A couple of weeks ago I did something I’ve never done before.
I binge-watched.
Episodes of two shows added up to seven hours of TV. I was sort of proud of myself, but also sort of disgusted. Hadn’t I just wasted an entire day by not getting anything done?
Shawn RyanIf I was going to binge-watch, though, the rainy day I spent doing it (have we had anything but rainy days lately?) was a good choice.
I began by finishing up the last three hour-long episodes of the 16-episode “Babylon Berlin,” a German-made miniseries set in 1929 Berlin. With production values that are staggering, its story is crammed with plot twists and sideways moves; people double-cross people who then go on to double-cross other people. You can’t let too much time pass between episodes or you’ll forget all the intricacies.
After I was done there, I turned to four hour-long episodes of “The Passage,” a new series that follows a 10-year-old girl and the man who decides to protect her while a virus turns people into vampires. It’s based on a trilogy of books by author Justin Cronin. I read the first book in the trilogy – “The Passage” – but wasn’t inclined to go further. The TV series, though, has captured my interest.
When I finished its last episode and realized that it was about 8 p.m., I had a moment of “What did I just do?” The dishwasher was full of clean dishes that needed to be put away. I had clothes to iron (yes, I do the ironing). I could have been cleaning up my garage, a job that’s long been on my to-do list.
Even if I stuck with entertainment, I could’ve read a book and improved my mind, although I’m reading Stephen King’s 1,100-page “It” for a second time, so “improved” may not be accurate.
Binge-watching has always seemed like it is not necessarily a waste of time, but perhaps a misuse of it. Kind of makes me feel guilty. I blame my parents, because isn’t that what you’re supposed to do? Truthfully, I can’t remember them ever guilt-tripping me with “You’re so lazy” or “I work hard all week, the least you could do is wash the dishes.”
I’m also easily bored and distracted, so binge-watching is difficult for me in the best of times.
Maybe, though, if I can do something like ironing while binge-watching, it will be easier and assuage any guilt feelings. So I’m going to stop writing, get out the ironing board, the wrinkled clothes and start watching the four 22-season episodes of “Farscape.” Don’t judge me.
Contact Shawn Ryan at mshawnryan@gmail.com.