Entertainment

Netflix’s Newest Feature Will Let You Instantly Replay Movie & TV Moments You Missed

by Meghan DeMaria
Netflix

Instant replay is a commonly used TV feature among sports fans — but now, Netflix is getting into it, too. Netflix's new replay feature will let you rewatch your favorite moments from popular movies and TV shows, which sounds perfect for fans who can't get enough of the streaming service's offerings. (The dozens of people who watched A Christmas Prince every day for more than two weeks, for example, might love the option to be able to watch their favorite scenes again and again.)

Currently, Netflix offers a 10-second rewind option, as well as a 10-second fast-forward option, in the mobile app and the browser view. The instant replay function would likely be in addition to the fast-forward and rewind options, rather than serving as a replacement. According to The Los Angeles Times, Netflix is testing out the feature on some of its offerings, including Dumplin' and Stranger Things.

Based on the initial Twitter reactions to the news, though, not everyone is on board with the new feature. One person called it "a rewind button that needs to mind its own damn business." And several others pointed out that having an instant replay option pop up on screen might disrupt the viewing process.

Meanwhile, fans who were excited about the instant replay button pointed out that the feature could be useful for viewers who missed something, either a spoken line or a visual on screen. Still, those seem like reasons to use a rewind button, rather than instant replay. Plus, fans who do want that replay of their favorite scenes could still get it by using the rewind button, rather than by using a separate instant replay feature.

According to a Twitter Moment about the new feature, the replay option pops up on screen with the option for users to "watch that scene again." On the one hand, it does take the timing guesswork out of using the 10-second rewind. But that doesn't seem to be enough of a draw for users who want an uninterrupted viewing experience.

One fan, meanwhile, had a more personal (and hilarious) anecdote about rewatching TV scenes. The Twitter user jokingly suggested that they'd helped inspire the instant replay feature by rewatching their favorite How I Met Your Mother scene, which, to be fair, makes total sense.

A Netflix spokesperson clarified to The Los Angeles Times that the streaming service "may or may not roll it out more broadly in the future," so the instant replay option isn't a done deal yet. And based on the feedback it's getting on social media, Netflix might decide to abandon the feature entirely.

And as far as what features Netflix users do want, there have long been complaints about the accuracy of Netflix's closed-captioning. In June, some Queer Eye fans pointed out that the show's captions weren't accurate, which can be majorly off-putting for users who are deaf or hard of hearing. When the complaints gained traction on Twitter, Karamo Brown promised fans he'd bring the issue up with Netflix himself, too.

Of course, issues like the one with closed-captioning aren't in competition with features like instant replay. But it does show what many Netflix users want the streaming service to do for them. It's not clear right now what will happen with the instant replay feature, but it doesn't seem like many people are on board with it yet.