The act of binge-watching was already a popular way for Americans to watch streaming content on platforms such as Netflix and Amazon, but a new survey of 2,000 U.S. residents, commissioned by Tubi, has now found that the binge “epidemic” has severely increased in our COVID-19 lockdown world [via Study Finds].
The average American is currently streaming 8 hours of content per day and finishing three TV series per week. Yikes. Given the amount of free time we all have now, that shouldn’t be as surprising as it sounds, but JESUS! No wonder Netflix has officially surpassed Disney’s stock and is now worth more than the mouse house.
In that same aforementioned survey, 65% of parents are allowing their children to watch more TV and movies. No surprise there — with kids out of school, parents must be more lenient about TV watching. The research also found that “the average American enjoys access to four streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+). Another 38% are usually logged into five or more at any given time.”
I am not subscribed to Disney+ (not interested), but Netflix, Amazon and, more importantly, the Criterion Channel, have been my go-to streaming platforms during this pandemic, not necessarily for TV shows, but more for movies that I may have missed over the years and can finally catch up to.
The ‘Smile’ franchise has a new director. David Bruckner, who made “The Night House” and the 2022 “Hellraiser” reboot, has been hired to direct “Smile 3” for Paramount.