Netflix introduced its viewers to a new era of binge-watching after the premiere of its highly anticipated science fiction drama series ‘Stranger Things’ in July 2016. It was for the first time that all episodes of the first season were dropped in one day, as opposed to the viewers having to wait patiently in between each episode.
The Duffer Brothers instantly claimed success, as most of the viewers finished all the episodes at a single go and eagerly asked for more. However, Paul Reiser, a.k.a Dr. Owens, believes that this form of content consumption takes away suspense and anticipation altogether. So, Paul Reiser hates binge-watching? Let’s find out.
Highlights —
- Paul Reiser as Dr. Sam Owens in ‘Stranger Things’
- Binge-watching not the best form of content consumption, says Reiser
- Will Dr. Owens come back in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4?
Get a sneak-peek into ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4 here
Paul Reiser as Dr. Sam Owens in ‘Stranger Things’
Paul Reiser did not make an appearance in the series until season 2 as Dr. Owens, a high-ranking member in the US Department of Energy. He is also seen to serve Will Byers after his horrific experiences.
Being directly associated with the government, it was unclear if Dr. Owens was a good guy or a bad guy. However, during the course of action in the second season, he proved rather helpful to not only Byers but also the rest of Hawkins. He even assists Chief Jim Hopper in adopting Eleven as his legal daughter.
In an interview with “Vulture”, Reiser admitted that even he was suspicious about the character of Dr. Owens – “There is a very good reason for everybody to be suspicious. And that was a fun thing to play — no matter how warm or accommodating he tried to be, he was up against this wall of, ‘Yeah, we ain’t buying it’. I was thinking, ‘Yeah, I wouldn’t trust me either if I was you. You guys went through a terrible year last year. I get it’”.
Watch the official trailer of ‘Stranger Things’ 2 here
Binge-watching not the best form of content consumption, says Reiser
Binge-watching is popular among viewers as they do not have to go through the intense tension of exciting nail-biting cliff-hangers. However, Paul Reiser points out that this era of binge-watching has taken away the essence of anticipation from the viewers. In turn, their experience of unravelling gripping and suspenseful plots becomes an impatient craving for new content. This holds particularly true for the long wait that the ‘Stranger Things‘ fans are going through before the release of season 4.
Seems like Reiser’s idea on consuming content is a little old school. In an interview with “Forbes”, Reiser remarked upon such content consumption trends among audiences:
“There’s good and bad. I remember when I did the second season of ‘Stranger Things‘, and people were clamoring, ‘When is it coming? When is it coming?’ And then they’d watch it all in a day. And I’d feel like, ‘Well, we just spent a year and a half making that. Take your time, chew your food’. And it’s like you work hard at making a meal and somebody gobbles it down. It’s like, ‘Well, that seems a shame’. On the other hand, I know personally as a viewer, I’m way behind, but I know that it’s there.”
Watch the official trailer of ‘Stranger Things’ Season 1 here
Will Dr. Owens come back in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4?
The character of Dr. Sam Owens recurs throughout the length of season 2 and is a rather minor character in season 3 of ‘Stranger Things’. Dr. Owens has played a crucial role in the treatment of Will Byers as well as in assisting Chief Jim Hopper to adopt Eleven as his legal daughter.
Watch ‘Stranger Things’ 4 trailer as the plot unravels in California
His reappearance in the fourth season of the series has not been ruled out completely. Considering his association with the government, he may still have valuable input into the other-worldly affairs of the Upside Down. The latest trailer of ‘Stranger Things’ shows Byers in California, which might eventually involve Dr. Owens to trek out there. All we can say for sure is that stranger and exciting things await us in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4.
Are you a fan of binge-watching? Tell us in the comments below!
