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In 1999, the first episode of The Sopranos aired on HBO, and ever since then, we’ve been living in the Golden Age of Television (although I’d argue that era may have come to a close when the finale of Game of Thrones shoved our mouths open and took a giant dump down our throats).
In recent years, it’s been virtually impossible to keep track of the number of shows that have been deemed appointment viewing and even more impossible to actually keep up with them, as even critics who get paid to watch things for a living are forced to pick and choose what they cover.
While HBO has always been a major player, Netflix has also spawned a number of acclaimed programs since it shifted its focus to making its own original movies and shows, and while there’s definitely been a bit of a drop off in quality as they churn out a seemingly endless stream of content, the platform is still a force to be reckoned with.
Now, according to Android Police, Netflix may be testing a new feature that will allow binge-watchers to get a more efficient fix by taking a page out of the podcast playbook and allowing viewers to accelerate the speed of shows.
The outlet reports Netflix has confirmed it’s experimenting with variable speeds up to 1.5x the normal rate (it will also allow you to slow down time if you’re so inclined), an announcement that has drawn the ire of a few people—including Judd Apatow, who wasn’t exactly thrilled to hear the news.
No @Netflix no. Don’t make me have to call every director and show creator on Earth to fight you on this. Save me the time. I will win but it will take a ton of time. Don’t fuck with our timing. We give you nice things. Leave them as they were intended to be seen. https://t.co/xkprLM44oC
— Judd Apatow 🇺🇦 (@JuddApatow) October 28, 2019
Aaron Paul also chimed in but seemed optimistic the test would remain exactly that.
https://twitter.com/aaronpaul_8/status/1188925851514966016
It’s worth noting a number of television networks have been caught increasing the speed of syndicated shows—including Seinfeld and Friends—in order to allow for more ads but it’s not entirely clear what Netflix’s motivation here is.
In the meantime, please enjoy this clip of an old-timey movie sped up more than it already is (as well as a scene from Breaking Bad).
https://twitter.com/Rosenthaltweets/status/1188979277796126720