Why Outlander works so well as a binge-watch on STARZ

Some shows work better as a binge-watch than as a weekly release. Outlander is one of those shows that’s a better binge-watch and here’s why I think so.

The likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime are changing the way we watch TV. It’s now easier than ever to binge-watch a TV show, something that some shows work better as than weekly watches. It looks like STARZ is looking to see if some shows will be consumed more as a season binge, and it could work in Outlander‘s favor in the future.

For me, Outlander has always worked better as a binge than as weekly installments. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still watch weekly when the show is on air. However, I’ve always gained more out of it when watching the full season across a weekend instead of across a few months.

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Maybe that’s because I first started watching the series on Netflix Canada. I binged the first two seasons in time for the third season release. However, I don’t think it is just that.

Because it’s a book adaptation, the episodes don’t live in their own vacuum. Other TV shows can be written so some episodes can be watched on their own. We just have to look at Supernatural to see how there are times you can put on an episode and not need to know what happens either side of it.

Outlander doesn’t work that way. You can’t just watch Season 1, Episode 11 without understanding the lead up to that episode. And then after that, you need to see the remaining episodes of the season to get the complete story. Season 1 is, for the most part, Book 1. Each episode is more like a chapter of a book than an episode of TV.

Outlander — Courtesy of STARZ — Acquired via STARZ Media Center /

There are elements from earlier episodes that crop up later on. Some of these can be minor details at first. Ones that you initially know could be important but then aren’t mentioned for a while. After 11 weeks of one-hour episodes, it’s easy to forget.

Binge-watching keeps it all contained, a little like you’d get when reading a book. It’s easier to remember the details, so you can feel like you’re getting more out of a full season.

Plus, one episode may feel like nothing happened. Yet, it’s the necessary bridge between one episode and another. When watching weekly, it can feel like you didn’t get much out of it but when binge-watching, everything flows brilliantly. This is especially the case with Outlander Season 3.

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Do you prefer to binge-watch the season or watch it weekly? How would you like STARZ to air the fifth season? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Outlander Season 5 is currently in production. Follow Claire and Jamie on Twitter for the latest news.

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