The Unbingeable Binge

[Afgncaap5]

We've already got some conversations up to discuss season 12 (AKA "The Gauntlet"), but in the interest of aiding the ongoing progress of the Forester Family Experiment I wanted to get some hard numbers outside of all the conversations. So I'm curious: did you do it all in one sitting?

I confess that presenting the season as a "one-sitting challenge" is an interesting thing... Netflix sort of puts more value on the "content binge" than I like, and I pride myself on taking my time to slowly progress through new shows, especially ones as special to me as MST3K. Having said that, saying "can you do it? Can you endure the same level of suffering as Jonah and the bots?" adds a weird kind of low-pressure fun to the moment, sort of like those times when a character in a movie is suddenly underwater and you hold your breath along with them just to see. And honestly, the entire "the host is forced to be in here with me!" aspect of MST3K is part of what separates it from other horror host shows. On that note, I also didn't make myself watch all the "Roman Times" episodes of season 8 back to back, even though they almost certainly watched three or four movies in a single day based on the way the plots of those episodes went. On the *other* hand, part of me always kinda considered watching those episodes in a batch just for this reason, so... why not?

So far, I haven't started watching yet because I legitimately haven't had six completely free non-sleeping hours since the season dropped. But a part of me is thinking I might want to "take the challenge" on Wednesday, see how I do.

[mrmeadows]

I finished them all before the end of the holiday weekend (and even watched Mac & Me twice), but yeah...had to break them up.

[RedTom]

Honestly, trying to binge the entire series is doable, but it also takes away from the experience as a whole. It's best just to watch them in multiple sittings so you have more time to absorb them and get the jokes. Too much all at once is not good for the brain.

[Torgo]

Since it was a holiday I had commitments preventing me from doing the whole thing on Thanksgiving. I chipped away at it until I could watch the last two and a half episodes in one sitting.

[chudnado]

I attempted to bingewatch *hand gesture* The Gauntlet, but it didn't entirely work out... I started at midnight when they went up, but Netflix was being glitchy for me for a while, and I only got done with five episodes before family was up and I had to help start making Thanksgiving Dinner, and afterwards family wanted to see the new season so I started it over and ended up rewatching it with them over the course of a couple days.

[Afgncaap5]

Sounds like a solid attempt, though! I thought I'd be able to try it today, but it didn't quite work out timewise, so I might give it a shot tonight or tomorrow

[angilasman]

I did not even attempt to binge watch the thing. As a matter of fact, I'm halfway through and enjoying it so much I want to savor it, maybe only watch one episode a week to make it last! Of course, might put the remaining episodes on in the background to satisfy whatever wacky metrics Netflix uses to justify making more seasons of a show.

[fathermushroom]

I do not prefer to binge-watch. I'd rather spread them out and enjoy new stuff from week to week.