Have you ever had a friend who tells you about a show that is so great, you have to watch it? Well that was the key to opening the path to "bingdome" for me. In order to enter said path, we need to delve into the genesis.
When 24 the TV show first came out, Keifer Sutherland had flowing blonde hair and could muster a smile. Over time he has morphed into the full blown Jack Bauer we have all come to love. Following him on his epic 24 hour journeys.
I was in college and dating this girl at the time . We had gotten through the hot and heavy part of the relationship and had now settled into "comfort delux". Sitting at home on the weekend watching TV and having lots of relaxation (wink wink). But even that had run its course.
We were discussing what to watch and at that moment the light bulb came on...Let's go rent 24 at Blockbuster said I. The spot back in the day where you walked through the different aisles picking movies off the rack and picking up popcorn packs on the way out. I miss Blockbuster...but she ignored the side chicks and got left out in the cold.
We picked up only the first season of 24, because my gf wasn't sure she would like it. So there we were watching this show as it slowly would us up and boom!!!!!!!!hooked us in. As soon as we finished the first season, in one sitting we looked at each other and smiled with our faces gleeming with the same passion as when we started dating. We were hooked and flushed with blood to the face. We rushed back to blockbuster and picked up the remaining seasons and binged on them till the last drop.
The act of binge watching is all too common today. Why go to the movies and spend a silly amount of money on a movie, that might be good? Hours wasted in a cramped classroom with people you don't know. Don't get me wrong; going to the movies with family and friends is the most "disney"act ever. But nothing beats watching a plethora of characters go through an assortment of challenges over years and decades in one sitting.
Season one of 24 had a young Jack Bauer with his wife and kid, but he also had a coworker who was also his ex, and she might be a double agent (no spoilers here buddy). He did whatever it took to keep America safe. Fast forward or should I say binge forward to the last season with Jack as the lead, he has lost his wife and his ex, and another ex and his daughter has moved on, while he is being turned over to the Russians, routinely one of America's enemies (at least on the show)....fade to black
I still binge today on shows like House of Cards, Daredevil, The Killing and recently Iron Fist. We are a little older now, no walk in rentals anymore, just robots spitting out movies after you insert your credit card and streaming online without moving an inch. Progress, I guess.
