It is now commonplace to see a new show appear on Netflix only to get binge watched by millions of people. They turn on, sit back, and enjoy the show before moving on to the next one. But Netflix is going to experiment with a little interactivity by allowing viewers to decide how stories evolve using a choose-your-own-adventure show for adults.
As Bloomberg reports, the decision to experiment with an interactive TV series for adults follows the success of such shows aimed at kids. More specifically, Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale and Buddy Thunderstruck: The Maybe Pile were received well by kids, so why not try the same thing with grown-ups?
It's a decision that has been taken by Ted Sarandos, chief content officer at Netflix. If it works, it would mean a viewer's focus on a show could be extended to several re-watches. Rather than a set story, choose-your-own-adventure allows the viewer a limited set of choices at key points in the plot as to what happens next. Ultimately it results in one show, but several story arcs. In order to view them all you need to re-watch and make different choices.
For Netflix, it means higher production costs because more content is required for each show with branching story arcs. However, the payback should be much greater if those same viewers used to sitting back and binge watching a show once start doing so three or four times to experience all the endings.