Abstract
This chapter explores the way binge-watching was deployed in the marketing of House of Cards (Netflix, 2013–) and season 4 of Arrested Development (Fox, 2003–6, Netflix, 2013–) through Kevin Spacey and Mitch Hurwitz to position the practice as central to watching Netflix. Interviews with both in 2013 highlight how the figures were used to ‘explain’ binge-watching and, thus, the platform itself. Other debates in mainstream media also point to the way the terminology was ‘mainstreamed’ by Netflix throughout 2013. After deploying binge-watching as central concept in marketing campaigns in its early years of in-house production, Netflix recently recalibrated its branding via content towards a concept of diversity. Yet, as most of its content remains American, this diversity remains bound by national social, historical and economic conditions that are hardly universal. As Part III discusses, the transnational nature of Netflix makes this problematic.
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Notes
- 1.
- 2.
Spacey’s role at Netflix would take an abrupt end in the face of sexual assault allegations by (at the time of the assault) underage boys as well as members of the House of Cards crew in 2017. Until then, however, Spacey had taken on a key role in promoting Netflix as producer of ‘quality’ TV . Spacey’s prominent role likely informed Netflix ’ swift reaction, particularly as its response to rape allegations against Danny Masterson, who played Kutcher’s brother on The Ranch and took a less prominent role in promoting the series, took several weeks.
- 3.
This general impression of mixed and sometimes negative reviews may, at least partially, account for the fact that the season was generally seen as disappointing. Nevertheless, both ‘official’ reviews and audience ratings on Rotten Tomatoes are currently at 78% for season 4 (as of 01.10.2017), suggesting an overall more positive reception. Unused to Netflix ’ silence on viewing numbers or any measure of ‘failure’ or ‘success’, business insiders took Arrested Development ’s failure to attract many new subscribers as failure of the series and Netflix ’ stock briefly plummeted.
- 4.
Season 5 of Arrested Development was published on the Tuesday following Memorial Weekend in 2018. Considering the much less prominent positioning as one series among many released by Netflix in the format of the binge model, consequences of this positioning are more difficult to gage.
- 5.
The role of the interface is also central, with the signature colours red and black (alternated with white or grey) dominating the platform across the globe. The analysis of the interface as mediator of viewers’ interactions with the platform (Chamberlain 2011) falls outside of the scope of this study. Chamberlain (2011) and Johnson (2017) have both written insightful pieces on the function of the VoD interface.
- 6.
The historical context of the Bush presidency is particularly important here, as this involved a number of homophobic comments from the highest levels of government, which seemed to move accomplishments like marriage equality further out of reach than it later turned out to be.
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Deadwood (2004–6), USA: HBO.
Dear White People (2017–), USA: Netflix.
Desperate Housewives (2004–12), USA: ABC.
Dexter (2006–13), USA: Showtime.
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Enlightened (2011–3), USA: HBO.
Friday Night Lights (2006–11), USA: NBC.
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Jenner, M. (2018). Netflix Marketing: The Binge and Diversity. In: Netflix and the Re-invention of Television. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94316-9_9
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