A study published in the Daily Mail based on Netflix data analysed an interesting phenomenon: how many episodes does it take, on average, before a viewer decides to binge-watch a series all the way through? The point of no return — the moment when you’re officially “hooked” — varies enormously from title to title.

The Science of the “Hook Point”

Netflix has viewing data from millions of users and knows exactly when the majority of a series’ viewers stop watching it occasionally and start watching it compulsively. This “hook point” varies from one to six episodes depending on the title — and it doesn’t always correspond to the pilot or second episode, as many TV producers assume.

Some series take more time to build their world and characters before triggering that emotional connection that makes it impossible to switch the screen off. Others hit immediately. Knowing this data is useful: if a series hasn’t grabbed you after four episodes, it might be worth giving it a bit more time before giving up.

Some Examples from the Netflix Rankings

The study revealed some surprising results. Breaking Bad hooked viewers at episode two, Orange is the New Black at episode three. House of Cards required just three episodes, as did Narcos. Some dramatic series like Bates Motel and The Killing took viewers all the way to episode six before creating the definitive addiction.

The lesson: if you don’t know what to watch tonight, choose a series with a low hook point — you’ll be hooked in under an hour. If instead you’re looking for something more demanding but potentially more rewarding, invest in patience through the first few episodes.

Original source: Daily Mail — “The moment you got addicted to Netflix”