Few things have lifted Rojhan Paydar鈥檚 spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic quite like a Netflix watch party.
Isolated inside her home, the Toronto resident is too often short on social opportunities and long on streaming options. So like many people, she鈥檚 recreated the experience of watching Netflix with friends through an unofficial web browser application called Teleparty, formerly known as Netflix Party.
It鈥檚 been an opportunity for Paydar to gather with pals on a virtual couch while they gasp over the twists of true crime series, 鈥淯nsolved Mysteries.鈥� Even more often, she鈥檚 used the app with her boyfriend for date nights watching the dysfunction unfold on 鈥淭iger King鈥� and other bingeable series.
鈥淪ometimes we鈥檇 eat dinner and set up our webcams to see each other,鈥� she said.
鈥淜nowing he was there and we were doing something in real-time 鈥� it felt really good and made me less lonely.鈥�
Not long ago, viewing party technology was a tool reserved for unique situations: a long-distance couple or fans of a niche TV series searching for like-minded people.
But a year into the pandemic, weekly rituals have evolved, and online watch parties have proven many of us are desperate for some semblance of connection.
As the winter months stretch on, and strict stay-at-home orders grip large parts of the country, observers say the watch party, and apps that help make it happen, are due for a second wave of popularity.
鈥淚 think we may have seen a cultural shift,鈥� suggested Daniel Keyes, associate professor of cultural studies at the University of British Columbia.
鈥淭he pandemic and the fact we had to self-isolate totally accelerated it. It made it more mainstream.鈥�
For younger generations raised on YouTube and Twitch, watch parties are already part of the zeitgeist. Everyone else, including streaming giants themselves, seem to be playing cultural catchup.
Last year, as the pandemic wore on, Amazon Prime Video introduced group chat elements into the laptop version of its platform. Disney Plus took a more restrained approach with a feature that allows up to seven people to sync their screens, but only communicate through emojis.
Other streamers, such as Netflix and Crave, have so far chosen not to launch social elements on their platforms. That move could be strategic as the companies observe a sea change in how some viewers consume television, suggested Carmi Levy, director at technology advisory firm Info-Tech Research Group.
鈥淚t鈥檚 almost as if the snow globe has been shaken and companies like Netflix are waiting for everything to settle down before they decide where to place their bets,鈥� he said.
鈥淪ocial TV is a thing and it isn鈥檛 going anywhere. It鈥檚 very much like remote work: considered the exception before the pandemic, but now the rule.鈥�
Levy said the entertainment industry couldn鈥檛 have predicted how quickly the change took hold with casual viewers. For years, upstart tech companies launched second-screen watch party innovations, and most of them failed miserably.
That鈥檚 left the door open for the latest generation of alternatives to capitalize on filling the void, among them TwoStream, a paid monthly watch party option, and Syncplay, which is free.
One of the most ambitious newcomers is Scener, a venture-funded operation out of Seattle that currently supports the likes of Netflix, Disney Plus, Vimeo and horror platform Shudder.
In a few clicks, viewers can react to a show through their webcam or type out thoughts on their keyboard.
Co-founder Joe Braidwood said replicating the in-person experience, in particular, 鈥渢he laughter, the screams and the horror,鈥� was a goal of his company long before the pandemic. But it wasn鈥檛 always easy getting others to see the value.
鈥淭wo years ago I would talk to investors about social TV and they would laugh at me,鈥� he recalled over a Zoom chat.
鈥淭hey told me, 鈥楶eople don鈥檛 want social experiences when they鈥檙e watching television.鈥� But all you need to do is look on Twitter.鈥�
Even before the pandemic, he said, people were engaging over social media platforms about their favourite shows. Now, since everyone鈥檚 holed up in their homes, Scener鈥檚 growth has been exponential.
Cumulative weekly minutes of programming watched grew nearly 42,000 per cent from March 2020 to January 2021 (57,785 minutes versus 24.2 million minutes), according to data provided by the company.
鈥淧eople who haven鈥檛 hung out with their best friend while watching 鈥楾he Flight Attendant鈥� or shared a family Christmas while watching an old classic movie on Scener, they just don鈥檛 know what this feels like,鈥� he added.
鈥淭here鈥檚 this real texture to it鈥� it鈥檚 warm engagement with people that you care about.鈥�
Hoovie, a Vancouver-based virtual watch party service, aims to bridge the gap between art house cinema outings and the comfort of a living room chat.
Hosts can dive into the company鈥檚 independent film catalogue and book ticketed showings for small groups, typically in the range of 10 to 20 people. After the movie, they鈥檙e encouraged to engage in a webcam conversation on the platform that鈥檚 inspired by the film鈥檚 themes.
Co-founder Fiona Rayher describes Hoovie as a platform meant to evoke those experiences outside the cinema where groups of people 鈥� sometimes strangers 鈥� would passionately discuss what they鈥檇 just watched and maybe head to a nearby restaurant for drinks.
鈥淵ou鈥檇 meet new people and you鈥檇 stay connected,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was all serendipitous.鈥�
Hoovie plans to debut a 鈥渂ook club for movies鈥� early this year that鈥檒l build on connecting movie fans. Every month, subscribers will gather for online screenings that include a post-film conversation with members, filmmakers and critics. Each film will be rounded out with a wine pairing sent by mail.
Selling nostalgia for the pre-pandemic days may sound appealing in lockdown, but the question remains on how attractive watch parties will be once a COVID-19 vaccine is widely available.
It鈥檚 a question Paydar said she thinks about often as she logs onto a watch party for another episode of 鈥淯nsolved Mysteries.鈥�
鈥淲henever someone asks, 鈥業f COVID ended right now, where would you go?鈥� the first thing I say is, 鈥業鈥檇 like to go to a movie theatre,鈥欌�� she said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 something about being in a physical theatre and going with a group of friends鈥hose end-of-the-night goodbyes, getting late-night eats with my friends.. (we鈥檙e) creating memories I get to hold on to forever,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think that can be replaced.鈥�
David Friend, The Canadian Press
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