Netflix Is Telling Writers to Dumb Down Shows Since Viewers Are on Their Phones [Video]

Compelling content can be hard to find on Netflix these days, and a new report suggests the streaming giant wants it that way.

Executives are pushing writers to develop simpler, less complex scripts to keep distracted viewers engaged, according to N+1 magazine. Multiple screenwriters report that company executives are sending back scripts with requests to narrate the action, such as announcing when characters enter the room.

Netflix knows we are on our phones all the time, with as many as 94% of people tinkering on their devices while watching TV, according to a 2019 study commissioned by Facebook. Dumbed-down scripts that lack nuance and visual cues can help viewers with divided attention follow along, making them less likely to turn the program off.

One example of black-and-white dialogue cited by N+1 is the 2024 Lindsay Lohan Netflix flick Irish Wish. At one point, Lohan tells her love interest, James: “We spent a day together. I admit it was a beautiful …