Downton Abbey was a harder sell, at least initially. It took lots of encouragement from my wife and friends, along with a day in bed last December with an awful flu which allowed me to catch up on earlier seasons.

Now I am hooked on both, very eagerly looking forward to the next seasons!

As many of you know, Netflix releases the entire new season of House of Cards in one go. In contrast, the new episodes of Downton Abbey come in weekly installments.

Which is better?

Binge watchers prefer the Netflix approach, as do those seeking immediate gratification. Most economists would also opt for this approach since it provides the viewers with most “optionality": they can more easily determine the viewing approach that best suits them (provided, and this is an important qualifier, they can also limit external information that would give the plot away prematurely).

Others, however, prefer (and may even need a disciplining mechanism) to spread out their viewing pleasure over a number of weeks. Such an approach gives them more time to enjoy and absorb each episode. It also provides for greater social interactions. And it reduces the risk of a spoiled plot.

Spreading out definitely helps with social interactions.

Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Walking Dead, and Game of Thrones all have benefited from that.