Streaming services have had a tremendous downfall in quality over the last half a decade or so. Netflix, for example, had a genuinely extensive catalog for a relatively fair price at one point. The early streaming era was a good time for consumers with many TV shows and movies on demand for cheaper than ever before.
Nowadays Netflix has been consumed by the very beast they created. Every mass media company on the planet is clawing back their intellectual properties to create their own streaming services and Netflix is left with little value as a result.
Some of the services that have popped up in the Streamingverse are hilariously niche. If you have the disposable income to pay for the dog streaming service (Tv that you don’t even watch!) then you know you’ve made it in life. But for the rest of us plebeians, we have to pick which shows and movies we want to watch and then work backwards from there.
Even then, franchises may be split across multiple services. For example, Paramount+ doesn’t even have the majority of Star Trek movies despite Star Trek being the primary reason why they’re able to stay afloat.
Also, the ads on these streaming services are truly ridiculous. If I’m paying 10,000 shekels a month to watch The Sopranos, there should be no ads.
It’s awful with movies especially. Nothing quite breaks the tension of Rose going to save Jack from the brig than a 30 second long State Farm ad.
For horror movies it’s multiplied by a factor of 700. Watching movies with ads isn’t a serious option for people who have even a modicum of self worth. The Peacock solution of putting all the ads prior to the movie for 10 minutes is a much better user experience, but most streaming services don’t do this because they value making money over providing a good service.
Even after one has picked a streaming service with their desired collection, price and user experience it still can all completely collapse. These companies trade content like baseball cards. That show that you really loved and was one the few reasons you were okay with being mildly ripped off? Gone, vanished to Criterion or something.
Do not fear the worsening catalog, Big Mouth season 8 is here.
The worst part of streaming is that you don’t own anything. You’re paying long term rent to watch shows on demand and if that streaming service ever goes under you might be out of luck.
That is why I recommend that if you’re truly interested in a show that you rent (if possible) an episode or two to see if it’s good. If it is, buy the DVDs or Blu-ray. It might be more expensive in the short term, but in the long term it will be worth it. Physical media can never be taken away unless someone steals it and you are free to do whatever you like with it.
There’s no ads, the picture quality is often better, and you never have to worry about it going away.
And once you do this long enough you’ll have a whole host of wonderful shows all stacked in a neat wooden bookshelf that you can watch whenever you’d like. Your own little streaming service, catered to your taste.
As for movies? Just rent them off of Amazon prime or use your local library.