Netflix is "experimenting" with its release schedule for new shows

Netflix is the home of the binge-watch – but that might be about to change. The streamer is set to try out new tactics for releasing TV shows over longer periods, rather than dropping an entire season in one go.

"We're experimenting with the release format so you have time to dissect and dish on every step of the competition as it unfolds," Brandon Riegg, Netflix's VP unscripted and documentary series announced.

This new strategy will first be trialed with new seasons of two of the streamer's reality TV shows. The Circle season 2 will debut on April 14 with four episodes, followed by additional batches of episodes on April 21 and 28, and the season finale on May 5. 

The show follows a group of contestants who are isolated in individual apartments and can only communicate via a social media platform called the Circle, which allows them to take on different identities in an attempt to win other participants over. Contestants have to 'rate' each other, and the person with the highest rating has the power to 'block' someone else to eliminate them from the competition.

Similarly, Too Hot to Handle will be released over several weeks in June – although an exact schedule has yet to be confirmed. The reality show involves a group of young, flirtatious people forced into close proximity in a tropical location. The only twist? They can't touch each other for four weeks. And. of course, both shows promise a big cash price at the end for the winner.

Since its launch, Netflix has been pretty dedicated to dropping whole box sets in one go. However, other streamers like Disney Plus have had success with its weekly release of The Mandalorian, WandaVision, and now The Falcon and the Winter Soldier – having to wait between episodes certainly gets people talking.

While we wait to see what's next for the streamer, check out our list of the best Netflix shows to watch right now.