June 5, 2025 • 6 mins
Can a TV show actually mess with your mental health? And if so… should streaming platforms step in to stop us from binging?In this thought-provoking and emotionally charged episode of The Ben and Skin Show, the crew dives deep into the psychological toll of binge-watching heavy, emotionally intense shows. It all starts when Krystina “Little Baby Cornbread” Ray shares how watching The Handmaid’s Tale non-stop left her feeling drained, anxious, and emotionally wrecked—until she skipped a night and suddenly felt like herself again.This sparks a fascinating conversation between Ben Rogers, Jeff “Skin” Wade, Kevin “KT” Turner, and Krystina about the darker side of streaming culture. Should shows like The Handmaid’s Tale come with a binge warning? Should platforms limit how many episodes you can watch in a row? Or is it all just a matter of personal willpower?Key Themes & Moments:
- 📺 The emotional impact of dark, dystopian shows like The Handmaid’s Tale
- 🧠 Mental health and media consumption—how much is too much?
- 🛑 Should streaming services offer “binge blockers” or emotional content warnings?
- 😂 Comic relief with I Think You Should Leave and “corn cob TV” as the ultimate emotional chaser
- 🎭 The fine line between entertainment and emotional overload
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
News hot God, stay on top in the shovel.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
All right, Christina, you had something in our group text
today and I was like, man, this is very interesting.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
You kind of broke my brains. Set it up.
Speaker 4 (00:23):
Okay, I'm wondering if certain shows should be unbingeable.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
WHOA okay, on.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
And I'm going to explain. So last week I told
you guys, I started a Handmaid's Tale. Okay, have any
of you guys you've seen it back? Have you seen
all six seasons?
Speaker 3 (00:38):
No? I watched the first two seasons, I think.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
Okay, Okay, So I have been binging this show like crazy.
I'm already halfway through season two, almost done with it.
But what I realized this past week is that I
think it's affecting me emotionally and physically, like watching this
show and just ingesting all of this very very tough
subject matter, Like it's the things that are in this
(01:05):
show are just very very serious, very dark, and I
think a part of me always thinks, hey, this might
could actually happen anyway. So I just noticed like I've
had trouble sleeping waking up. I feel exhausted, like I
didn't sleep at all. I was also a little down,
and it wasn't until last night. Last night was the
first night I did not watch this show. I woke
up feeling awesome, and so I thought, Okay, maybe certain
(01:30):
shows like Handmaid's tail or other really dark, heavy shows
should kind of have a binge limit on them so
it doesn't affect you like that because you don't think
about the mental aspect of some of these shows.
Speaker 5 (01:42):
You're just going okay. So I absolutely do think about
what she's talking about. And the last example I had
of this now, because it was a show that we
were watching in real time that was released once a week.
The second that The Penguin was over, we looked and
found shrinking because after going through something that is so
dark and so caustic, I was like, I need something
(02:06):
to cleanse my soul. I mean, it was an amazing
show and I would recommend it to anybody, but when
it was over, I was like, I don't want to
watch anything that's in that sphere right now.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
But you're saying you want them to regulate.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
It, right.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Well, like he just mentioned, most shows, especially back in
the day, most heavy shows like that, with a lot
of production and big storylines. It was once a week but.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
You're watching one that's been out for a decade, right.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
But should they maybe like warn you, like, hey, there
is a lot of heavy stuff in this that you're
about to watch. It doesn't get better, only gets worse.
Maybe you should take a breather, take a break.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
And because I was.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Watching, maybe there's one day I watched three in a row. Yeah,
I like, that's just really that's a lot for you.
I know it, you're on the person.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
You're not going to govern that yourself?
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Well does anyone govern it? When we just have it
there available to binge it? We're not thinking about it.
Like I said, I didn't put two and two together
until I finally didn't watch it.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
I don't know what if you had the option to check, yes,
I want to be limited on this, and maybe it
sends you to something else so you can't have to
the next episode.
Speaker 5 (03:16):
Didn't just didn't just come on it just send you
to something else. That's just that's just uh will poweric.
Don't some people set social media limits on their phone? Yeah,
I've got that same thing. You just gotta you just
I mean, there's there are ship to her point, though,
there are shows where I'm like, you know, there's a
whole season in front of us, and I'm like, I'm
good for now.
Speaker 6 (03:36):
Oh yeah, I'm the same way. There's some stuff I
just don't watch because I know it's going to be heavy.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
There's not I avoid it like because it I don't,
I know we're out, I know how I'll react to it,
So I just avoid anything that's dark. The Peing one
I could have fun with because for some reason, I
think because it was fantasy World. Yeah that I can. Yeah,
I didn't really take it too serious when she spoiler alert,
you know, killed her whole family, right, you know it
bothered me too much.
Speaker 6 (04:02):
Uh yeah, Yeah, I'm in the same I'm the same
way as you on that. It was kind of comic, Bookie.
I was able to look through it that through that lens.
But I straight up avoid things that I know are
incredibly heavy and depressing. Like what was the one that
was out about the teenager that committed suicide adolescens.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Yeah, I'm not good. See I heard it's great. I don't.
I'm sure it's great. I don't need that in my life.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Yeah, dude, I was watching this just dropped on Apple
TV last night. Episode one that's called Stick and telling
Wilson he's golf pro. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
I was watching it.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
And then there's there's a bit of a twist at
the end of the first episode, and I'm in Jesus,
oh no, Now, this show's gonna be right in the
ted Lasso shrinking lane. But there's like something real dark.
I was like, oh my god, I don't want to
feel that.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
See, you know, I thought about watching that next because,
like you Ben, like I love uplifting stuff. That's the
reason I'm just now watching Handmaids Tell there's six freaking
seasons out of it and I'm just now watching it.
And this is why, because I didn't realize it's way
darker than I thought.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
That's my way dark.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
I think you should leaves just great to have right
there on. Just have it right there, just grab it.
Watch him choke on the hot dog.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
It's a chaser.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Corn cop TV, Yeah, we're feeling good about life again.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
You know, I thought corn Cob TV was very dark. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Yeah, so we should regulate our own TV usage. Is
that what you're saying.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Yeah, well, you're gonna have to hand the remote control
over Divide.
Speaker 6 (05:23):
But I think that's extra heavy for a woman to
be watching that, you know, because it's yeah, so left up,
Like the idea is that women are just there to
be slaves to give birth like they're they're they're married.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
There's a married couple.
Speaker 6 (05:39):
And whatever's happened with the world, the very few women
are fertile, and so this woman can't get pregnant.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
So there's a lady there that's just there to get pregnant.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
Yeah, have a baby, pop it out, move on to
the next. That's the only reason you're here.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
You know, you should pop it out. Pop it out.
Speaker 6 (05:54):
All right, There you have it. There is the Hollywood Shuffle.
Christina Kray a little baby, corn Bread raised out. Coming
up next, it's the Way Back Machine, one of the
greatest songs that's ever been sent to us.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
You've got to hear. This is coming up in just
over three minutes.
News hot God, stay on top in the shovel.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
All right, Christina, you had something in our group text
today and I was like, man, this is very interesting.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
You kind of broke my brains. Set it up.
Speaker 4 (00:23):
Okay, I'm wondering if certain shows should be unbingeable.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
WHOA okay, on.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
And I'm going to explain. So last week I told
you guys, I started a Handmaid's Tale. Okay, have any
of you guys you've seen it back? Have you seen
all six seasons?
Speaker 3 (00:38):
No? I watched the first two seasons, I think.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
Okay, Okay, So I have been binging this show like crazy.
I'm already halfway through season two, almost done with it.
But what I realized this past week is that I
think it's affecting me emotionally and physically, like watching this
show and just ingesting all of this very very tough
subject matter, Like it's the things that are in this
(01:05):
show are just very very serious, very dark, and I
think a part of me always thinks, hey, this might
could actually happen anyway. So I just noticed like I've
had trouble sleeping waking up. I feel exhausted, like I
didn't sleep at all. I was also a little down,
and it wasn't until last night. Last night was the
first night I did not watch this show. I woke
up feeling awesome, and so I thought, Okay, maybe certain
(01:30):
shows like Handmaid's tail or other really dark, heavy shows
should kind of have a binge limit on them so
it doesn't affect you like that because you don't think
about the mental aspect of some of these shows.
Speaker 5 (01:42):
You're just going okay. So I absolutely do think about
what she's talking about. And the last example I had
of this now, because it was a show that we
were watching in real time that was released once a week.
The second that The Penguin was over, we looked and
found shrinking because after going through something that is so
dark and so caustic, I was like, I need something
(02:06):
to cleanse my soul. I mean, it was an amazing
show and I would recommend it to anybody, but when
it was over, I was like, I don't want to
watch anything that's in that sphere right now.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
But you're saying you want them to regulate.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
It, right.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Well, like he just mentioned, most shows, especially back in
the day, most heavy shows like that, with a lot
of production and big storylines. It was once a week but.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
You're watching one that's been out for a decade, right.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
But should they maybe like warn you, like, hey, there
is a lot of heavy stuff in this that you're
about to watch. It doesn't get better, only gets worse.
Maybe you should take a breather, take a break.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
And because I was.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Watching, maybe there's one day I watched three in a row. Yeah,
I like, that's just really that's a lot for you.
I know it, you're on the person.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
You're not going to govern that yourself?
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Well does anyone govern it? When we just have it
there available to binge it? We're not thinking about it.
Like I said, I didn't put two and two together
until I finally didn't watch it.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
I don't know what if you had the option to check, yes,
I want to be limited on this, and maybe it
sends you to something else so you can't have to
the next episode.
Speaker 5 (03:16):
Didn't just didn't just come on it just send you
to something else. That's just that's just uh will poweric.
Don't some people set social media limits on their phone? Yeah,
I've got that same thing. You just gotta you just
I mean, there's there are ship to her point, though,
there are shows where I'm like, you know, there's a
whole season in front of us, and I'm like, I'm
good for now.
Speaker 6 (03:36):
Oh yeah, I'm the same way. There's some stuff I
just don't watch because I know it's going to be heavy.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
There's not I avoid it like because it I don't,
I know we're out, I know how I'll react to it,
So I just avoid anything that's dark. The Peing one
I could have fun with because for some reason, I
think because it was fantasy World. Yeah that I can. Yeah,
I didn't really take it too serious when she spoiler alert,
you know, killed her whole family, right, you know it
bothered me too much.
Speaker 6 (04:02):
Uh yeah, Yeah, I'm in the same I'm the same
way as you on that. It was kind of comic, Bookie.
I was able to look through it that through that lens.
But I straight up avoid things that I know are
incredibly heavy and depressing. Like what was the one that
was out about the teenager that committed suicide adolescens.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Yeah, I'm not good. See I heard it's great. I don't.
I'm sure it's great. I don't need that in my life.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Yeah, dude, I was watching this just dropped on Apple
TV last night. Episode one that's called Stick and telling
Wilson he's golf pro. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
I was watching it.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
And then there's there's a bit of a twist at
the end of the first episode, and I'm in Jesus,
oh no, Now, this show's gonna be right in the
ted Lasso shrinking lane. But there's like something real dark.
I was like, oh my god, I don't want to
feel that.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
See, you know, I thought about watching that next because,
like you Ben, like I love uplifting stuff. That's the
reason I'm just now watching Handmaids Tell there's six freaking
seasons out of it and I'm just now watching it.
And this is why, because I didn't realize it's way
darker than I thought.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
That's my way dark.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
I think you should leaves just great to have right
there on. Just have it right there, just grab it.
Watch him choke on the hot dog.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
It's a chaser.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Corn cop TV, Yeah, we're feeling good about life again.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
You know, I thought corn Cob TV was very dark. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Yeah, so we should regulate our own TV usage. Is
that what you're saying.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Yeah, well, you're gonna have to hand the remote control
over Divide.
Speaker 6 (05:23):
But I think that's extra heavy for a woman to
be watching that, you know, because it's yeah, so left up,
Like the idea is that women are just there to
be slaves to give birth like they're they're they're married.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
There's a married couple.
Speaker 6 (05:39):
And whatever's happened with the world, the very few women
are fertile, and so this woman can't get pregnant.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
So there's a lady there that's just there to get pregnant.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
Yeah, have a baby, pop it out, move on to
the next. That's the only reason you're here.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
You know, you should pop it out. Pop it out.
Speaker 6 (05:54):
All right, There you have it. There is the Hollywood Shuffle.
Christina Kray a little baby, corn Bread raised out. Coming
up next, it's the Way Back Machine, one of the
greatest songs that's ever been sent to us.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
You've got to hear. This is coming up in just
over three minutes.
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