The passing of the Seasons
I have a confession to make.
I actually like Netflix!
In the beginning it showed me a few titles it thought I might like. My first choice for a night’s viewing turned out to be rubbish – I can’t even remember what it was – so I tried another at random. I chose “Homeland”. This turned out to be acceptable in that we could understand what was being said [a rarity in modern programmes] and the plot was simple enough but with some interesting twists.
There are two things I like about Netflix. The first is the complete lack of advertising. Not one ad for the fucking Lottery and no sign of that big arsed black woman showing off her Always sanitary pads and leering at us. Bliss! The other is the rather clever way that when an episode ends there is an almost seamless join to the next episode. It skips all the introductory shit and the “Previously on …” and gets straight down to business.
This latter feature is a bit of a problem as I have to be damned quick with the remote or else the binge watching could become a bit addictive. Shades of “Breaking Bad” which played havoc with our sleeping habits a few years back.
We finally worked our way through all twelve episodes and I wondered what would happen next. Did Netflix have the second series [or “season” as they irritatingly call it]? What actually happened was that episode 12 ended and we seamlessly found ourselves watching the start of the second series. I did a little mental mathematics. There are apparently eight series so we had seven to go. At roughly an hour per episode and twelve episodes per series that meant we have 84 hours to go through yet. Fucking hell! That’s three and a half days and nights if we run at it non-stop! Even if we restrict ourselves to normal office hours that will give us over two weeks viewing. I’m not sure I’m up to that.
It still locks up every now and then with the buffering problem. I have turned the problem into a feature.
Buffering is time to switch off.
I don’t have Netflix, but Amazon Prime. I have a smart TV. I had problems with ‘buffering’ and solved it by connecting directly with an RJ45, which is via one of those systems that connects from my modem via my mains wiring. Hence it runs at full speed – 100 mbps – and no problem with buffering.
I have come to the conclusion it’s the set itself. Rebooting the television solves it every time. The set is actually set up the same way as yours – direct connection [RJ45] and even network over mains. I have tested speed off the actual port I use and it’s fine.
You’ve made a good choice with Homeland, really well written and acted with some great twists that I won’t spoil. Enjoy
And there’s loads of ridin’! You didn’t mention the ridin’ with all the panting and screeching. They can’t keep their hands off each other.
The only problem with a series is that you know a character can’t be killed or whatever because there are still a few episodes left….