Critics Hopeful That Success Of ‘Squid Game’ Will Mean More Opportunities For Things You Can Watch For Entertainment

NEW YORK—Saying initial viewership numbers could portend a major trend in the industry’s future, critics were hopeful Thursday that the success of Netflix original Squid Game would mean more opportunities for things you can watch for entertainment. “What Squid Game’s popularity suggests is that there’s a real hunger out there for stuff that you can put onto your TV screen and then enjoy,” said Variety columnist Lance Hatch, adding that he was optimistic that the drama’s global streaming success could open doors to other things that could be viewed for fun or gratification. “Executives used to think that no one would pull up something on their computer or television and watch it in order to have a good time. What we’re finding, though, is that people really do have an appetite for some kind of thing that they can throw on and get amusement from by looking at it and then nod and smile. Because of their enjoyment, you see? Regardless, with this knowledge in hand, the sky’s really the limit.” At press time, the critics went on to speculate about a coming world in which there were two or even three things people could watch to be entertained.