Part 8/11:

The diminishing allure of cinemas is compounded by the comfort and convenience of home streaming. With more mediocrity than excitement on the big screen, audiences are increasingly opting for home viewings where they can control the environment and avoid annoyances like noisy neighbors or overpriced tickets. The experience of sitting in a noisy, crowded theater has become less appealing when the product itself is often disappointing.

Doomcock underscores that the effort to go out for a movie—costly, time-consuming, and fraught with potential disruptions—no longer feels justified when comparable content is available at home for free or at minimal cost. This shift has led to an “enjoyment gap” that further threatens theaters' viability.