If you missed that last visit to your grandmother
when she knitted you that Christmas sweater, and
need to recap the event, fear no more, for it may just
be on Netflix. That, or the next best thing anyway.
All jocularity aside, in the month of August, Netflix
began airing the Norwegian Broadcasting Company’s
‘Slow TV’, which offers programmes such as ‘National
Knitting Evening’, ‘National Firewood Night’ and
‘Train Ride: Bergen to Oslo’. For those left wondering
what happens on these shows, the answer is simply,
nothing, which is precisely the USP of the programme.
The idea behind this programme is to have an
outlet for stress. This show works as a de-stressor,
one that helps clear the mental faculties as it runs in
ambient fashion in the background. In the constantly
evolving scheme of things in Goa (and not always for
the better), the biggest question is, can this sort of
programming help? Can it be a step towards regaining
some of that good old fashioned Goan calm that seems
to elude many with the growing pace of things?
Hypnotherapist Manisha Chadda points out
that stress levels In Goa are on the rise, constantly,
as opposed to preconceived notions: “Contrary to
popular belief that Goa is extremely slow paced and
relaxed, such doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.
Though it would be fair to say that stress levels are
nowhere close to what it’s like living in a metro where
just the commute to work and back is a stressful
ordeal in itself. However, having said that, as Goa
gets more urbanised and populated, we seem to be
facing traffic woes here as well. Job related stress and
financial pressure seem to be becoming more and
more common. Gone are the days when the average
person was content with a simpler lifestyle and a
slower pace. De-stressing, switching off and having
some ‘down- time’ has become essential to our wellbeing,
now more than ever.”
Adding to this, she points out why ‘Slow TV’ could be
a great manner by which one could disconnect from the
woes and stress of the day-to-day routine. “Watching TV,
amongst other things, is one popular way people like to
relax. However, it is important to remember, watching
action-packed programs or movies or high octane
drama can actually have the opposite effect without us
realising it. Whilst it might be exciting, it is not relaxing
or soothing at all. I personally think Netflix ‘Slow TV’ is
a brilliant concept, with programmes that act almost
like a mind massage, totally relaxing and calming. What
better way to beat stress! After all, there is something to
be said about the age old “Can’t fall asleep, count sheep”
remedy,” Manisha adds.
Counsellor, Charlene Farrell shares some of these
views, saying, “Goa was once known to be the place
of total rest and relaxation. The whole perception
was, ‘if you are from Goa you must be living the real
susegad life’. Being part of the work force shows you
a whole different picture. In my experience, the levels
of stress have escalated so fast, that it’s left our heads
spinning. Everything adds to the stress as well, from
the basics to things like social outings. The cost of
living has also steadily been on the rise, and to meet
ever increasing demands, people have resorted to
taking on more responsibility.”
However, while she believes in Goa’s changing
face, she remains a little sceptical about the ability of
these programmes to help in entirety, but welcomes
them anyway. “Programmes like these, in my opinion,
could help slowing down thought processes, but by
how much? I think, maybe a negligible amount, since
with all this nervous energy we tend to get bored very
easily. Will marathon ‘Slow TV’ help? Well, it’s trial
and error, and I think at the state we are in… all help is
required,” she concludes.
All of the above being said, the concept may not
always be one that will appeal to audiences at large.
For most audiences, binge sessions comprise fare like
‘Game of Thrones’ or ‘Narcos’, as opposed to a log on
fire for hours. However, the merits could be manifold.
In fact, data analytics firm Listen First Media said that
‘Slow TV’ was the subject of only 2,588 tweets in
August, while the networks very own original series,
‘Stranger Things’ went on to generate over 2 million.
The concept’s potential, though, cannot be in doubt,
as Amazon Prime has also jumped the bandwagon,
with ‘The Window Channel’, coming forth to
specialise in single, unedited shots of calming sights,
like Hawaiian beaches and cherry blossom trees.
However, with Netflix in the lead on the concept,
perhaps the thought was for Netflix to take their
relationship with their catch-phrase to the next level.
After all, it does say ‘Netflix and chill’.
