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Casual Viewing – Why Netflix looks like that

submitted by exitb+(OP) on 2024-12-28 09:32:32 | 306 points 350 comments
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32. Lammy+p3[view] [source] 2024-12-28 10:24:15
>>exitb+(OP)
I'm not going to bother with any new Netflix originals since they rug-pulled Inside Job, but I don't think this is the end of the world if it's done well. Rocky & Bullwinkle is like this and it only enhances it. Put this on in the background and see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ7fbc9gMiE
46. jsnell+Z3[view] [source] 2024-12-28 10:30:31
>>exitb+(OP)
The source, https://www.nplusonemag.com/issue-49/essays/casual-viewing/, seems like a much better article.

But it is hilarious in a meta kind of way that a bottom feeder "summarize real writing done by others, and slap on a clickbait headline" website pretends to have the moral high ground on this issue. I wonder what the guidance they give t to their writers is, and what metrics they're pushed to improve.

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58. jasdi+d5[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 10:47:19
>>Argona+I3
McDonaldization - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwvL6XDq0BQ
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88. magica+t8[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 11:31:24
>>Argona+w4
Some that I've enjoyed recently (or rewatched):

Good One (2024) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30319516/

Strange Darling (2023) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22375054/

The Creator (2023) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11858890/

The Night House (2020) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9731534/

The Empty Man (2020) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5867314/

Possessor (2020) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5918982/

Booksmart (2019) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1489887/

Volition (2019) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6385952/

Welcome the Stranger (2018) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5716280/

Time Trap (2018) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4815122/

Wind River (2017) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5362988/

A Dark Song (2016) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4805316/

I Am Not a Serial Killer (2016) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4303340/

Midnight Special (2016) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2649554/

The Devil's Candy (2015) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4935372/

Mr. Holmes (2015) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3168230/

The Witch (2015) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4263482/

A Most Wanted Man (2014) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1972571/

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1340800/

Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1465522/

Pandorum (2009) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1188729/

The Fall (2006) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460791/

In a Savage Land (1999) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151047/

Office Space (1999) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151804/

The Double Life of Véronique (1991) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101765/

Don't have Netflix so not sure what's available there, and several might not be wife-friendly. Also I enjoy weird, so YMMV.

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102. paulgb+Aa[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 12:00:49
>>briand+b7
To be fair to the professional critics, they are writing prose that helps their readers decide if they will like a movie, not just giving it a good/bad review. Looking at the reviews that RT considers fresh, most of them are honest with their readers about what the movie is (“hallmark”, “formulaic”), but consider it a watchable entry in that genre.

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/irish_wish/reviews

105. newscl+Ob[view] [source] 2024-12-28 12:13:06
>>exitb+(OP)
The opposite of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show,_don%27t_tell

Why must all content turn to crap?

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124. ndsipa+0f[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 12:46:25
>>isleya+4d
I haven't heard that at all. As I understand it, the music is written to go with certain scenes, but it complements the action and adds a lot of emotional beats. I can't think of an example where it's simply describing what's going on on-screen.

The music is a huge part of Arcane though, and complements the emotional content.

e.g. The Line (Twenty-One Pilots) was written after Tyler Joseph witnessed the passing of his grandmother and is written from her viewpoint - incredibly powerful and poignant, but also fits in wonderfully with what is happening with Victor (Arcane character).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2Rj2gQAyPA

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146. 0xEF+Mh[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 13:20:45
>>blooal+57
I have them on a tin sign! My wife originally got it at Hobby Lobby, I think. I see them for sale on eBay if you are in need. Ours hangs directly above our tv.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/167000652001

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151. stavro+Oi[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 13:30:47
>>blooal+57
What, this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWvt3E5a-AA

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153. yodon+Yi[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 13:32:18
>>slfnfl+qa
Any time one is tempted to post a sarcastic comment, it's good to re-read Poe's law[0] first. It does in fact always apply when posting on the internet.

[0]https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe%27s_law

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157. Brybry+kj[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 13:36:52
>>mst+zg
Yet you'll find sources that claim spoken American English is closer to historical British English, because of some aspects like rhoticity. [1]

[1] https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20180207-how-americans-p...

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165. replyg+Mk[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 13:53:12
>>stavro+Oi
https://youtu.be/OAca0JsIQe4
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169. double+1l[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 13:54:53
>>slfnfl+qa
/s is would be more of an tone indicator for those who struggle to understand word communication portrayed by text.

In this case understanding the context of being sarcasm. It's annoying as you now have messages ending in /hj /lh.

Discord especially where the audience is young; but as we now cater to a world audience of those with disabilities and those without where do you tow the line?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tone_indicator

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178. keifer+pn[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 14:20:54
>>relaxi+hj
The app has 2.5 million reviews and 131 million downloads, so it is obviously used by a lot of parents.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1251942/global-youtube-k...

183. cs702+Nn[view] [source] 2024-12-28 14:23:57
>>exitb+(OP)
Nowadays, whenever I browse Netflix, I feel like that Bruce Springsteen song, "57 Channels (And Nothin' On)."[a] Sure, there are lots of choices, but they all kinda suck. I find myself wondering, why? The OP weaves an insightful, opinionated narrative that explains how we got here. Much of it rings true. This passage, in particular struck a chord with me:

> Several screenwriters who’ve worked for the streamer told me a common note from company executives is “have this character announce what they’re doing so that viewers who have this program on in the background can follow along.” [...] One tag among Netflix’s thirty-six thousand microgenres offers a suitable name for this kind of dreck: “casual viewing.” Usually reserved for breezy network sitcoms, reality television, and nature documentaries, the category describes much of Netflix’s film catalog — movies that go down best when you’re not paying attention, or as the Hollywood Reporter recently described Atlas, a 2024 sci-fi film starring Jennifer Lopez, “another Netflix movie made to half-watch while doing laundry.”

In other words, people like me, who want to focus on and experience a great film or series, are no longer the target audience.

Apparently, there's no money in targeting people who want to pay attention.

---

[a] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/57_Channels_(And_Nothin'_On)

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195. scarfa+op[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 14:41:50
>>relaxi+hj
Anecdote is not data. We have data

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1301730/us-time-spent-ch...

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198. scarfa+Xp[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 14:45:43
>>xnx+Tm
Sylvester Stallone thought the same about Judge Dredd. That was such a great movie because of the decision.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/judge-dredd-1995

209. bryanr+Ps[view] [source] 2024-12-28 15:08:43
>>exitb+(OP)
I think this also applies: https://medium.com/luminasticity/netflix-the-crap-you-put-up...

>A signature characteristic of Netflix’s strategy over the years has been to define genres into microscopic sub-genres and develop content on very specific customer likes — for example “Urban teen geniuses who invent time travel”

>There is an unfortunate issue with making things bad and to somebody’s taste — the person whose taste you are courting may be happy to be courted but if all they ever get of things to their taste are things that are bad representations of that taste they may come to sour on what they once loved.

and that is I think what happens a lot with Netflix, they produce approximations of the thing you love, and by doing this bad half-assed version with the wires sticking out and everything, in the end you don't love that thing anymore.

Netflix in the hunt for quick engagement eats the seed corn of fandom, and are left with nothing to build on.

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233. seabas+eC[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 16:29:25
>>relaxi+ul
> They break into more conventional dialogue for the recitative sections (a tradition that went out of style with Verdi.)

The comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan were contemporary to Verdi's work and still feature lots of dialogue, so they are very approachable. You still won't be able to use your phone, though - you'll be too busy laughing!

My recommendation for an introduction would be the 1982 Canadian production of The Mikado by the Stratford Festival. It is currently available in its entirety on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbpUzCFCy_8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK6y6n98O00

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240. warner+HF[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 16:57:15
>>nottor+O2
I often wonder about how much electricity is wasted (recording, encoding, transmitting, decoding) on videos where the video itself seems to add no actual value, and it would be just as effective as audio-only (or text-only) content instead. A study of YouTube videos in 2022 found that more than 15% of "videos" (i.e. billions of videos) contained only still images[1]. My wife watches a ton of short-form video (and in turn shows me the ones that she likes) and I'm baffled by how many are just scrolling text with people dancing in the background, or people holding up signs, or someone just talking into the camera (often sitting in the driver's seat of a car).

[1] https://journalqd.org/article/view/4066

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242. thih9+KH[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 17:10:16
>>scarfa+Xp
I prefer the later version with Karl Urban - and to me it was expressive too.

Here’s a fun interview that includes a related question:

> Did having the helmet affect your acting at all? How did you maneuver around wearing that for the entire movie, and could you see through it?

> Oh yea [I could see through it], it took a bit to figure it out, it really did, and it was a challenge, you know, the challenge was how to communicate with an audience. And not only because my eyes weren’t visible, but because of the fact that the character of Dredd operates within a very narrow bandwidth, he is a man who has been trained to keep his emotions in check, so consequently it was very important for me to identify how I could humanize the character as much as possible. The sense of humor became very important, that dry, laconic sense of humor, and finding out where’s this character’s compassion? Where does his empathy lie?

NOTE: minor generic plot references follow.

https://reelreactions.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/reel-reaction...

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258. BlueTe+lO[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 17:56:11
>>Loughl+gz
You mean like the $ million given for the Netflix Prize ?

https://m.slashdot.org/story/122585

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265. sundar+UR[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 18:18:47
>>wavemo+tr
The original link was https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2024/12/27/netflix-tells-wr... which is probably what your parent is commenting on. Some people complained that that's basically a blogspam article that recycles n+1's article, others disagreed and argued there's value in a focused short article - it seems like mods agree with the complainers and changed the link silently to the current one.
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270. mattke+xW[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 18:48:02
>>relaxi+hj
Yep, YouTube is banned for our daughter except for pre-vetted videos as the content and ads can’t be trusted. We tried the Kids app but the content was 99% terrible.

I do recommend The Kid Should See This though, a really good selection of curated videos.

https://thekidshouldseethis.com/

287. ortusd+Ea1[view] [source] 2024-12-28 20:20:24
>>exitb+(OP)
Dupe: >>42525340
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304. pastur+yv1[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 22:53:25
>>stevag+M6
This was actually something that was tried with music in the early 90s, by Philips and Sony with the CD-i. The musician/producer Todd Rundgren made an album specifically for this format called "No World Order" where the songs were all broken up into "modules", so to speak, and the user could configure them however they'd like.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CD-i

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_World_Order

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309. drewco+YC1[view] [source] [discussion] 2024-12-28 23:54:15
>>marcos+aI
> Well, people that want to half-watch TV deserve stuff made for them too.

The Muzak-ification of film?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muzak

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348. dang+daa[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-01-01 20:05:26
>>jsnell+Z3
belated note: we changed the URL from https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2024/12/27/netflix-tells-wr... to the article it is reporting on. Thanks!

Submitters: "Please submit the original source. If a post reports on something found on another site, submit the latter." - https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

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