Will You Do Anything Netflix Tells You To?

Some days, I consider myself the ultimate consumer. I will purchase any Apple product released, and if Pepsi puts fancy packaging on a liter of gasoline and calls it Holiday Spice, I will drink it, gag, and then return for some Pepsi Blue.

But it seems Netflix has mastered the art of capturing the ultimate consumer. An earnings call with the streaming service revealed Orange Is the New Black has produced first-week numbers that have trumped Arrested Development, whose first-week numbers have trumped House of Cards. Though Netflix never releases numbers the way traditional networks do, clearly, positive buzz for the undeniably great new series starring Taylor Schilling has transformed it into a bona fide hit.

But it seems it's more than just word-of-mouth that might be catapulting Orange is the New Black to a win — Netflix is not only cashing in on brand loyalty of its consumers, but utter laziness. According to All Things ' Peter Kafka, "People are either watching it because Netflix suggests it (Netflix said more than 75 percent of viewing comes via its recommendation algorithms) or because people they know are suggesting it."

Which means when you're scanning your Netflix, the streaming service gives you little choice but to click on their new series instead of scrolling through thousands of different options.

So, yes, we're likely falling for Netflix's game, but is that a bad thing? Orange Is the New Black is awesome television, and with a second season of House of Cards and possibly a Season 5 of Arrested Development on the way, we're happy to accept the streaming service's suggestions. I just can't wait until they release Netflix Blue.

Image: Netflix