Have you noticed how many streaming services are out there nowadays? I sure have. Between Prime Video starting to have ads to Netflix’s shrinking catalogue (and also what feels like hundreds of other rival streaming services), it’s just too much.
Okay, maybe not hundreds. But, seriously, what is going on?
Yeah, you can get Disney+, ESPN+, and Live TV for around $25/month, but why do literally all of them have ads?
Not to mention Prime Video’s add-ons. I’ve had enough.
That’s right, add-ons. Even more streaming services. Ranging from $4.99 to $12.99 a month, you can get even more content on the platform you already pay for — yay!
This isn’t to say that anyone would, should, or needs to get all of these subscriptions — but have you ever been desperately trying to find a movie, only to realize that it’s on Crave, which is on Prime? Yeah, for a whopping $21.99/month for Crave and $9.99/month for Amazon Prime, you get to watch even more sequels, remakes, reboots, and adaptations of the same few movies.
But honestly — what other options do we have? As a media production student myself, I know how much these films cost and the work that goes into them. And sure, maybe a giant like Disney+ won’t miss the money, but when the actors barely get anything when you stream, it just feels… wrong. Not to mention the severely underpaid, overworked staff that won’t see a cent from streaming anyway. Looking at you, production assistants! (Don’t worry— I’ve been there).
So, what options are there? The system we have now feels like cable with extra steps and extra money.
To be honest, I have no idea. Anything Disney is on Disney+, Netflix’s catalogue is dwindling, and you have to get another subscription to watch what you actually want on Prime. Not to mention the dozens of other streaming services that have their own problems and their own exclusive content.
Is the streaming world really hopeless? I went into my program because of my love and passion for media. The way movies and shows make you feel and really look into yourself is unmatched. So, I don’t want to sit here and tell you that you’ll never get to watch what you want.
But maybe that’s just something we need to accept. No, you won’t have to only consume content you hate, but what’s the rush to watch everything? There’s so much free, amazing content on YouTube. And really, how many movies does a person need?
Personally, I’m sticking to Netflix because, well, that’s what my parents pay for. Maybe one day I’ll try out Prime or Crave for a month just to get whatever I’m interested in, but we really don’t need all 26 streaming services.
Besides, movie theatres aren’t dead yet… right?