The Golden Age of Streaming is Over.

It seems to me that the Golden Age of Streaming is over.

My wife and I subscribe to several services and it seems to be more and more difficult to find new, quality programs; and far too many new programs that we do enjoy are getting canceled before their time.

I read recently that one of the determining factors of whether a show gets continued or canceled is the completion rate: streaming services compare how many people start viewing a program to how many finish watching and if the ratio is too low, it gets canceled.

But there is a problem with that: early streaming has spoiled us.

When streaming was new, streaming services were buying up entire series, which allowed us to binge watch them from start to finish. In the early days streamers would drop entire seasons, and whole SERIES at a time. Now though, it seems like many new programs are being released one episode a week. I don’t think the streamers realize that they themselves created the environment where that is no longer a viable schedule.

It also seems that too many streamers are taking the approach of quantity over quality. That approach is doomed to failure and really doesn’t require any additional explanation, but combine a long release schedule with lower quality programming and it is another sign that the “Golden Age” of streaming is at an end.

The problem with one episode a week is that viewers don’t have the attention spans they used to. Early streaming has given viewers too much instant gratification when it comes to entertainment. Releasing subpar series and expecting viewers to wait a whole week for the next disappointing episode is going to drive completion rates WAY down, and cancellations WAY up.

If a season or series is released in its entirety, at least streaming services would have momentum on their side. I know that I have watched a less than stellar series to completion because it was all available, just to see how it turned out, even though I wasn’t particularly enjoying it. If I’d had to wait a whole week for another episode I would definitely not have tuned in, and it would appear I’m not the only person that feels that way.

Fortunately it seems like streaming services are figuring that out. I know that a few series I have watched lately, and a few I am looking forward to in the future, have been or will be released all at once.

The machines can learn!!