This signals the death of the network model and the traditional “season.” The days when you had programming distributed exclusively through a few networks at set times is gone. The networks are going to have to come to terms with the reality they’re no longer gatekeepers or go out of business.
Netflix is producing original TV shows and movies and we can expect Amazon and Hulu to be doing the same thing to attract and keep subscribers. And the low cost of watching shows from month to month is another reason for their exploding popularity. That’s affecting cable and its traditional bundled high cost per month model.
And nowadays you don’t have to be restricted to watching streaming content on your computer. If you have a broadband connection, you can view it on your TV and in your easy chair or from your couch with a Chromecast-enabled device. Any time you want.
The viewer really is in control of the experience and there’s no going back.
Amazon is in their second year of their own series.