TV addicts are now "speed watching" their favourite shows to binge faster.

We can all agree there’s no shortage of amazing TV shows in the world. But there is limited time to watch them all, especially if you have, you know, commitments… like a job. Or hobbies.

Enter: the new trend that’s helping the Netflix-addicted among us clock all those must-watch programs faster than ever before — and claim back valuable hours in the process.

It’s called “speed watching” and it’s dividing binge-watchers the world over.

Essentially, people have found that by speeding up shows even as little as 1.2 times, over an entire season, you can save hours.

Devotees claim the change of pace is so minor that most watchers won’t even notice the difference.

However, there are others who have labelled the practice a crime against content.

Can you tell the difference?

In a recent episode of movie and television podcast Slashfilmcast, one listener posed the question:

“In this increasingly content-rich, time-poor world, I wonder, how much of a crime against culture I am committing by speeding through these shows?”

The show’s film buff hosts David Chen, Jeff Cannata and Devindra Hardawar were left aghast.

Cannata replied that speed watching “cheapens your entertainment,” while Hardawar argued it prevents you from really taking anything in.

“I feel like you are not even actually watching it,” he said.

“You’re consuming it. You’re not actually like absorbing it or letting it work on you in a creative way. So yeah, this is bad. This is bad.”

Their fans on Twitter tended to agree.

YouTube has always offered a speeding feature, as does the Apple podcast app (that’s right, you can zip through almost any type of content).

Although Netflix itself doesn’t have the function at present, there are a number of free Chrome extensions, such a Video Speed Controller, that will do it for you.

Listen to Rosie and Laura talk you through the very best shows of the year on The Binge.

Speed watching obviously won’t appeal to everyone — it’s not exactly ‘chill’, after all — but in this “content-rich, time-poor world” it might be the only way you’ll make it though all five seasons of House Of Cards this holiday season.

It’s something to think about.

What do you think: Is “speed watching” efficient or an abomination?