Why Watching Euphoria Made Me Reminisce About TV

Have streaming platforms changed the way we perceive our favourite TV shows in comparison to free-to-air TV? Well, here's my thoughts.

Image Source: (HBO, 2022)

I think we can all agree that Sam Levinson's Euphoria has taken both Gen Z and Millennials by storm. Just recently, HBO Max aired Season 2 on streaming platforms such as Binge and Foxtel Go , and it made me feel all the feels.

Watching your favourite TV show today is just so different. When I was younger, I had to contain my excitement and anticipation until it was scheduled on a free to air channel and glued my eyes to the screen until the ad breaks so I didn't miss a second. Now, I can it watch whenever I feel like it, on a streaming page I have to pay for. Jokes, my dad actually pays but you get the point.

My experience watching Euphoria, made me consider if an audience's control through streaming has led to a loss excitement in a way. This came about as I found myself continuously pausing the show or getting distracted to do even the smallest things. I think because I knew i could just come back to it.

Images Left to Right: (Giphy, 2022), (Giphy, 2022)

While viewing new episodes weekly, I quickly became aware of the audience culture surrounding the show, and the importance of this anticipation between episodes. As i scrolled through TikTok, I realised that we actually haven't lost this excitement or suspense through streaming, it's just a different type of excitement. Excitement for self-care, rest and an excuse to put off assignments.

I noticed on TikTok, viewers would use the term 'Euphoria Mondays' to connect with other viewers, particularly on Monday (the release day). These videos made regular connotations to self-care practices and enhanced this sense of excitement that had been lost from having to view it on live TV.

Whilst audiences were still heavily intrigued by the storyline and characters (to the point where I couldn't go on my phone without coming across a new plot theory or spoilers), It had also become a non-guilty excuse for 'me time'. I think this is because streaming has allowed us to choose a time to put aside that suits our own busy lifestyles.

Images from left to right: @io6ha028, @mayaxericaa

In some ways, the excitement and anticipation took me back to my childhood. Although, as my life has gotten busier and technology has evolved, this audience experience heightened my understanding of the significance of streaming in today's society.

Quantitative research from a 2021 study conducted on Australian media consumption concluded "Millennials consumed an average of nine hours of paid subscription services each week. " (Hughes 2022). According to the graph below Gen Z also averaged at about 8.5 hours a week (Hughes 2021). It can be assumed that the shifted perception of rest and relaxation may account for this.

The graph shown above: 'Hours of paid streaming video services watched in Australia 2021, by generation' (Hughes 2021)

Ultimately, this increase in streaming platforms further encourages 'me time', increasing emotional wellbeing and lessening the presence of anxiety (Moeslein 2020). Therefore, showing how my intentions of watching my favourite TV shows have probably changed as I have gotten older, due to the flexibility of streaming.

This audience experience taught me that streaming platforms have introduced us to a different type of excitement for TV shows, to that of free-to-air TV. Whilst I still felt these nostalgic emotions relating to the show, I've realised it can be for various reasons. That probably explains why the constant pausing or getting distracted by my phone didn't bother me that much.

REFERENCES

Hughes, C 2021 'Video streaming industry in Australia - statistics & facts', viewed on 13/3/22 https://www.statista.com/statistics/1271828/australia-weekly-paid-streaming-consumption-by-generation/

Moeslein, A 2020 '29 Feel-Good TV Shows For When You’re Feeling Stressed', viewed on 13/3/22 https://www.glamour.com/story/20-tv-shows-to-watch-on-netflix-when-youre-feeling-stressed