after spotting an "inefficiency" in the TV market, according to Business Insider. The media giant entered the streaming market in 2007, initially intending to continue focusing on movies, as it had nearly a decade prior when establishing itself as the world's first online DVD rental store. However, Netflix officials quickly realized that obtaining and keeping rights to major releases would be a far more difficult task than originally imagined. So, the streaming media provider decided to pivot to TV shows.
Netflix rationalized that television shows, especially sitcoms like "Frasier" and "Seinfeld," were easy to watch out of order and didn't require as much of a time commitment from subscribers. Fans could choose to watch one episode or a dozenâas many as fit their scheduleâand pick up where they left off without sacrificing continuity. When the company put entire seasons and runs of shows at their customers' fingertips, Netflix subscribers found that they loved watching shows this way. Binge-watching was born.
Binge-watching has only become more popular as streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu have begun creating original content, releasing entire seasons in a single day. While 20 years ago binge-watching a was an uncommon feat, today there are few among TV fans who haven't spent at least one day binging on a favorite series.
±ŹÁÏTV looked into how long it takes to binge some audience-favorite shows. Working with , ±ŹÁÏTV collected data on the total runtimes of 52 popular TV series as of September 2019. From "The Office" to "Game of Thrones" to "Breaking Bad," find out how many hours of consecutive watching you'd have to do to view every existing episode. Grab your popcornâit's a long ride.
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- Time it takes to binge: 4 days, 3 hours
In 2005, a group of Americans was given the task of adapting the British hit âThe Officeâ for American networks. The result was nine seasons of groundbreaking and original comedy; a sitcom that Rolling Stone ranked 48th on its ââ list, despite NBCâs initial pessimism about the success of the series. Those looking to binge can stream the entire show on Netflix.
- Time it takes to binge: 470 days, 1 hour
It would take you a little under a year-and-a-half of constant watching to binge every episode of âDays of Our Lives.â The soap opera has since its Nov. 8, 1965, premiere. The soap has lasted for more than 13,000 new episodes. Initially, episodes were 30 minutes long but switched to a full hour in 1975. What remains unchanged, however, is the showâs commitment to storytelling and drama.
- Time it takes to binge: 6 days, 10 hours
Set in the west wing of the White House, âThe West Wing,â an American political drama created by Aaron Sorkin, aired on NBC for 7 seasons between 1999 and 2006. The show, which was written on the heels of the Monica Lewinsky scandal, is widely regarded as one of the best-written TV shows of all time: The Writerâs Guild of America ranked it #10 on its ââ list.
- Time it takes to binge: 21 hours
that surround us every day, âBlack Mirrorâ is a science fiction anthology series that airs on Netflix. Each episode features a new type of technology that brings about some unanticipated consequences. The series also features some of Hollywoodâs biggest names, both as actors and writers. In the 21 hours it would take you to watch all five seasons, you could almost .
- Time it takes to binge: 3 days, 2 hours
A defining show of the 1990s, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" reportedly only made it on air because star . His financial advisors pushed Smith, who played the title character, to sign on to the show to pay back the sum, despite his lack of acting experience. The gamble quite literally paid offâSmith paid the government everything he owed, and fans loved the show so much they convinced NBC to bring it back for two additional seasons after a near . In the time it takes you to binge all six seasons, you could .
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- Time it takes to binge: 5 days, 9 hours
American surgeon and writer H. Richard Hornberger and writer and war correspondent W. C. Heinz in 1968 based on Hornbergerâs personal Korean War experiences. In 1972 the book, which was first a movie in 1970, inspired an 11-season TV show simply called âM*A*S*H.â Veteran screenwriter Larry Gelbart wrote the pilot in two days for $25,000. Years later, the series finale became tuning in. âM*A*S*Hâ is currently available on Hulu for instant binging.
- Time it takes to binge: 5 days, 7 hours
When it made its debut in 1997, âKing of the Hillâ was a genuine hit, in its early seasons. Ten seasons later, Time magazine named it one of the ever. After 13 seasons, the audience for the cartoon about a propane salesman and his family in Arlen, Texas, had shrunk considerably. But still, for many, the finale cemented it as ââ
- Time it takes to binge: 4 days, 14 hours
Set to return for its 10th season on Nov. 3, 2019, âShamelessâ is set to become . The show tells the tale of the Gallagher family, and their alcoholic father played by William H. Macy. In the time it takes you to binge the dramedy (found on Netflix) you could fly across the country, from New York City to Los Angeles, .
- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 12 hours
In 2006, âthe best show ever broadcast on American television.â The show, which was part crime drama and part police procedural, was lauded for its literary themes and the realism with which it portrayed its subject matter. While it never won any awards during its six-season run, itâs . In the time it would take you to watch all episodes, you could (and have some hours to spare).
- Time it takes to binge: 6 days
Created by Joss Whedon, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is an After burning down the gym at her old high school, Buffy (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar) is forced to move to Sunnyside where she fights evil forces as a slayer. In the time it would take fans to binge the first seven seasons as they prepare for the , one could , depending on the route.
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- Time it takes to binge: 474 days, 22 hours
âGeneral Hospital,â created by husband-and-wife team Frank and Doris Hursley, is the . The show celebrated its 55th anniversary in 2018, and has been praised by numerous national organizations for the awareness it brought to health and social issues, like LGBTQ+ issues and HIV/AIDS. In the time it would take for a dedicated daytime soap fan to watch the show, one could be (flight time from Earth is about 640 days).
- Time it takes to binge: 7 days, 8 hours
âHouseâ is a medical drama that focuses on the prickly but genius Dr. Gregory House and his many confounding cases. Dr. House, who is , is played by Hugh Laurie. In 2008, , with over 81.8 million people tuning in each week. The fame wasnât easy for Laurie, who admitted because he couldnât handle the attention.
- Time it takes to binge: 7 days, 10 hours
, âStar Trek: The Next Generationâ follows Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his team on the U.S.S. Enterprise as they traipse around the universe âseeking out new life and new civilizations, and going boldly where no man has gone before.â The show ran for seven seasons and 177 episodes, despite its rocky beginning. Reportedly, creator Gene Roddenberry clashed so frequently with writers and producers, that . Today, however, âStar Trek: The Next Generationâ is widely regarded as one of the best sci-fi series of all time.
- Time it takes to binge: 3 days, 18 hours
In 2019, âSeinfeldâ celebrated 30 years since the release of its pilot episode âThe Seinfeld Chronicles.â The was that it was âweak,â but 30 years on, the show is acknowledged as a hit. âSeinfeld,â the show famously about nothing, , and when its finale aired in 1998, tuned in to watch. Bingers can find all nine seasons on Hulu.
- Time it takes to binge: 9 days, 2 hours
One of , "The X-Files," starring Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny as Dana Scully and Fox Mulder, respectively, ran for a total of 11 seasons. The initial run of the show, from 1993 to 2002, was so popular that "The X-Files" was brought back in 2016 for another season, and again in 2018 for a final season. At this point, , but devoted fans are still crossing their fingers that the two FBI agents will uncover a little more paranormal activity.
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- Time it takes to binge: 15 days, 19 hours
Now in its 17th season, the time it would take to watch the Naval Criminal Investigative Service solve crimes and restore justice only continues to grow. With an all-star cast, including Mark Harmon and Michael Weatherly, âNCISâ has been nominated for a handful of primetime Emmy Awards, . In the time it would take fans to watch all current episodes, they could take a with a few hours to spare.
- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 8 hours
A period piece set between 1912 and 1926, âDownton Abbeyâ follows the lives and dramas of the Crowley family and their host of servants. Produced by Carnival Films, the show aired on PBS in America as a part of the networkâs Masterpiece series. With major stars like Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, and Michelle Dockery, the show quickly became a cult favorite, and with its . In 2019, a full-length feature film was released starring the original cast.
- Time it takes to binge: 4 days
A forensic technician by day and a serial killer by night, the title character of Showtimeâs âDexterâ spent eight seasons torn between his deadly compulsion and his desire for true happiness. by Jeff Lindsay, titled âDarkly Dreaming Dexter,â but over the course of the rest of the series, the show strayed far from the source material. Dexter was awarded a shelf full of Golden Globes and Emmy Awards throughout its run, but in the end, .
- Time it takes to binge: 6 days, 9 hours
Set in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, âGilmore Girlsâ followed mother-daughter pair Lorelai and Rory Gilmore (played by Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel), as well as a host of colorful characters who populated their small New England town. The show first aired on the WB in 2000 and its hundreds of pop culture references have made it a time capsule of sorts. In 2016, nine years after the showâs cancellation, Netflix brought it back for a four-part revival called âGilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.â Die-hard fans are still holding on to hope that creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino will bring their beloved series back for yet another revival.
- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 14 hours
In 1999, Matt Groening launched "Futurama" an animated classic about a pizza delivery boy, Philip J. Fry, who was cryogenically frozen on Dec. 31, 1999, only to wake up New Year's Day 3000. Fry and his mutant friends traveled around the universe for : four on Fox, one season of direct-to-DVD films produced by Comedy Central, and two half-hour-episode-long seasons on the Comedy Central network. For all of its side-splitting humor, "Futurama" tackled some pretty heavy scientific topics, including in the episode "The Prisoner of Benda."
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- Time it takes to binge: 3 days, 20 hours
Set in 1960s New York, âMad Menâ follows the lives and careers of the advertising men and women of Madison Avenue. Cable Network AMCâs first try at an original series, âMad Menâ made history when it became the four years in a row. Behind the scenes, âMad Menâ stood out as well: In 2009 The Wall Street Journal revealed that , and 13 episodes of season three were directed by women.
- Time it takes to binge: 4 days, 6 hours
Eric, Kelso, Hyde, Fez, Jackie, and Donna were the pot-loving, Point Place, Wisc., teens who filled our screens on âThat â70s Show.â The comedy, which aired for eight seasons, took place over four years of fictional time, ending on the last day of the 1970s. The departure of several main characters, as well as falling ratings, were both .
- Time it takes to binge: 4 days, 9 hours
âSons of Anarchyâ ran from 2008 to 2014 for a total of seven seasons on FX, before coming to its natural end. The biker gang featured in the show, Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original, Hellâs Angels, the same way the show itself was based on Shakespeare's iconic play âHamlet.â During its original run, âSons of Anarchyâ was it often featured.
- Time it takes to binge: 3 days, 14 hours
Ten years after its 2007 finale, The Guardian called âThe Sopranosâ âthe most masterful show ever.â Starring James Gandolfini as Italian American mob boss Tony Soprano and Edie Falco as his wife, Carmela, âThe Sopranosâ was dubbed the greatest TV show of all time by Rolling Stone and the best-written TV show of all time by the Writerâs Guild of America. In the spring of 2018, it was announced that titled âThe Many Saints of Newark,â but a release date has yet to be announced.
- Time it takes to binge: 13 days, 5 hours
The beloved crime drama "Criminal Minds" came to a close in 2020 after 15 seasons. To refresh their memories on storylines past and present, "Criminal Minds" fans could spend just under two weeks, or about how long it would take to , binge-watching all existing episodes.
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- Time it takes to binge: 19 days, 4 hours
âLaw and Order: Special Victims Unitâ achieved a major milestone in 2019 with the premiere of season 21âthe show is now the longest-running drama in TV history. Mariska Hargitay, who plays Olivia Benson, is the only character to remain from season one, and , the âcompassionate detective has become , bringing a listening ear and a drive for justice to a show that puts âspecial victimsâ at the forefront.â
- Time it takes to binge: 5 days, 18 hours
Itâs a tale as old as time: many of televisionâs biggest successes were not instant hits. âCheers,â about a Boston bar where everyone knows your name, is a perfect example. The comedy (77th out of 100, according to Nielsen ratings), but when Ted Danson announced his exit at the end of the 1992â93 season, and the subsequent end of the series, tuned in for the last call. In the amount of time it would take to watch 275 episodes of âCheersâ .
- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 23 hours
In 2019, âItâs Always Sunny in Philadelphiaâ will air its 14th season and . But it hasnât all been sunshine for one of FXâs first hits. In fact, the show, about five friends who get into all sorts of hijinks in the bar they own and work at, has . For example, one 2013 episode featured a character in blackface.
- Time it takes to binge: 5 days, 1 hours
In the late aughts, âGossip Girlâ became must-watch TV for teens and 20-somethings across the country. Based on Cecily von Ziegesarâs book series of the same name, the show followed a group of wealthy and privileged teens on Manhattanâs Upper East Side. The showâs occasional lack of a moral compass and similarity to real-life prompted . In June 2019, , which will follow the next generation of Manhattanâs teenage upper class.
- Time it takes to binge: 15 hours
An animated Adult Swim comedy, "Rick and Morty" follows an alcoholic scientific genius, Rick Sanchez, and his teenage grandson, Morty Smith as they travel out and beyond the known universe. Season three of the dark comedy ended in 2017, and no new episodes have aired since. However, in May 2018, and season four is set to debut in November 2019. In the same amount of time it would take to binge all existing seasons, viewers could .
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- Time it takes to binge: 54 days, 12 hours
Created by Lorne Michaels and Duncan Ebersol, âSaturday Night Live,â the late-night sketch comedy show, has been airing since 1975. Currently in its 45th season, âSNLâ has helped launch the careers of some of comedyâs biggest stars, including Will Ferrell, Eddie Murphy, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Adam Sandler. Comedy aficionados could spend almost two months watching every âSNLâ episode ever, or, in the same span of time, .
- Time it takes to binge: 5 days, 1 hours
The year 2004 was big for ABC: âLost,â âDesperate Housewives,â and âGreyâs Anatomyâ all made their debuts at the beginning of the fall television season, revitalizing the network. âLostâ in particular, which lasted 121 episodes over six seasons and told the story of a group of airline passengers stranded on a desert island, stood out from much of the other programming on TV at the time. The J.J. Abrams creation, with its huge ensemble cast, use of flashbacks, and cinematic camera work and storytelling .
- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 15 hours
Initially conceived as a spin-off from âThe Office,â âParks and Recreationâ never ended up having direct ties with its predecessor, but it did share a mockumentary format and creators Greg Daniels and Michael Schur. The first season of the NBC show wasnât received well by critics, but by the time season two aired many of the formerly negative critics changed their tunes, praising the seriesâ humor and writing. While there are fans still have plenty of episodes (125 total) available for a good binge session.
- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 17 hours
(heâs worked on âThe Office,â âParks and Recreation,â and âThe Good Placeâ), âBrooklyn Nine-Nineâ centers on Andy Sambergâs character Jake Peralta, a talented but horribly immature police detective working at Brooklynâs 99th precinct. The sitcom, which originally began airing on Fox in 2013, was nearly canceled in 2018 until NBC picked it up and gave it a sixth and now seventh season. Fans of the âNINE-NIIINE!â can expect the gang to return to their televisions in early 2020.
- Time it takes to binge: 6 days, 8 hours
"South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone met in 1992 in a film class at the University of Colorado. It was in this class that they begin developing their famous charactersâKyle, Kenny, Stan, and Cartmanâout of pure boredom. Five years and thousands of hours of work later, in 1997, "South Park" premiered, pulling in almost , and over 5Â million viewers for episodes later in the season. Over 20 years later, there are which would take almost a full week to watch back to back.
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- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 22 hours
A totally surreal cartoon meant for adults and children alike, in 2010. In the fall of 2018, the show came to an end, but not before becoming a cultural phenomenon. âAdventure Timeâ won everything from an Emmy Award to a Peabody Award, showed up at Comic-Cons around the country, and its merchandise lined store shelves across the country. Viewers wonât have to worry about getting bored as they binge the cartoon: Each episode is only about 11 minutes long (two episodes usually aired back to back to fill a 30-minute time slot) and storylines vary so wildly thereâs always something to keep one engaged.
- Time it takes to binge: 5 days, 19 hours
âThe Big Bang Theoryâ ran on CBS for 12 seasons, from 2007 to 2019. The sitcom, which followed a group of scientists and their assorted friends, significant others, and colleagues, was a Chuck Lorre production. , but audiences liked it enough that it was given a spin-off, âYoung Sheldonâ in 2017.
- Time it takes to binge: 3 days, 19 hours
Based on Piper Kermanâs memoir of the same name, âOrange Is the New Blackâ was one of Netflixâs first original programs in 2013. The show, about a womenâs prison and its various inmates, set the example for what streaming services could do, and what future Netflix Originals would look like. Praised for its diversity and complexity, âOrange Is the New Blackâ is currently , with over 105 million households tuning in for at least one episode over the seriesâ seven-season run.
- Time it takes to binge: 5 days
Stephen Hillenburg was a marine biology professor before he became the âSpongeBob SquarePantsâ creator. Aspects of the Nickelodeon cartoon, which has now been on the air for 20 years, making it , were drawn from Hillenburgâs real-life expertise. Although the show hasnât always released new episodes consistentlyâfor example, there was a two-year hiatus from 2013 to 2015 as the team worked on a full-length feature filmâthere are still enough 11-minute episodes that it would take one five full days of constant viewing to see them all.
- Time it takes to binge: 7 days, 3 hours
In 2009, "The Vampire Diaries" made its debut on The CW and . The high school vampire drama succeeded not only because it came at a time when vampire stories were having a cultural moment, but also because it masterfully built a world and mythology. Eight seasons later, as viewership fell and ratings declined, the show came to an end with to say goodbye to Mystic Falls and its supernatural residents.
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- Time it takes to binge: 7 days, 2 hours
A cornerstone of Japanese anime, and a bonafide cultural phenomenon, âDragon Ball Zâ dates back to 1984. The complicated, multi-character story has spanned several animated series, as well as film-length âepisodesâ and various TV specials. Fans can watch all of the canon episodes in a little over a week of constant viewing, but including every non-cannon sequel would certainly add several days of viewing time.
- Time it takes to binge: 5 days, 11 hours
Andrew Kirkman began publishing âThe Walking Deadâ comic books in 2003, and seven years later, in 2010, AMC brought the zombie thriller to the small screen. Currently in its 10th season, âThe Walking Deadâ has been renewed for the 11th season and has inspired two other post-apocalyptic spin-offs, âFear the Walking Deadâ and a yet-untitled offshoot. Fans of gore, suspense, and good storytelling could currently immerse themselves in Kirkmanâs creepy world for five-and-a-half days.
- Time it takes to binge: 4 days, 8 hours
âHow I Met Your Motherâ spent nine seasons in a primetime slot on CBS. Over the course of 200 episodes, Ted Mosby told his children the winding story of how, exactly, he met their mother, dated other women along the way, and navigated New York City with his four best friends. In 2017, called âHow I Met Your Fatherâ could be in the works.
- Time it takes to binge: 21 days, 9 hours
The ±ÊŽÇ°ìĂ©łŸŽÇČÔ franchise has its called Game Freak. On April 1, 1997, the card game turned videogame turned cartoon, made its debut in the United States. There have been several different anime series over the years, as well as a handful of feature-length films, and in the time it would take you to watch every chapter of the ±ÊŽÇ°ìĂ©łŸŽÇČÔ story, you could .
- Time it takes to binge: 6 days, 21 hours
Another adult cartoon, this time from the brain of comedic genius Seth MacFarlane, "Family Guy" follows dimwitted but lovable Peter Griffin; his wife, Lois; his three children; and their talking dog, Brian, through their daily lives and fantastic escapades. , "Family Guy" ended up running on Fox as a standalone series in 1998. , once by Fox and once by Cartoon Network, but fans rallied behind the series and brought it back to life. premiered on Fox in the fall of 2019.
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- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 14 hours
A television phenomenon, âBreaking Badâ followed a soft-spoken chemistry teacherâs transition into a drug kingpin. , the show was passed on by three major networks before finding a home on AMC. More than 10 million people watched the showâs 2013 finale. Since then, a spin-off show, âBetter Call Saul,â has been keeping audiencesâ appetites fed, and the 2019 film  garnered a lot of buzz among devotees.
- Time it takes to binge: 14 days, 7 hours
âGreyâs Anatomyâ has aired on ABC since 2005, for a total of 15 seasons, 342 episodes (and counting), and two spin-offs. Shonda Rhimesâ first series, the medical drama has had a huge cast of characters over the years. However, in 2017 Rhimes told E! News the . âEllen and I have a pact that Iâm going to do the show as long as sheâs going to do the showâŠIf she wants to stop, weâre stopping,â Rhimes said.
- Time it takes to binge: 1 days, 6 hours
In an alternate universe, where the world is divided into four elemental nationsâthe water tribes, the earth kingdom, the fire nation, and the air nomadsâwar has broken out, and only one person, a master of all the elements, can save humankind from imminent decimation. Thatâs the  Show creator to work on âAvatar,â which lasted for three seasons for a total of 61 episodes.
- Time it takes to binge: 13 days, 22 hours
The original adult cartoon, âThe Simpsonsâ made its debut in 1989. The family , but it wasnât until they got their own show that they became cultural icons. Now in its 32nd season, âThe Simpsonsâ is the in television history, but recent reports indicate the show sooner than we think.
- Time it takes to binge: 5 days, 1 hours
Perhaps the most quintessential show of the 1990s, "Friends" celebrated its 25th anniversary in September 2019. During its 10-season run, the show charted the growth of Joey, Ross, Chandler, Rachel, Monica, and Phoebe as the 20-somethings took on New York City and responsible adulthood. Insanely popular during its heyday, the show has garnered recent criticisms for some of its out-of-date jokes and storylines, but fans still regularly press the stars and creators for a reboot. For the record: .
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- Time it takes to binge: 20 hours
âStranger Thingsâ is a Netflix Original that combines 1980s nostalgia with the paranormal. The show is popular with TV aficionados and binge-watchers alikeâafter the July 4, 2019, release of season three, had watched at least one episode during its first four days of availability, and 18.2 million households had finished the entire season. Thereâs good news for fans who just canât seem to get enough: creators Matt and Ross Duffer just , which may be the last.
- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 22 hours
Leading up to its eighth and final season, which aired in early 2019, fans spent hours catching up on old episodes of âGame of Thrones,â as it had been nearly two years since the previous season finished. The fantasy drama, based on George R.R. Martinâs book series of the same name, had long since passed where the written story left off. So itâs no surprise that nearly , desperate for some resolution, tuned to watch the finale. Today, fans can binge all 72 episodes in just under three days.
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