Before Netflix: Entertainment That Slapped (and Sometimes Got You Beheaded)

Long before we binge-watched reality TV, people had…reality be-headings. But let’s rewind. In ancient Rome, gladiator fights were the premium entertainment package. Someone was either being disembowled by a lion. Sometimes a little more light hearted event occurred. Nothing says family fun like watching someone get guillotined at in the afternoon while eating grapes. Yeah, you read that correctly. It was the original pay-per-view. This happened for different reasons. Maybe you stole something, committed another heinous cried or maybe you were a witch. Didn't always matter if there was proof. Word of mouth about your bad behavior was proof enough.

Theater also slapped. Greek tragedies had everything: drama, betrayal, and gods throwing tantrums. People enjoyed watching Shakespeare during the late medieval and early Renaissance period because his plays were a wild mix of drama, humor, romance, and scandal—something for everyone in the crowd, from nobles in the balconies to peasants in the pit. His stories tackled timeless themes like love, betrayal, ambition, and fate, all while throwing in sword fights, witty insults, and ghosts for good measure. Plus, going to the theater was one of the few forms of entertainment that brought all social classes together—it was basically the Netflix of Elizabethan England, but with more ruffles and fewer subscriptions.

Medieval courts were entertainment powerhouses. Jesters, minstrels, and bear-baiting events were standard fare. Some kings even kept dwarfs and “talking pets” for amusement. You think your group chat is chaotic? Imagine a room full of tipsy nobles throwing gold at a dancing bear. Bearbaiting events in medieval times were brutal but wildly popular forms of public entertainment—think of them as the violent reality TV of the era, but with more fur and fewer rules. The "main event" involved chaining a bear to a post in a pit while dogs, often English mastiffs or bulldogs, were set upon it to attack. Spectators gathered in large crowds, laughing, shouting, and placing bets on whether the bear or the dogs would survive the match. These events were held in arenas called bear gardens, often alongside cockfights and other bloody spectacles. Royalty and commoners alike attended, with Queen Elizabeth I reportedly being a fan. While horrifying by modern standards, bearbaiting was seen then as thrilling sport—a strange blend of cruelty, showmanship, and community gathering.

So before you complain about buffering or reruns, remember: our ancestors had drama, violence, and awkward court performances. You may not be watching someone juggle live hedgehogs, but your Netflix queue is basically a noble pastime.