Why Is Binge-Watching Designed This Badly?

I watch hours of TV every week, and there are three things every streaming service does that drives me nuts whenever I am binge-watching.

Why do I have to press “Skip” on the recap at the start of every episode?

Why do I have to press “Skip” on the titles at the start of every episode?

Why do I have to press “Skip” on an ad for another show before every episode, even when I’m paying for the ad-free experience? Apparently, advertising their own shows doesn’t count as advertising.

This doesn't require AI, personalization, or some clever prediction engine that analyzes my behavior.

All I am asking for is a toggle in the settings to “Skip All Crap”.

It’s not just inconvenient. It makes me feel like I’m somehow using the product wrong, even though getting me to watch another episode is exactly what they want.

They’ve optimized every inch of the product to keep me watching. All I ask for is to let me optimize one inch for myself.