With Valentine’s Day upon us, what better time for Netflix to launch its annual Netflix Cheating survey, which for the first time this year includes UAE audiences?
Don’t worry – it’s not as bad as it sounds. Netflix cheating simply means watching the shows you’d planned on watching with your significant other before they’ve had the chance, and in the age of binge watching, it really is a thing.
According to a the study 50 per cent of streaming couples across the UAE have “cheated,” and the phenomena isn’t specific to the UAE – couples in Japan, Turkey, Poland and beyond are at it, with Brazil and Mexico the worst offenders on 58 per cent of Netflix-watching couples.
Among UAE couples quizzed, comedies were the most popular shows for cheating – 52 per cent cited this as their favourite genre for sneak peeks. At the other end of the spectrum it seems viewers weren’t keen on being scared alone – only 26 per cent admitted to watching horror ahead of their partner.
The most popular shows among UAE cheaters were Black Mirror, Bloodline, Chef's Table, Gilmore Girls, Marvel's Daredevil, Star Trek and Stranger Things.
It may be a cliché, but 78 per cent of UAE respondents insisted they didn’t mean to cheat. It just sort of happened, with “I had an uncontrollable desire to find out what happens next” cited as the most common excuse for their behaviour.
There’s some debate about the notion of sleep-cheating too – carrying on watching a show when your partner has fallen asleep. UAE viewers were split on this one, with 36 per cent saying it doesn’t really count. Japanese respondents, on the other hand, almost universally claimed it was unforgivable.
With so much at stake, may we suggest that when Valentine’s Day does come around you stick to the traditional dinner and flowers option? We think Netflix is as great as anyone, but with 364 other days of the year for Netflix and chilling, you might prefer to play it safe on this one.
cnewbould@thenational.ae
