Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : India is witnessing a newly emerging cult phenomenon where OTT's streaming content is hit by bad writing and acting which is reminiscent of train wrecks waiting to happen. People are coming up with countless critiques of content with low production value, and then binging it like struggling addicts. This pattern is now known as hate-watching.
A New Way to Gain Clicks
In this regard, Netflix’s The Royals drama series tells the story of draped-in-luxe-visuals royals giving ‘killer looks’ with no actual royal killer moves to execute. The show was criticized for being patchy but nevertheless rapidly climbed the rank in viewership. Like Nadaaniyan played by famous star kids Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor which promised to sprinkle Gen Z flamboyance but ladled out subpar storytelling. The review met the cut, but just so happened more than a few people wanted to see it for themselves.
Exemplary Cases of ‘Call Me Bae’ and ‘Rana Naidu’
The overarching mocking and ridicule which Call Me Bae and Rana Naidu single-handedly put through scope of general society on Amazon Prime and Netflix is astonishing. They called them “over-written, sluggish and frothy” as they pulled apart every piece of the show. For some reason, these viewers had the collective desire to cringe at each other through memes and chat and encouraged others to join.
Same Circus, New Anomalies
The sheer phenomenon of lackluster supports Tandav, Mentalhood, and Jewel Thief becomes India’s hate-watch legacy. These shows received harsh critiques but for some reason, an audience loved spotting all the absurdities. The excuseable flaws and rambling inconsistencies set the viewers to escape into their friends and strangers seeking empathy and dialogue.
Why We Hate-Watch: A Blend of Psychology and Popular Culture.
When considering the concept of hate-watching, it is important to note that hate-watching isn’t really hate on its own. Rather, it is a curious blend of community engagement, social reflection, and deep-seated curiosity observing. As noted by Emma Baty in Cosmopolitan, there are instances those considered to be watching and enjoying shows meant for “less sophisticated” audiences pretend to dislike such shows aimed at "less sophisticated" audiences. This feeds on schadenfreude – the hate and pleasure of watching something awkward take place in real-time.
The Social Media Effect
Hate-watching’s principal driving force? Social media. Platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) transform atrocious shows into meme-worthy spectacles. Bombay Begums and The Fame Game were not only notorious for their lack of quality, but also for the ease with which they became meme fodder. Within the confines of meme culture, ridicule equates to reach.
The Algorithm Doesn't Care Why You’re Watching
Netflix is no stranger to this model as streaming services join the fray. As noted by co-CEO Ted Sarandos, conversation guarantees viewership: “If people are talking about it, they’re watching it,” he stated. Attention, not acclaim, is rewarded by the algorithms. In the social media landscape, whether you shower a show with praise or Roast it, your view counts regardless. In India, where smartphones are effortless to obtain, along with cheap mobile data, there is an abundance of awful content.
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