titles like Narcos, House of Cards and Sherlock.
Mid-day streaming is especially prevalent in Brazil where members are 25% more likely to watch during this time compared to the rest of the world. Their streaming lunch of choice, 3% and The Vampire Diaries.
We maximize our time by squeezing a binge session to and from work. Workers in India are kicking off the daily grind with the likes of Harvey and Mike from Suits and Piper, Alex and Taystee from Orange is the New Black. Compared to the rest of the world, India is 82% more likely to stream at 9:00AM. A behaviour that continues on the 5:00PM ride home too with the same binge-worthy drama titles.
We like to keep our hearts racing in the evening, but can’t go to bed without a good laugh at night. It’s no surprise thrillers like Breaking Bad and Stranger Things are being devoured in the evening – the genre sees a 27% increase in global viewing come 9:00PM. But viewers are kicking Walter White and The Demogorgon out of bed and restoring balance with partners like Grace Hanson (Grace and Frankie) and Bojack Horseman before they hit the hay.
Late nights are for learning: Globally, 15% of streaming happens between midnight and 6:00AM and even rises as high as 21% in Japan and South Korea. What these night owl members are watching is not what you think. Documentaries, like Chef’s Table, Making a Murderer and Planet Earth see a 24% increase in watching during this time.
When it comes to defining the new ‘rules’ of TV watching, Frank Underwood said it best: “If you don’t like how the table is set, turn over the table.”
