Back of the Netflix

Ned likes what's he's watching in Netflix's much-hyped Tour de France documentary

- Ned Boulting

MUSINGS ON THE WORLD OF PRO CYCLING

I admire Netflix, in the same way that I admire crisps and Bon Jovi. By which I mean that the world would be a poorer place without both or either of those products. Many is that time that a bag of salt and vinegar and a burst of Livin' On A Prayer have hit the spot like only they can; full of all the right things to satisfy the moment and leave you wanting more.

Next Episode in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

So, this is not remotely aimed at debunking, or disarming the power of the Netflixisation of the way we consume our entertainment. Far from it. I would be the first (well, maybe not the first, but certainly in the top 600-650 million) who would freely acknowledge that the streaming service has a way of allowing us to revel in our consumerism, to relax into our passivity, to be awed by the fictionalised world it can conduct on our behalf. My God, have you ever seen Ozark? How the hell did they make accountancy so thrilling?