N
Common Ground News

What is a TV show marathon?

Author

Matthew Cannon

Updated on March 08, 2026

What is a TV show marathon?

A marathon is an event in which viewers or readers engage many hours' worth of media (film, television, books, YouTube videos etc.) in a condensed time period.

Also, what does Benjwatch mean?

verb (used with object)to watch (multiple videos, episodes of a TV show, etc.) in one sitting or over a short period of time: We binge-watched two seasons of the show in two days.

Secondly, why do I binge watch TV? Dr. Renee Carr, a clinical psychologist, shares that the “feeling good” is because of the chemicals that are released in our brain. She explains that when we are engaged in an enjoyable activity like binge-watching, our brain releases dopamine, which is the body's own pleasure chemical.

Beside above, what happens to your brain when you binge watch a TV series?

When binge watching your favorite show, your brain is continually producing dopamine, and your body experiences a drug-like high. You experience a pseudo-addiction to the show because you develop cravings for dopamine." Other things that produce dopamine? Dark chocolate, drugs, exercise and sex.

How many hours is considered binge watching?

Those groups, between the ages of 14 and 33, binge-watched for an average of five hours in a single sitting, the study found. That comes out to roughly six episodes of a 50-minute drama, or one-hour show without the commercials.

What is the opposite of binge watching?

The opposite of binge watching would be to schedule your own nightly lineups of different shows that you watch every week.

What do you call someone who watches a lot of TV?

Now, the VOA Special English program, Words and Their Stories. Some unusual words describe how a person spends his or her time. For example, someone who likes to spend a lot of time sitting or lying down while watching television is sometimes called a couch potato. It is called the "Official Couch Potato Handbook."

Why binge watching is bad?

Binging Can Become Addictive and Lead to Depression
There's a reason people love binge watching shows so much: it feels good. Binge watching TV shows isn't this bad of course, but the point still remains: anything that causes the brain to produce dopamine can become an addiction, a craving.

What show should I binge watch?

The Best TV Shows to Binge Watch
  • Game of Thrones. Streaming on: HBO Go / Now.
  • Parks and Recreation. Streaming on: Netflix.
  • Stranger Things. Streaming on: Netflix.
  • Breaking Bad. Streaming on: Netflix.

Is binge watching an addiction?

Binge-watching is insanely addictive
It has been found that an excessive watching of any show can also adversely affect the other aspects of our life. Research shows that a loss of control is increasingly common among addicts.

Is binge watching good?

Great news, everyone: Binge-watching TV is good for you. According to a recent study in Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, research has shown that watching high-quality TV dramas like The West Wing or Mad Men can increase our emotional intelligence and make us more empathetic people.

Is it normal to watch a TV show over and over?

Originally Answered: Why would someone watch the same TV show over and over? People sometimes watch the same TV shows over again because it's comfortable to watch something you're familiar with. It can remind them of happier times when they initially watched it and distracts them from reality.
The word 'binge' first appeared in English in the mid-1800s to mean 'to soak'. Around the time of World War I, the term 'binge' was used to refer to eating or drinking in excess. The term binge-watching can be traced back as far as 2003, but it didn't come into common usage until around 2012.

Which TV series should I watch?

My pick for the best TV series of all time, the 65 TV series you must watch before you die!
  • The Sopranos (1999-2007)
  • Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
  • The Walking Dead (2010- )
  • Breaking Bad (2009-2013)
  • House of Cards (2013-2018)
  • Better Call Saul (2015- )
  • Arrested Development (2003- )
  • Freaks & Geeks (1999-2000)

How does TV rot your brain?

Your brain is actually more active when you are sleeping than when you are watching television! So, the saying 'TV rots you brain' has more truth to it than you might imagine. Excessive television viewing has also been linked to degenerative brain disorders later in life such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Is it bad to watch Netflix all day?

Don't Worry, Binge-Watching Netflix Can Be a Healthy Habit. Books are good. If you spend a day curled up with a book, then you're deemed an intellectual. But when you spend a day watching TV, you become a so-called couch potato.

Why are TV series so addictive?

When binge watching your favorite show, your brain is continually producing dopamine, and your body experiences a drug-like high. You experience a pseudo-addiction to the show because you develop cravings for dopamine." It can become addicted to any activity or substance that consistently produces dopamine.

Why does Hulu start shows at the end?

Hulu doesn't start at the end if you watched the whole episode. It saves your place if you've watched part of an episode even if you just stopped the episode only seconds from the end.

How do you binge watch on Netflix?

22 Netflix Tips to Boost Your Binge-Watching
  1. Turn Off Autoplay Trailers (Finally)
  2. Set a Sleep Timer.
  3. Turn Off Post-Play.
  4. Get the Latest.
  5. Watch Previews of Netflix Originals.
  6. Browse Hidden Netflix Categories.
  7. Host an Oscars Party Year-Round.
  8. Tell Your Own Stories.

What TV does to the brain?

Television viewing can, for example, increase your risk of premature death, reduce your level of intelligence, completely obliterate your ability to concentrate, physically impair the growing child brain, and increase your risk of developing neurodegenerative brain disorders. To top if off, TV is also addictive!

What happens if you watch TV all day?

Why sitting and watching TV all day is one of the most dangerous things you can do. Prolonged periods of sitting and watching television causes a THREE-FOLD increased risk of developing a walking difficulty in later life, a new study has shown.

Does Netflix cause depression?

It may seem like harmless fun but research suggests otherwise. A new study links binge-watching TV with depression, loneliness and an inability to control one's behavior. Although the study does not conclude that binge-watching television causes depression, it suggests a connection.

How do I stop being addicted to TV?

Here are some ideas for how to start curbing your TV addiction.
  1. You only need one TV in the house.
  2. Turn on the TV only to watch specific shows.
  3. Set personal goals that must be accomplished.
  4. Limit the number of minutes or hours you watch daily.
  5. Throw away the remote control.
  6. Develop other interests.

Is binge watching Netflix bad for you?

Recent research suggests that binge-watching can contribute to everything from heart disease to lower sex drive and even climate change. We all know binge-watching Netflix can have negative effects on time management, but can it actually be bad for humanity? So binge-watch at your own risk.

What are the effects of binge watching?

Most Americans choose to binge-watch a TV series, often finishing an entire season in one week or less, rather than taking their time.

There are other negative health effects:

  • Depression and anxiety.
  • Back problems.
  • Lack of oxygen.
  • Lack of physical activity.
  • Bigger waistline.

Is reading better for you than TV?

Reading Is Best At Reducing Stress
Research shows reading works faster and better than listening to music, drinking coffee or even taking a walk. TV might feel like it relaxes your body, but another study showed television can amplify stress because we frequently feel guilty or like a failure afterwards.

How does binge watching affect your brain?

Binge Watching Is Like a Drug
The release of dopamine helps us feel good, and it results in a “high” similar to those induced by drugs and other substances. Your brain craves more and more, and as long as you continue to binge, your brain produces dopamine.

How long would it take to watch everything on Netflix?

In the paper Kinnaria said: "It has been estimated that an individual watching Netflix on a daily basis would require a minimum of 236.5 days to watch all newly added movies and documentaries in 2017; whilst maintaining normal daily activities. "This time equates to just under eight months."

What TV show would take the longest to binge watch?

Law & Order: SVU would take the longest, by far, at nearly 47 full days of work. That's more than six and a half weeks and roughly 376 hours total while Grey's Anatomy would take you 29 days to watch.

How long would it take to binge watch Supernatural?

Around 2 hours. That would take you around 154 days to watch the entire show. It all depends on how much time you plan on spending. And it is possible to watch more than one season in one weekend without it really getting in the way of your social life or other things.

Is binge watching a hobby?

Tips to make TV binge-watching a perfectly healthy hobby. For those who aren't familiar, according to the urban dictionary, binge watching is the practice of watching multiple episodes of a TV show in rapid succession, in one sitting. Though the trendy term is relatively new, the concept is not.

Who invented binge watching?

The word 'binge' first appeared in English in the mid-1800s to mean 'to soak'. Around the time of World War I, the term 'binge' was used to refer to eating or drinking in excess. The term binge-watching can be traced back as far as 2003, but it didn't come into common usage until around 2012.

How do I stop binge watching?

  1. Pace Yourself; It Makes Shows More Enjoyable.
  2. Avoid “Purge-Watching”: Only Watch What You Love.
  3. Stop Watching During a Lull in the Action.
  4. Disable Autoplay for Your Streaming Services.
  5. Set an Alarm.
  6. Make Yourself Earn Each Episode.