Cards and Oscars

Two items caught my attention this week.  The first being that House of Cards season two has premiered beginning this past Valentine’s Day, and the second being that the Academy Awards are rapidly approaching. 

This past week I’ve divided my time between doing work and watching the new season of House of Cards.  I was drawn to the television series last December when a friend of mine continually posted about it on Twitter.  Since it’s inception, I had heard nothing but praises for the original Netflix show. 

I had to check it out.

Four fifty-minute episodes later I struggled to keep my eyes open as the next episode began to load.  It was thrilling.  I get it.  I get why all of my friends were raving about this show. 

So how does this happen?

How are people drawn into binge-watching shows so easily?

Hell, I’m even watching the show while writing this post.  It must be the access and the quality of the show.  House of Cards pulls the viewers in and doesn’t pull back the punches.  A shocking action in its season two premiere left me wondering if the entire scene was actually dream sequence.

It was not.

But getting back to the original question: Why has binge-watching gotten so popular?  This would be worth investigating as it has become socially acceptable to sit and stare at the computer screen to watch dozens of new episodes. 

According to Varity.com “Approximately 2% of Netflix subscribers on U.S. broadband networks took the weekend to polish off all 13 [House of Cards] episodes.”  Variety Source This accounts for approximately 634,000 individuals.  All 634,000 of these people watched over thirteen hours of television in a weekend time frame. 

I’m not even necessarily surprised, if anything, I’m impressed. Frankly, I should put more effort into binge-watching the films that were nominated for Academy Awards rather than watching television shows. 

Speaking of the Academy Awards, I hear that the traditional gift bags are being filled with $80,000 worth of items this year.  For those who are unaware, the Academy traditionally gifts the losing nominations during the Oscars.  Despite their loss, the individuals are graced with parting gifts as a token of well-wishing and ‘Better Luck Next Time.’

“It’s an honor to be nominated” certainly takes another meaning doesn’t it?  I wouldn’t be so disheartened if I knew I was receiving a consolation prize. 

According to Newsday this year’s swag bags include: “Hydroxycut Gummies, Swiss-made Slow watches, Vetvik luxury leather iPhone cases, Le Petit Cirque aerial lessons, a Steamist Total Sense Spa System, Epic Pet Health electrolyte therapy, Max Martin shoes and vacation packages to either the Canadian Rockies, Hawaii, Mexico or Japan” amongst other prizes.

I’m not sure what half of those items are.  But honestly, some of them sound like made-up things.  Epic Pet Health electrolyte therapy?  Really?  A majority of people know that this money could be spent elsewhere.  There must be charities or good causes that might benefit from such a generous donation.  Celebrities are the last people who are in desperate need of free gifts. 

Yet, in the meantime I will laugh because items such as Horse shampoo for humans are included in as a gift with no explanation as to why it’s there. 

For a full list of goodies check out this website: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/oscars-2014-vagina-rejuvenation-procedure-offered-in-80000-goodie-bags-9143854.html

It’s absolutely hysterical.  For a more detailed look at a few of the items here is the US Magazine article: http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-style/news/oscars-2014-celebrity-swag-bags-losing-nominees-gift-products-2014202