OTT turns to episodic format of popular shows

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There is no shortage of content on digital platforms nowadays. Be it in the language unknown or in the territory uncharted, OTT has helped viewers take the leap of faith. Lately, there is a growing trend of only episodes of popular shows being released as opposed to the entire season. So is it for the better or worse? Experts share their views.

What’s on air?

There’s a viral video of people switching on to watch House of the Dragon in a building all at the same time. That defines the craze for content, be it episodes or an entire season, viewers are unfazed as long as the content is good. Mega-budget projects such as House of The Dragon, and Netflix original and Amazon Prime’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, are currently running on the respective platforms in a weekly episode format.

While SonyLiv has maintained a distance from the episodic format, Disney+Hotstar is ahead of its game. From introducing web series, Loki, Ms Marvel and Moon Knight of Marvel Cinematic Universe to national web shows, and Out of Love, it has the most weekly binge content.

Owing to the craze for certain teen dramas, Netflix also tried its hand on episodic release of web series like 13 Reasons Why and Riverdale in the past, and who knows Sex Education’s upcoming season also meets the same fate. For a series like Peaky Blinders, it is still understandable but with new web series such as The Wheel of Time or Outer Range, if makers are taking a decision to go episodic it must mean the change is worth the risk. And the positive response from the audience also assures that they are ready for this change.

Choice is the same

Pankaj Tripathi is shooting for Mirzapur Season 3. Also, he is reprising his role of a lawyer in Season 3 of Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach, which is streaming on Hotstar. He says, “For courtroom dramas like this, I think episodic format is well suited. Most of the viewers do not have the liberty to work-from-home now, so one episode at a time helps maintain work-life balance. Also, they don’t feel left out for there won’t be any spoilers to ruin the viewing experience. For binge-lovers, there’s always an option to wait till the release.

So, choice is the same, binge-time and date could be different. Furthermore when new viewers connect with series like Criminal Justice, they get the time to watch the previous seasons.”

Episode advantage

MX Player’s Original series Roohaniyat also has weekly drops. The platform’s Chief Content Officer, Gautam Talwar says, “The episode format won’t affect the viewing experience in any way. The audience, for years, is used to waiting for episodes (daily/weekly) in the TV format, and binge-watching is a newly formed habit. Most platforms understand the advantages of releasing shows weekly or daily, but it depends totally on the story.”

Nascent stage

Series TVF Aspirants episodes were dropped in instalments, which in turn helped in creating the hype. Actor Abhilash Thapliyal, who played SK in the series, says, “We are at a very nascent stage when it comes to OTT, still experimenting and trying to figure out whether one episode a week or fortnight would work or not. I think if the content is good, it doesn’t matter if it’s one episode or full series, eventually the story and actors need to work to make it successful.” Roohaniyat-fame actor Arjun Bijlani opines, “If the content will be in episode format, then makers can also assess the risk for a sequel. It will give an on-ground report on viewers’ connection with the series as the story progress.”