For decades, popular media was "appointment based." You watched a show when it aired or caught a movie during its theatrical run. Today, the "on-demand" model reigns supreme. Streaming giants like Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max have transformed how entertainment content is produced, favoring binge-worthy serialized storytelling over episodic formats.

George Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory (1976) posits that heavy exposure to media “cultivates” perceptions of reality that align with media representations. While originally applied to television, this theory is critical today.