I was curious enough about the ad to propose a story to my editor: I would ride the subway and talk to strangers about their TV watching habits to see if there was any truth to Netflix's claim. It sounded like a simple enough idea, but when I set out to write the story I wasn’t prepared for the winding journey that led to me to talk about On My Block on the J train, to a phone call with a Netflix rep who gave me some staggering insights into watch habits around the globe, or to Twitter, where I talked to someone who’s mastered the art of making friends online using shared shows and movies. I realized that watching Netflix shows provides us common ground with strangers globally, but with so much to stream , the right people can be difficult to find.