Following the pandemic, in a time of decreased human connection, being able to chat with your friends and co-workers about the TV show you’re currently binging was an important way to maintain relationships. Whether it was exclaiming over the insanity of Tiger King or welling up during the finale of Cheer, television creates emotions that can be shared by all.
Netflix Party grew in popularity during the pandemic, gives you the ability to watch Netflix’s best series in sync with your friends and family. The Chrome extension was created before the Covid-19 pandemic but it’s ideally suited to a situation where we’re all hunkering down in our homes waiting for the storm to pass, together but apart.
What is Netflix Party?
This tool allows you to host a video watching party so you can stream shows and Netflix movies in sync with others. Teleparty also works with Disney, Hulu and HBO, so your choice of what to watch is pretty much endless.
Netflix Party synchronizes video playback and also adds a group chat function to your watch screen, so you and your besties can gossip while your show plays, exactly as it would if you were watching together in person.
How to use Netflix Party/Teleparty
Truly, the hardest part about using this genius invention is deciding what to watch, on Netflix or another platform. Once you’ve taken up the important mantle of hosting your group’s gathering, this is how to ensure that everyone can tune in.
Firstly, head to the Google Chrome store, find Netflix Party/Teleparty and install the extension.
Next up, head to the platform of your choice to find a Netflix show, Disney movie or HBO series that grabs your attention. Select your choice, click the extension and select ‘start party’. This will generate a URL which you can share with the lucky people you’re desperate to binge watch with.
Clicking the URL will take you to the same screen, with a group chat running down the side so you can gossip about the characters and try to guess the murderer without having to look away from the action.
Netflix Party, or Teleparty, means that when one person pauses the show, it pauses for everyone simultaneously.
If we’re honest, we might even prefer this to in-person watching. No crisp-packet rustling or wriggling around on the sofa will distract you from your movie marathon tonight!
If you need some inspiration about what to watch on Netflix or the best Netflix series or movies, check out our top picks on Netflix this autumn for some ideas. Or have a look at our monthly top cultural picks of books, things to stream and activities to enjoy that we think our community will love.
