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In New York, you're never truly alone, even if you're at home on the couch watching TV. Need proof? TikToker Brett Hanfling (@brettybuckets) shared a video of a New York apartment building in which several tenants (and perhaps their guests) were encapsulated watching the same show at the same time.
The show? Seemingly HBO Max's "House of the Dragon", the much anticipated prequel to the streaming service's "Game of Thrones" series that ended in May 2019. Clearly, plenty of people planned to be home for the series' first episode on Sunday, August 21, as evidenced by the TikTok of TV screens in a building lighting up at the same time, as soon as the episode dropped.
@brettybuckets Follow the lights 🤯 also this new show is awesome! #hotd #gameofthrones #GoT #houseofthedragon #nyc ♬ Theme (From "Game of Thrones") - London Music Works
Since being posted late Sunday night, the short video has over 780,000 views -- there's something beautiful about seeing this communal experience of neighbors, even if they were unaware they were participating in the phenomenon. Because all the apartments seem to share a similar layout, each TV is in a similar place in each unit, making the experience of co-watching from a distance even more fun to observe.
It may just be Millennials and Gen Zers who are fascinated by this image though. Those who remember a life before binge watching, streaming, DVR and even on demand are familiar with this scene, in which entire buildings would watch live TV at the same time. Even now, with so many cable news options on election nights and pausing and fast forwarding during the Super Bowl, seeing so many New Yorkers simultaneously engage in the same Sunday night ritual is a rare and special sight.
Given the mixed reviews the show got, however, we'll see how many of these neighbors tune in for next week's episode. Perhaps the best TV recommendations can be seen from a distance from buildings with big windows. Or maybe more New Yorkers will consider investing in curtains following this viral vid.