TV to let viewers call the shots

If you’re tired of yelling at a character on the TV screen not to do something stupid, help is on the way soon.  Netflix is introducing programming that asks viewers at certain points what should happen next.  Viewers respond with their remotes to choose their own adventures.

Ron Weiner, pop-culture prof at Texas Tech, says it’s about time.  “I’m surprised that it’s taken this long to come up with this kind of concept,” he says. 1 “Whether it’s social media, or being able to make comments, or doing whatever, the audience has a say in how the story goes.”

Weiner sees it as an outgrowth of reality TV, but also realistic video games in which players control the actions of characters on screen.  2 “It’s all about feeling like you’ve got a stake in what’s going on on your screen,” he explains.  He says it allows viweres to have a hand in directing their own story.

 So far Netflix has introduced the concept in a cartoon series called Buddy Thunderstruck.  Weiner says could be just the beginning. 3 “I think we’re only going to find more and more things like this as time progresses, should it be popular,” he says.  “Is it possible this could bomb?  Totally.  We don’t know.”

IMAGE: Netflix

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