Netflix Abandons Binge Model for Week to Week Episodes on Multiple Shows

Ever since it started releasing original TV shows, Netflix has been known for its binge release method. The streaming service will release an entire season of a show at a time, allowing fans to watch the entire thing all in one sitting, or pace themselves however they see fit. There were a couple of early experiments with the release model but Netflix has mostly stuck to the idea of binging. Well, that’s about to change for a couple of shows as the streaming service is looking back into weekly releases.

The new season of The Great British Baking Show (Collection 7) is the first program to get the updated weekly treatment. It has usually been released differently in the US and UK, allowing Netflix to release it all at once. However, this time around, Netflix really wants to keep the suspense of eliminations alive.

If you go look at the listing for The Great British Baking Show on Netflix, you’ll see just one episode available for Collection 7. There are future episodes shown but none of them are able to be watched. Instead, there is just a date for the release of that single episode. Releasing each episode weekly will allow viewers to keep up with the reality competition just as they do shows that air on cable.

The Great British Baking Show isn’t the only reality competition series dropping the binge for Netflix. The streaming service released the first look at Rhythm & Flow last week, a rap competition series featuring T.I., Cardi B, and Chance the Rapper as judges. This show will be released in groups each and every week.

On October 9th the first four episodes of the series will be released, those all make up the audition portion of the series. One week later, on October 16th, episodes 5-7 will be released. The series wraps up on October 23rd, when Netflix will release episodes 8-10.

Hulu has tried a similar release model over the years, releasing the first three episodes of a series on the first week, giving fans a chance to really dive in and see if they like it, and then moving to a weekly release schedule after that.

Do you think more Netflix shows will follow these kinds of release models? Would you rather continue binging everything the service has to offer? Let us know in the comments!