Netflix is now testing instant replay feature for originals

While watching a movie this weekend, I couldn't help but notice a strange pop up every so often. The movie was "The Christmas Chronicles", a Netflix original featuring a very entertaining Kurt Russell as old Chris Kringle himself. After an intense car chase or particularly noteworthy song, a little black pop-up window would ask, "Would you like to see that again?" and other phrases along that line. As it turns out, it is not just that movie; Netflix appears to be testing their own version of instant replay.

Debuting only on certain Netflix originals, viewers have the option the replay a section of the film that Netflix has called out as especially important or entertaining. Because it appears that the features is built in to the movies themselves, it does not appear this feature will be coming to non-Netflix originals anytime soon.

While I chose not to partake in the particular feature in the middle of my viewing, it does appear that some did test out the feature, and according to Reddit (as noticed by The Verge), early reception does not appear to be very positive. Many have commented on various aspects of the feature, but the two most common complaints appear to be in regards to the obtrusive black box and the disconnect caused by replaying a section of the movie in the middle of action.

Source: Netflix

The new features makes me wonder how much demand there was for a feature such as this as well as how much control group testing was performed before releasing this to the public. As the feature is still very new, it is hard to say if this is likely to stick around for now, but if you are interested in watching a holly-jolly Russell cruising around the streets of Chicago in a sports-car over and over again, Netflix has just the thing for you.