Binge-watching is the new, cool way of entertainment. It is also a guilty pleasure, an inescapable addiction. Millions of millennials are hooked on to Netflix, currently the most popular video streaming service in the world. It’s a gift that just keeps on giving.
Now, there’s another reason to love Netflix.
A recent study says that shared media interests such as movies, TV shows and books can be particularly good for couples, especially those who don’t have a common friends circle.
A group of researchers from Canada, UK and USA asked over 200 students to fill out questionnaires about their relationships and habits. The results were published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships and state that couples who invest their time in watching TV shows and movies, or reading books together displayed signs of higher relationship quality and commitment towards each other.
“What these results suggest to us is that when people have a hole in their social network that they share with their partners they might become more motivated to share media as a way to compensate for that deficit,” the study’s lead author Dr. Sarah Gomillion told BBC News.
“Having a shared connection to the characters in a TV series or film might make couples feel like they share a social identity even if they lack mutual friends in the real world,” Gomillion told Health.
To be honest, that sounds pretty stellar. This could be your perfect excuse to marathon into the late a.m. with zero guilt. All for the sake of love!
More than anything, it’s fun! How can you go wrong with an acclaimed box set of a series that has solid ratings and a dream cast? You could even be daring and try something different. Each step forward into the world of Netflix is going to bring you something exciting to share and enjoy. And there’s much to explore. Just make your pick from a exhaustive list and get started!
Investing time in binging can bring a couple closer in many ways. It makes you more intimate (this isn’t just about the mid-show sex) and gives you quality time together, away from the hustle and bustle of social networking. It also kicks in several inspired moments of creativity, sparking new ideas.
Improved communication through constructive arguments is an added advantage as well. When there’s an unexpected twist in the plot or a favourite character is cut out or your prediction goes wrong, you will talk about it. You may not agree every time, but this will lead to healthy banter and give you greater insight into the mind of your partner while helping you understand them better.
But beware, once you’re caught in the fictional world of these incredible stories and people, it’ll be hard to resist temptation. You know you’ve found a keeper when you want to wait for them to press play for the next episode. As New York Times says, “In modern-day romance, resisting the impulse to binge so that you may watch with a lover is the new equivalent of meeting the parents or sharing a sober kiss,” and we couldn’t agree more.
Entertainment is nothing without truck loads of food, so might as well binge on that too.
Also, a month’s subscription will cost you as much as a glass of wine at a bar. It starts with 500 bucks.
Bottom line? Everything about this works. So, chill and unwind in the comfort of your condo. Take a break from your routine and settle down with bae. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the show!
