Streaming insiders have claimed that Netflix is deliberately making shows easier to follow for viewers who scroll on their phones while watching. A recent article in n+1 magazine alleged that the platform has told screenwriters to have characters announce their actions so that those with the show on in the background can keep up.
Critics point to dialogue from the Lindsay Lohan film Irish Wish as an example, where characters explicitly state plot points. However, several writers who have worked with Netflix say they have never received such notes. Danny Brocklehurst, who has adapted Harlan Coben novels for the streamer, said: 'Hand on heart, nobody puts any pressure on us from Netflix to make anything simplistic or that you can watch while you’re scrolling through your phone.'
Joe Barton, writer of shows like Giri/Haji and Black Doves, added: 'I don’t think there’s a sort of homogenised Netflix. It’s a huge company with many different departments.' But James Hamilton, head writer on animated Netflix series, acknowledged that writers are aware of shrinking attention spans, though he would be 'very concerned' if executives actively encouraged paying less attention.
Brocklehurst said he hates the idea of people watching his shows with a phone in hand. 'Just watch it,' he said. 'You make television so people will complete it because it’s good and they enjoy it.' Pop culture writer Ryan Broderick noted that casual viewing is not new, having been common before TV's second 'golden era'.
