Is nothing, even television, sacred anymore?
A Netflix survey says just about half of U.S. binge-watchers admit to “cheating” on their significant other by jumping ahead on a show they agreed to watch together.
The reason why is both unsatisfying as it is predictable: A lack of self-control. Nearly 70% said they just needed to see what happens next.
Tisk tisk.
But there’s good news, the U.S. ranks fifth on the cheating list, falling far behind Mexico and Brazil, where nearly 60% of people admit to cheating. Europe, it appears, is where you’ll find binge-watching honesty. The most faithful countries were the Netherlands, Poland and Germany.
Cheat-watching is an out-of-control phenomenon, increasing three-fold since 2013. The cheaters aren’t even bashful anymore. Nearly half of them admit to multiple offenses and 63% said they’d do it more if they could get off scot-free. Only a third keep their cheating a secret.
But it turns out couples can be forgiving. About 46% of those surveyed said cheating isn’t a big deal. However, a feisty 14% said it's worse than forgetting a birthday or anniversary. Dang.
The methods for cheating can be innocent or downright diabolical. The most common way is continuing to watch after the other falls asleep. But 16% hide in another room to do the deed, while a more dignified 14% wait until the other person goes out of town.
So what’s driving all this dishonest behavior? Dramas mostly. The top five cheat-worthy shows are: The Walking Dead, Orange is the New Black, Breaking Bad, House of Cards and Marvel’s Daredevil.
