Unless you’re squeezing in viewings of Sense8 while pretending to answer phones in your cubicle—or you write for TV Club—most people aren’t getting paid to watch TV. This is one of the travesties of modern life, along with there being so much great programming out there that you don’t even know where to begin. And then there are all the good shows you missed out on when they first aired—sure, they’re probably streaming online somewhere, but who has the time to catch up? Everyone runs out of sick days eventually.
Well, Samsung is now offering one lucky person a chance to do nothing but binge-watch episodes of Steven Universe for 100 days—with pay. Called “The Catch-Up Grant,” the program is meant to help anyone who’s been unable to keep up with the various American Horror Stories, or has no idea what you’re talking about when you bring up Black Mirror. The winner will get their pick of shows to watch, a stipend, and a trip to a Himalayan monastery (to ensure they’re not distracted by life while trying to watch Transparent).
The contest is only open to residents of Nordic countries, probably because Swedish ad agency DDB Stockholm came up with the idea in the first place as part of a campaign to promote Samsung’s new SUHD TV (with curved 65-inch screen). According to AdWeek, applicants will have to establish their cluelessness with a video submission, then eight finalists will square off in a final round that includes taking a lie-detector test to prove that they’re not just trying to rewatch all of Orange Is The New Black on someone else’s dime.
And to ensure that the winner is getting the optimal viewing experience, Samsung is also springing for eye exams and corrective lenses, if needed. Interested parties (who live in a Nordic nation) must apply with a smartphone via the contest website. The “residency” begins in November, and DDB Stockholm will document the application process (and probably the 100 days of TV).
[h/t reader Daniel Mencák]
