I don't think the distinction being made is "nothing to pay attention to" but more "missing some of it isn't going to mean you lose out on what you do pay attention to."

This is a contrast to the whole super-serialized run of shows over the past 15 years or so, but I'm not convinced it's really that new, or unique to Netflix.

My parents used 60s->90s sitcoms and things like HGTV very similarly as background noise.