Netflix is testing out a new model where it releases episodes on a weekly basis

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For two shows this fall, Netflix will release episodes on a weekly basis in the US, rather than dropping all episodes from the new season at once, as it's done in the past, according to Quartz. The streaming giant's baking competition series “The Great British Baking Show” will release one episode per week, and a new hip-hop competition series “Rhythm + Flow” will release four episodes per week starting on Oct. 9.

Ultimately, Netflix is unlikely to change its release model across the board, as it would run counter to the platform's ethos of giving users greater control over the viewing experience. Netflix ushered in the highly disruptive binge-watching phenomenon by letting viewers watch as many episodes as they want, as quickly as they want.

Now, binge-watching is common practice: Overall, a majority (60%) of US adults who watch shows on-demand said they binge-watch at least once a week, with 28% saying they did so several times a week and 15% doing so every day, per Morning Consult/Hollywood Reporter. This behavior can lead to extreme engagement: Half (50%) of TV viewers admit to having binged more than 8 hours of a TV show in one sitting, per a RadioTimes.com survey.

A staggered release model could be more strategically effective on certain series formats or genres, like competition shows. Some genres are more bingeable than others: While 27% of US adults report bingeing drama series and 17% say they binge comedy, just 7% say they binge reality and 2% binged food or travel series, per Morning Consult/Hollywood Reporter.

Notably, the two series that Netflix is running this experiment with are both reality competition shows, which could mitigate viewer frustration. Given that viewers' top reason (87%) for bingeing was that they wanted to see more of the story, the formulaic, repeatable (rather than serialized) structure of competition shows — combined with their predictable series arc — could make competition series particularly immune to binge withdrawal. If Netflix were to apply weekly release to a drama series, however, it could risk frustrating subs to the point of steering them off the service altogether.

The release model could theoretically help reduce sub churn as SVOD competition steepens. Structurally, competition shows also have built-in cliffhangers and must-see climaxes, which compel viewers to watch them to the final episode. With an incremental release, Netflix can potentially use these shows to draw out retention among fans.

The weekly releases will also likely benefit from press coverage of the shows, as TV recap writers will be able to cover the series on an episode-by-episode basis, helping further stoke excitement. If the experiment works, it will likely mean Netflix can attribute sub retention, at least partially, to “GBBS” viewing.

In that case, Netflix could foreseeably apply the release model to other shows where the trade-off makes sense. Show-specific stickiness as a means of driving platform loyalty will become increasingly important as we head into the fall, when rival services Disney+ and Apple TV+ are expected to launch in November.

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