Netflix Party syncs up streaming for long distance movie dates

Remember when Xbox Live used to have the Netflix Party feature? Everybody in a party could watch their favorite tv shows and movies in gorgeously synchronized streaming no matter how geographically separated they were. Then, for basically no reason beyond spitefulness (that we know of), Xbox removed this functionality, and any cross-country movie dates had to be manually synced up. Now long-distance co-viewing is back in the realm of possibility with the Chrome browser extension Netflix Party.

We should let you know that this isn’t a Netflix official app, so you take your browser into your own hands when you install this app. However the developer, one Stephan, seems like a stand-up enough guy and he ensures us that he has developed this extension “with <3”. What’s especially good about this app is that it has a chat sidebar, so you can co-watch without even having to talk. Now the next time you binge House of Cards, it won’t feel so much like it’s just you and Frank Underwood navigating Washington DC’s seedy underbelly.

In a world of increasingly remote human relationships, extensions like these are a nice way to encourage a bit more of an intimate shared experience. Not quite so intimate as the much more popular “Netflix and chill,” unfortunately, but it’s a nice addition to Chrome nonetheless. Click the button below and give it a spin, then let us know what you think of it in the comments below!