Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Friends or Walking Dead … No matter which is your favorite, the truth is that you can not stop looking at it.

You try to convince yourself that it will only be a chapter and you end up watching 4 losing all Sunday or staying until 5 in the morning.

Do you want to know why we are addicted to Television series? In this article we tell you.

Television series and addiction

Did you say that you would only watch a chapter and finish an entire season on a weekend? Have you been sleepless nights because the story caught you and you lost track of time? Do your conversations in the office or with friends revolve around the series that you have already seen or the ones you still need to see?

Even if you do not want to accept it … you are addicted to television series. But calm, because you are not alone. Thousands of people all over the world are going through the same situation as you. Some have already noticed and others not yet.

And, of course, the creators of the series know perfectly this vice and give us fresh content so that we maintain our addiction to the top.

The desire, the illusion, the fantasy and the need to continue seeing another chapter are just some of the feelings we experience in the face of this worldwide success.

The same does not happen with movies. We may do some “marathon” on a Sunday afternoon or we may see a complete saga the same day, but with the television series there is a “magic” … something special that we can not explain.

Different types of television series and their particular addictions

Netflix is the king and master of television series but, of course, there are other options.

According to the creators of this platform, a user who finishes watching a season takes less than a week to see the next one. In addition, he devotes a good amount of time to his vice : on average 2 hours a day.

The genres that generate most addiction are suspense, terror and science fiction . Some examples would be Breaking Bad, Lost, Orphan Black, “The Walking Dead and American Horror Story.

The ones that look faster are those of comedy, superheroes and crimes like, for example, Sons of Anarchy, Orange is the New Black, Friends or The Blacklist.

On the other hand those that generate addiction but it takes longer to finish the seasons are political or historical dramas such as  House of Cards, Mad Men or Gray’s Anatomy.

In these cases the spectators must take a break between the chapters since they are very loaded with information or emotions.

However, of course, they continue watching until the series ends.

Why have we become slaves of television series?

We do not know very well why, but it seems that the series have a magnet, a special power that does not allow us to take our eyes off the screen and that makes us lose track of time.

If lately all you do is to end seasons as if it were the most normal thing in the world, you should know how the directors achieve their task of becoming addicted:

1. Visual bursts

The series have the ability to “jump” from scene to scene (sometimes even back and forth in time) with amazing speed.

That’s why we have to stand still in front of the screen so we do not miss anything . Even in the same scene the planes are modified at high speeds.

This technique keeps us clinging, committed … without being able to escape from its charms. As if we were dazzled by the lights of the most illuminated avenue in the world.

2. Continuity

In the case of films, most of them have an introduction, a knot and an ending all in the same delivery (except for the sagas).

This does not happen in the television series. While within each chapter there may be situations that “close”, the plot revolves around a more important story that develops throughout the season .

In addition, the episodes usually end abruptly and in the best part … that’s why we have that feeling of “give me another”.

If we add to that the possibility of giving “continue” and move on to the next chapter … addiction is understandable.

3. Sex and violence

These two elements are not missing in almost any of the television series. If there are both ingredients, the vice of the spectators is greater.

Although we are peaceful people and terrorize our blood, we look at contents that include it too much.

The scenes of violence draw our attention , allow us to think about acts of courage, morality or revenge.

In addition, they suppose a way of self-recognizing our violent impulses (how we would react in a similar situation).

4. Identification

It is easier to feel identified with a character that we see for many hours and we know in the most intimate with that we only see 2 hours in a movie.

The addicts to the television series take sides with the protagonists, they fall in love with them, they see themselves reflected on the screen … And, of course, they want to know more about their lives and problems.

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