I’m not sure whether it’s because it’s a not-so-subtle reminder of a string of bad choices or it has to do with unfinished business, but there’s something about the ‘Continue Watching’ section on streaming services that just doesn’t sit right with me.
If there’s something that’s captivated my attention, then ‘Continue Watching’ is definitely the place to go, but more often than not, it’s become a virtual graveyard for all those series and movies that weren’t quite as appealing as their trailers made them out to be.
So, no, I don’t want to continue watching.
I suspect my tastes haven’t changed a whole lot over the years, although nowadays, after news and sports, much of my TV watching is done through streaming services. Sure, cable has a few shows I’ll record because, like pretty much everyone else, I’m not about to have the TV dictate when I sit in front of it, but it’s more likely that I’m streaming due to variety and convenience.
Back in the day — and I’m referring to a time that predates the ability to pick from thousands of titles on demand — I would stumble upon my fair share of clunkers, but when that happened, I’d simply turn the channel or turn off the TV entirely.
Years ago, I learned that watching an episode of Two and a Half Men is 30 minutes of my life I would never get back, but at least I didn't have Charlie Sheen’s smug mug staring at me for the next several weeks from that blasted ‘Continue Watching’ section.
Now I’ve got a visual reminder every time I launch a streaming service of the not-so-greatest-hits of the past month, which doesn't do a lot to instill confidence as I scan the offerings to make my next selection. It’s a bit like going to the racetrack and telling yourself that your next bet will cross the finish line first when you’ve lost the last five races in a row.
As much as I’d like to forget these failures, there’s part of me that says maybe I should give them a second chance, that perhaps I was too harsh in my initial assessment. Maybe The Recruit or Outer Banks will become less far-fetched, that Mindhunter might somehow get less dark or that Let’s Get Physical didn't use up all its funny bits in the trailer. I generally resist that temptation, knowing my initial verdict likely was correct, but more than that, I rationalize there’s no sense going back to the same well when there are thousands of other titles to try.
And there are many gems scattered among the duds, the trick being to locate one before losing the will to continue searching. I couldn’t watch Ozark fast enough and Suits kept me entertained for a long time. Many of the British shows are well done, from the police drama Line of Duty to the comedy After Life, where comedian Ricky Gervais hilariously plays a small-town newspaper reporter, saying things we can only dream of uttering.
But once I’ve reached the end of a good series, it disappears from ‘Continue Watching’ to leave only the busts staring back at me.
