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How Would You Save Netflix and other Streaming Services?
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J.
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Jul 20, 2024 08:30AM
I just read this morning that Netflix is having an uptick in viewership because people are streaming "Hillbilly Elegy". I would like to think that there might be an uptick in book sales because people wanted to read "Hillbilly Elegy". I remember reading the book when it first came out and really enjoyed it - thought the film was okay, did the best possible with a book that was difficult to adapt.
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J. wrote: "I just read this morning that Netflix is having an uptick in viewership because people are streaming "Hillbilly Elegy". I would like to think that there might be an uptick in book sales because peo..."I loved the book and thought the movie was a disappointment. I am. not a massive fan of his politics, but I love his story to get to the top.
I watched Hillbilly Elegy when it first came out and watched it again a couple of days ago after Vance was nominated. I don't think the kid who played him in the movie was very good.As far as Netflix is concerned, I'll pay for ad-free watching. It's still a deal at $15 a month. I spent that the last time I went to the theater to see one movie.
Yeah, movies today are in that $15-$20 range, but if I am paying $15 a month ($180/yr) I figure it's worth it if I can find maybe 10-12 movies I want to see in a year, but lately that hasn't been the case. It seems like the only way you can get access to anything you might want is to buy into a a few platforms. And if all of these platforms are now collecting advertising revenue - which is why you have commercials on "regular" TV - why are they holding me up for $15 a month? I'd rather do what I do at the movies, and pay for just what I want to see.
That's not my experience, Barbara, but maybe you're not into watching older movies. I probably watch 15 movies a month on Netflix, which is worth the subscription price. But if you're only into watching newer movies, you won't be happy. I'll keep my subscription until it's not giving me something to watch, but so far that hasn't happened.
I love older movies. I have TCM collection, and there are a lot of older movies and shows I can get from Youtube if I want I still have a DVD collection and if you keep a DVD, many libraries rent movies on DVD (also audiobooks and music). I have looked at the offerings on Netflix, HBO Max, etc and I have a hard time finding enough of them in one platform to justify the cost, and it would be too expensive for me to pay for the number of services I would have to subscribe to in order to get access to everything I might want.
Also - a lot of the services own or are owned by networks so if you can wait awhile you can see it - Bass Reeves, which was on Paramount is going to air on CBS this fall, and the first season of that Stallone series is airing now.
I only have Netflix and Amazon Prime. I don't pay for other streaming services unless they offer a good discount for a month or three, and then I cancel. I don't know if you have Amazon Prime Video, but I get it free when I subscribe for free shipping, and I do order many things from Amazon because their prices are often lower than those in my local stores, plus I have an Amazon credit card that gives me a 5% discount on everything. Anyway, between those two services, I can always find something interesting to watch. I often like offbeat things that aren't recommended, but if I spend time looking, I'll find something to watch. I really don't like ads and will spend a couple more bucks to avoid them.
I have Amazon Prime, but I did not like their bait and switch. Prime, which was originally a program for free 2 day shipping, now has relaxed the two day shipping policy. Then they instituted FreeVee as their free-with-ads option (they have owned IMDB for some time), but now have shifted to an ad-based model which subscribers can avoid by paying a higher monthly fee.
Since we live in an unusual location, we continue to have cable, which gives us TCM, A&E and a number of channels and access to many new releases through pay-to-play which is my preferred option.
It sounds like a lot of people are having issues with streaming services these days. One thing I've found helpful is exploring guides and tips for accessing content that might be otherwise restricted. For instance, if you're looking to stream Hulu from outside the US, you might find this guide useful: https://onlinetvcast.com/guides/hulu-.... It covers some practical steps for getting around regional restrictions. This can be a game-changer if you’re trying to keep up with your favorite shows and movies while traveling or living abroad.
Thanks, Jessica. Do you have any links to share?
A few months ago, I mentioned that streaming services are owned by networks. I remember the first episodes of Paramount's "Bass Reeves" aired on CBS and just last week, ABC (owned by Disney that also owns Hulu) they did a limited Only Murders in the Building marathon. Now OMITB has a whole lot of R rated language and I wondered how they were going to deal with it in a network situation - they not only bleeped the word, but blurred the actor's mouth (I guess so lip readers can't "hear" it?)
That's weird. I don't think Amazon Prime or Netflix is owned by a network. Correct me if I'm wrong. That's a reason I like them, as well as AppleTV+. I try other streaming services when there's a deal, like Hulu for a couple of months, Max for 3 months, and Paramount+ for 6 months at reduced prices and cancel before the promotion ends. I watch everything that interests me within a month. You have to put the dates on your calendar so you don't get hooked into the full price like they hope you will. I'm a miser when it comes to streaming services.
Barbara wrote: "they not only bleeped the word, but blurred the actor's mouth (I guess so lip readers can't "hear" it?)..."Was that on regular TV? That is a first for me. Netflix and Amazon are their own gig as well as Apple TV. I do know Amazon is either trying to buy Netflix or tried in the past. I just do not remember.
I was surfing the other night and saw Only Murders on ABC, one of the earlier seasons. Disney is the parent company of ABC, and gradually acquired shares in Hulu to the point where I think they are now the sole owner.If you watch Only Murders you see very clear ad breaks in the editing, so I always wondered if it was going to air in a commercial network format.
