This illustrates why the best model for content distribution is a hybrid between having the full back-catalog available for binge consumption while still releas

This illustrates why the best model for content distribution is a hybrid between having the full back-catalog available for binge consumption while still releasing new episodes on a consistent schedule. Exclusively going to either end of the spectrum has clear disadvantages: – On the binge end, if everything is released at once, almost no one on the planet will be on the exact same viewing schedule. Some people will watch the entire season at once, some will watch an episode per night, and so on. It makes it difficult to discuss the show with anyone because you first have to establish how much each of you have watched. Does it make discussion impossible? Absolutely not, but it presents a barrier. – On the other end of the spectrum, limiting the availability of a show's back catalog will obviously limit a show's audience. Most of the successful shows of the past few years grew their audience over time, which requires access to that back catalog. Netflix, being the most popular service for this kind of thing, is the logical place to license your content if you care about improving your show's future prospects. Again, not being on Netflix does not make it impossible to catch up, but it presents another barrier. Breaking Bad is the ideal example for this model. It's a great show that built its audience through word-of-mouth; if their back catalog wasn't available, the word-of-mouth recommendation would be DOA because most people would not have broken through the barrier. Similarly, if they had just dumped season 5 onto Netflix, it would have eliminated the week-over-week hype cycle that built over the course of the season and climaxed with a finale that was watched 700% more than the show's pilot. Also, releasing every episode at once almost entirely eliminates cliffhangers. That's no fun.