Social distancing appears to be the new normal, but that doesn't mean you have to stop enjoying entertainment with friends. As the world isolates collectively in response to the spread of COVID-19, people all over the world are in dire need of entertainment and interaction. Now that everyone has time to catch up on our watchlists, they can make it a social activity with Netflix Party. It's a Google Chrome browser extension that allows you to stream Netflix in sync with other users, making it easy to still host those movie nights without leaving your home.
The need to experience entertainment with others seems higher than ever, making Netflix Party a resourceful way to bring isolated friends together in an otherwise dark time. Now that movie theaters are closed and studios are postponing major film and television releases, give this a try at home. Once you add the Netflix Party browser extension to Chrome, you can stream Netflix shows and movies with up to seven other viewers simultaneously (assuming they also download the extension).
It wouldn't be a watch party without some conversation, and Netflix Party handles that too. It features a text chat function so you and your friends can actually socialize. Thankfully, it's only text chat, so you can still enjoy your entertainment without awkward side-chatter you might experience while watching in the same room. No shushing or volume changes required -- just tune into the chatbox whenever you feel compelled. Netflix Party also works with Android and iOS systems, so while it isn't ideal, you can even participate in watch parties from your smartphone too.
Because the streams are in sync, they pause and scrub on every screen as well, so you can take collective bathroom breaks or sync back up at a different point in whatever is streaming. Of course, the application isn't fool-proof. There are instances of lag and disconnections that are common among similar programs. Even then, this is still a great way to experience some television with friends while still staying inside. If Netflix Party doesn't work for your situation, there are similar watch party applications like Rave, Watch2Gether and Metastream.
Like any program that requires a decently stable internet connection, your mileage may vary with any of these. With that said, the COVID-19 outbreak has changed the entertainment landscape drastically and likely for good. As studios begin to drop new releases onto video-on-demand services, the next few months are an experiment in how people consume film and television. So, until we all get ourselves back outside and into theaters, Netflix Party and programs like it might deserve a look.