Netflix's Skyscraper Live, featuring Alex Honnold's ropeless ascent of Taipei 101, has been described as the most stressful viewing experience on record. The 508-metre climb, broadcast live, pushed viewers to the edge of their seats, but also raised uncomfortable questions about the ethics of entertainment predicated on potential death.
Unlike Honnold's Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo, which was edited for maximum drama, Skyscraper Live offered raw, unedited footage. This amplified the risk for viewers, as there was no safety net of post-production. However, the 90-minute runtime led to periods of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer panic, akin to a turbulent long-haul flight.
The climb itself was structured in three increasingly difficult stages, culminating in a 45-degree outward ascent up the spire. Even knowing the outcome, rewatching induces sweaty palms. Yet, the underlying question remains: should entertainment be built on the possibility of someone dying? The event echoed Felix Baumgartner's 2012 space jump, where viewers tuned in for the macabre possibility of disaster.
While Skyscraper Live was a remarkable achievement, it risks turning television into a modern-day freak show if Netflix commissions similar live events. The network, which markets itself as a home for quality content, may be better off leaving such high-stakes spectacles as a one-off.
