But Is It on Netflix? - Streaming Video Service Thread: Hulu, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Disney+, Peacock, YouTube TV, AT+T Watch, Philo, Playstation Vue, HBO Max, HBO Now, Facebook Live and many more

A thread to discuss the ongoing balkanization of streaming, cord-cutting, new options, lament and laud the coming and going of new competitors and so on.

Sound off with your obsessive subscriptions!

I'm using Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Mubi, Criterion, HBO Max, Showtime; might very well find myself doing Apple+ if I upgrade my phone/ipad at some point but can't imagine getting Disney.

thanking u for having a long enough subcription list to make my own look reasonable

subscription, yikes

Here's the projected pile of noteworthy streaming channels purported to have unique programming to choose from in 2020... surely this will need to contract at some point in the near future?

Netflix
Hulu
Amazon Prime
Apple TV+
Disney+
NBC Peacock
YouTube TV
AT+T Watch
HBO Max
HBO Now
Showtime
Starz
Facebook Live
CBS Interactive
Discovery/BBC
Criterion
Mubi
Shudder
Acorn
Crunchyroll
DC Universe
Kanopy
AMC Premiere
Pluto

I have netflix. That is all.

Plus a space to talk about delivery services! Roku, Playstation Vue and the like.

Give thanks and praise to PLEX, which is free, has virtually no ads and mostly just magically works.

We use a Roku and currently pay for Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and we have HBO Go since we currently have it in our cable package. We've been considering ditching cable completely, but when we talk to our provider (Xfinity) they want so much $$ for our internet service alone without a bundle that it still doesn't make sense. Since my wife works from home as a consultant and does a lot of video editing, we need a dependable connection. They really still push the bundles so dropping the cable alone doesn't seem to be the cost savings we hope for.

I know for sure we'll add Disney+ and I'm pushing for the Criterion one too, unsuccessfully thus far.

I am curious, how much of a difference is it just for internet, vs internet+cable where you are?

i cord cut earlier this year with the Hulu/No Ads cable package and i have not missed cable at all. I think it's $60 for that package and another $65 for high speed internet.
Supplementing occasionally with tt0rre3ntz helps keep FOMO at bay.

I have Hulu and Amazon Prime. I had a Showtime add-on through Hulu while Billions was airing, but dropped it after that; I had HBO for a while through Amazon to watch Insecure and Big Little Lies, but dropped that too.

If a show is on a particular streaming platform, it'll often be available for rent/purchase through Amazon, so if it looks really good I'll do that sometimes. I barely ever watch movies anymore - maybe one a month, so none of the movie-oriented services are at all appealing. And since there are no kids in my house, I don't have to worry about Disney, Marvel, etc.

xp I'd be curious to hear more about Plex's video features, I have a server installed but only use it for music.

Currently we've got Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Shudder ... at some point I want to shut down my Uverse TV service and switch to Hulu or YouTube or some other way to stream live sports and Turner Classic Movies.

I'm not sure offhand, my wife is the biggest push for cutting the cord in our house and she's been the one talking to them directly. Iirc, we pay around $140 for both right now, but I think she said they'd still want nearly $100 for just internet.

i pay for netflix (though i should really stop, i watch almost nothing on it), hulu (through spotify which is practically like not paying for it), shudder (the greatest), and criterion. i've never had cable as an adult

Hulu's live TV option is ridiculously expensive, to me.

I should add that I also have a digital antenna that pulls in network TV and some other channels like ION (lots of cop-show reruns) and Grit (old Western shows).

yeah, I haven't had cable for a very, very long time (15 years?) and I was wondering how much of a difference it is these days to not have them bundled.

I recently saw a meme about how all these subscription services with unique programming is basically reinventing into a more tedious cable tv.

Yep. Thanks capitalism for taking an legitimately game-changing technology and just turning it back into the old overpriced thing we all hated 20 years ago.

Remember back in the 1990s when they kept promising truly ala carte cable packages? "Only pay for the channels you actually watch!". Well it's here now, finally, except you have to pay $9.99 to $12.99 for each of the channels.

2019 US pricing chart for now and future reference:

Netflix (standard plan, 2 HD screens) - $13 monthly
Hulu - $6 a month
Hulu/No Ads - $12 a month
Hulu/No Ads/Cable/enhanced cloud DVR - $61 a month <- recommend this for cord cutters as it is pretty solid for sports
Amazon Prime - $13 a month, $120 a year; comes with amazon's other stuff
Apple TV+ - $5 a month; free with purchase of new apple hardware
Disney+ - $7 a month or $70 a year; pre-order starts today
NBC Peacock - As yet unannounced
YouTube TV - $50 a month cable package
YouTube Premium - $12 a month
AT+T Watch - $15 a month cable package, free if you're on their network
HBO Max -Currently reported at $15 a month, presumably will offer a package deal with HBO Now
HBO Now - $15 a month
Showtime - $11 a month
Starz - $9 a month
Facebook Watch - Free at the moment
CBS Interactive - $6 a month
Discovery/BBC - As yet unanounced
Criterion - $11 per month, $99 per year
Mubi - $11 pre month
Fandor - $10 per month, $99 per year
Shudder - $5 per month, $48 per year
Acorn - $6 per month, $60 per year
Crunchyroll - Free option or $7 per moth with hi-def and better programming
DC Universe - $8 a month or $75 per year
AMC Premiere - $5 a month
Pluto - Currently Free
Crackle - Currently Free
Kanopy - Currently Free

On the sports tip:
NFL Sunday Ticket is $74 a month or $294 a year
NBA League Pass is $120 a year for one team or $200 to $250 a year for all teams
NHL Season Pass is $140 a year
MLB Season pass is $25 a month via Amazon, $90 a year for one team or $120 for all teams

We currently pay for Netflix (incl. dvds!), get Hulu through a friend's account, and HBO Go through a family account that was supposedly canceled but still magically works! All through PS4. Have never rented/bought a digital show or movie a la carte.

if you were to buy all the above with hulu as a basic cable delivery option, that plus hi-speed internet would run you around $275 a month for television.

I highly recommend just downloading PLEX as it's free. Basically, if you have any kind of smart tv option, you can stream whatever you download directly to your television.

That netflix standard plan for me is $8usd a month but it's another country's pay structure I guess.

yeah there's a "standard definition" single screen plan for $8

No, this is for 2 screens HD.

I just looked up the basic one screen it's about 6.50 USD.

torrent everything, $0

a given.

well ya gotta pay for internet and hard drives! plus not everybody is ethically down with / has the technical expertise / willingness to take the time to learn how to join better groups / etc

although do people really torrent tv shows and movies that much anymore when you can find a free stream of almost anything?

for me it's most helpful when the tv show in question just isn't commercially available in my region

Worth noting that YouTube Premium also includes YouTube Music (and formerly Google Play Music).

a recent streaming experience with hulu, trying to start an episode in the middle:

click episode, cannot seek to middle, 90 seconds of commercials
seek to middle, 90 seconds of commercials
accidentally clicked on another episode while trying to close the app on my fone, 90 seconds of commercials starts
click original episode again, 90 seconds of commercials
close hulu, torrent entire season of show, cancel hulu

i won't front: all video streaming services are flawed in a dozen ways that piracy frankly is not.

My friends who are subletting my place have like 6 subscriptions and when I stay there I have to leave the room when they are trying to find something to watch (which always ends up taking a minimum of 20 minutes). A lot of the user interfaces are completely horrid.

wish the cinema was cheaper

xp -- ha - i have netflix, amazon, hbo (through amazon), britbox, acorn (which i should cancel because it's pretty much the same as britbox -- i had acorn first), and MhZ --

omg the user interfaces -- yeah some are really bad -- some are not awful, but are crap when it comes to subtitle options

i watch stuff via roku -- my roku is about 6 yrs old at this point and seems to be "dying" -- is this just standard planned obsolescence?

among the most frustrating things is that depending on your device, the interface and remote controls are totally different! You can't even play Criterion on an Amazon Fire and you can't play Mubi on a Playstation. Prime is easy to explore on a Fire but nearly impossible on a Roku. Everything's fucked!

I do Netflix and will do Disney+. More often than not, if I want to see a movie badly enough I buy a physical copy or, if that isn't an option, just watch that shit on YouTube or whatever. I watched a shitty, washed-out '30s movie on Internet Archive this weekend because it appears to have never been released via any legit home video format. Does that count as a streaming service?

youtube and archive.org certainly remain the people's netflix if netflix isn't already the people's netflix

I still pay for cable (and the Criterion Channel) but need to talk to people who get TCM through other services.

i'm dumping cable as soon as we get fiber internet installed at the end of the month, and signed up for Hulu Live. This looks like it'll save me about $80 a month for basically the same channels and faster internet than the shitty Comcast service I have. Still have netflix, amazon prime, and hbo through hulu. I'll pick up disney as well.

oh yeah, and we use the latest generation Apple TVs. I had a Roku that was a few years old and yes, it crapped out. The apps developed by the providers become too resource intensive for the devices.

"That netflix standard plan for me is $8usd a month but it's another country's pay structure I guess." how is this possible?

i use vrv sometimes for anime and amazon until my last ill-advised prime resub runs out next year, and that's it.

Moving to the Los Angeles area with its video stores and cinemas means not having to really care about any of this shit and it rocks.

We cut the cable 2-3 years ago and had Vue for about a year until a price hike, then Sling. The current fight between Fox and Dish/Sling has cramped my baseball watching, so I'm going to drop all channel-package delivery in the next few weeks and not worry about it until the next season of Better Call Saul starts. Dropping Sling and not renewing MLB.tv next season will free up more than enough $$ for Disney, which my wife wants to get. Otherwise, we have Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, CBS (for my wife) and Criterion (for me). Our donation to our PBS affiliate is just big enough to give us access to everything on the PBS channel.

When Filmstruck shut down, Fandor offered subscribers a special deal -- I think it was $25 for a year? Anyway, I got that but probably won't renew it.

Netflix & Prime, but in Australia we can also access iView and SBS On Demand, which are half-decent public broadcaster options.

I signed up for Youtube TV so I could talk my mom into ditching her cable bill (you can share accounts with 2-3 people) and it's been the best cable replacement I've experienced. No buffering, standard TV Guide style menu, good enough channel selection. I'm so used to going straight to Netflix or Prime I rarely think of opening the app unless I want to watch sports, though.

Netflix and mlb.tv are free w/ my cell phone, I keep forgetting to cancel HBO Now, keep Prime out of habit, pay for the Criterion Channel so I can feel guilty when I'm too numb at the end of the day to watch something with subtitles and just turn on a CW sci-fi show on Netflix instead.

I have Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime. I watch all of these via roku as well as a fair amount of free YouTube and Twitch. I also use roku to play music via Spotify, as the TV plugs straight into my stereo.

The quality of film selections on Netflix seems to have really plummeted lately. Amazon has the best selections of those three.

I'm strongly considering Disney+ because I'm a sucker and want to watch the Star Wars shows.

akm xpost. I set up my netflix in Chile so the fees are 4,990; 5,990; and 8,990clp for the 3 tiers. There is currency fluctuation of course but it's been in the $8 range at least for the last year (I just checked) regardless if I am using it in the US or Europe.

No one will be surprised to hear that Idea of You (anne hathaway harry styles fanfic movie) is not good at all yet was compulsively hate-watchable

It genuinely annoyed me during that film that when they were in a storage facility in Glendale, she (a local) takes off her jacket and remarks on how hot it is, while he (a Britisher) wears a huge cardigan the whole time. That's the kind of attention to detail you're working with in this film. Also, they do not spend enough time having a good time in swanky hotel rooms. They spend far too much time being apart and sad.

Lots of new bad shows, any new good shows?

yeah, Heeramandi! but maybe lavish Indian period pieces with musical numbers aren't for everyone. its just so cool looking though. you can't believe humans made it.

Shardlake looks like it could be alright? Only 4 episodes too I think

Made it 15 mins through Shardlake. Worst thing I’ve seen since Velma. Was surprisingly amateurish.

I like the idea of its genesis as an homage to Slim Aaron's photography, but Palm Royale, like so many of today's prestige tv shows, is not very good

omg, i tried to watch that jerry seinfeld cereal movie and i guess its made for 6 year olds? but there are mussolini jokes? its so not funny and i actually like jim gaffigan. i don't think i've ever watched an entire movie with amy schumer in it though. i still don't understand how she got into show biz. anyway, i only made it...25 minutes in?

wait, let me give you the idea. melissa mccarthy is working for nasa and she has jerry drink an orange drink and he says "hey, that's got some tang to it..." and she says "hey, that's a good idea!!" or something like that. but it was all like that.

Scott and I have basically had the same evening on Netflix. "Sure, I'll give the Pop Tarts thing a go, just out of curiosity. Jesus, what even is this? It's like a children's film, but there are jokes about Jake Lalanne in it? Back to 1920s Lahore we go."

"Back to 1920s Lahore we go."

yay! a MUCH better choice. i totally agree.

OMG, you guys have to watch Down the Rabbit Hole on Netflix! My new favorite movie. I kinda never wanted it to end. Don't even watch a trailer. It's better to be surprised. You'll thank me in the end.

The first episode of John Mulaney's show (kind of the talk-show equivalent of his Sack Lunch Bunch kids' show) was fun.

i agree with Chris C. in the comments section of the review for Unfrosted in the NYT:

Chris C
Chicago, IL3h ago

"Unfrosted" has been widely described as one of the worst movies of the *decade*.

To find out for myself, I watched it. My jaw was on the floor. It truly is the worst movie I've ever seen. It's so *lazy.* It's like Seinfeld rolled in every morning at 10, talked through his scenes, did no second takes, then left at 4. Even his narration was the flat, affect-less reading of a blasé high schooler reading aloud to the class.

I was amazed that not a single joke made me laugh. It wasn't so unfunny that I was laughing for the wrong reasons; it was so unfunny that I found myself *silently studying it.* I was oddly enthralled by the utter blandness and poor quality of the writing, acting, and filming. I don't want to give the impression I was entertained -- merely fascinated.

I recommend watching the film yourself, then reading this review. No offense to Ms. Nicholson... I guess it's brave to be the only professional critic in the industry who gave the movie a good review. Truly baffling. Had she watched this after waking up from surgery? For the life of me, I honestly can't imagine a single person watching this movie and calling it a "Critic's Choice." This review is almost as fascinating as the movie.

but fuck Kurt!

Kurt Pickard
Kurt Pickard
Murfreesboro, TN2h ago

"Unfrosted" is a true delight, especially for those of us who grew up during that era. For those who didn't, I can see where some of the nuanced humor gets lost. No bloody violence, foul language, sex or computer graphics. The casting is superb and we need to keep a special eye on Eleanor Sweeney. Everyone in the house can lean back in the recliner and enjoy some good natured fun. How uncommon is that these days? Jerry Seinfeld hit this movie out of the park and should be nominated for an Oscar's Oscar. My only complaint is that Larry David was noticeably absent.

seriously though i read that review and was like OMG jerry paid off the Times! it was so weird. granted, i could only make it thru 25 minutes of this movie.

you ever watch one of those movies where you aren't really sure if people are actually in the same room with each other...

If you have a taste for Conan O’Brien*, his new 4-episode travel show on Max, Conan O'Brien Must Go, is very well-done & funny.

*I generally only like him in small doses myself, so I was presently surprised by how much I enjoyed this…

you ever watch one of those movies where you aren't really sure if people are actually in the same room with each other...

Marvel Cinematic Universe, Phase 4 & Beyond (and a chance to change your vote)

Equalizer 1 - had high hopes because Denzel + John Wick sounds like an A+ combo but it dragged on a bit, had a lot of very stupid shots zooming in on Denzel's eye while he calculated murder times (it reminded me of Sherlock, the worst British show I've ever seen) and the last 20 minutes were over the top in a pretty boring way. I give it half a Man on Fire.

Still definitely going to watch #2 and maybe #3 at some point.

We watched the first episode of Sugar last night, and I just hated it. The editing and camerawork was distracting and irritating, like a constant fly buzzing around your head. Shakycam from ridiculous perspectives, sudden changes in POV for no reason, it seemed amateurish. I know that there's a big twist coming, and I know what the big twist is, but it doesn't excuse this kind of nonsense. It is always nice to see Colin Farrell, though.

"Still definitely going to watch #2 and maybe #3 at some point."

#3 is worst. so much so that i started watching it one night and realized that i had blocked out my memory of already seeing it. or it was just so unmemorable that i forgot. its bad though. that much i can remember. and very very hokey. its s shame too. such a winning concept.

Legend of Vox Machina looks bad.

― Wordle Stephen Curry II (Leee), Wednesday, January 19, 2022 1:05 PM bookmarkflaglink

I think I'm right, first three episodes are pretty dire.

i watched the 2018 movie Gwen on Shudder. so sad! bleak and sad! its not even a horror movie. just bleak and sad! so, if you are in the mood for bleak and sad, have i got the movie for you.

Black Twitter doc series on Hulu is v good imo

If you enjoyed the movie HE NEVER DIED, starring Henry Rollins as Cain, yes the one from the Bible, you'll probably enjoy the sequel, SHE NEVER DIED, starring Olunike Adeliyi as ...another character from the Bible. It's on Tubi.

Those are really good! Hoping for another in that world. Would put them with The Prophecy and Tremors for lower-budget greatness.

Watched Nikki Glaser's latest stand-up special on Max last night — it's called Someday You'll Die, and has some really excellent jokes about wishing her pregnant friends would miscarry, dying of esophageal cancer, suicidal ideation...also a really good shot at anti-trans female comedians (left unnamed). I laughed a lot.

watched A Bluebird in My Heart on Shudder. not a horror movie at all! i really should watch a horror movie on Shudder instead of the not-horror movies i've been watching. i did watch Blood and Black Lace on Shudder last week. i figure its about time that i re-watch classic films that i have only seen on VHS 30+ years ago. especially pretty pretty Bava movies. so pretty.

Is anyone else watching Sugar?

Because what the actual fuck at that twist?

Bodkin - was hoping for "Irish Deadloch" but it's more "Only Murders but not funny"

"Dinner with the Parents" on Amazon's Freevee is a loose American reboot of the UK series "Friday Night Dinner." Great cast including Carol Kane. If you know Friday Night Dinner, it's funny to see what has been Americanized (Neighbor Donny: "JANE, you are looking fine to-NIGHT")

Scavengers Reign cancelled by WB but first season picked up by Netflix and if it does well they'll apparently greenlight a second season

I will rep for TOKYO VICE, especially the second half of S1 and the first half of S2. I wish the gaijin journalist and mama-san had switched protagonist / supporting character roles, but still.

Season 5 of the 100 - not good, but Bellamy turning into Keanu Reeves is pretty lol

I love this Conan O'Brien Must Go travel show on HBO Max.

I was just talking to someone about The 100 this morning. I had no idea it was an SF show; I thought it was about 100 people with superpowers or something.

The 400 used that premise.

The 4400

I looked up the 4400 today, remember it starting as a poor man's X-Files and going completely to hell but it doesn't seem to be streaming anywhere.

Maria and I are almost done with season 3 of The Expanse and i'm watching Bosch as well. among other things...

also in the bad sci-fi realm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWGbfQOFN60

xp. Yes, thanks for catching that. I watched the first version, but missed the remake series. Was that any good?

Eureka (on Netflix) was a goofy sci-fi show that I thought held up over its run. Good cast, fun scripts, etc.

I watched the trailer for Dark Matter on AppleTV+…. which is like a different take on Constellation, another show that just ended (and mercifully canceled) on AppleTV+? Why did they green light the same concept twice??

I don’t plan to watch it unless someone comes along and tells me it’s brilliant

Sometimes I see a trailer for a new futuristic psychological thriller mystery type show along those lines and realize what a gift it was to get six seasons of just a straightforward epic hard sci show like The Expanse.

Are any of these worth watching?

https://www.looper.com/680590/sci-fi-shows-that-fans-of-the-expanse-should-watch-next/

I too miss the Expanse.

Dark Matter was a good ensemble show. I liked the cast. Took me a while to recognize the female lead in her new role on The Rookie. Would recommend, though big caveat that it was hitting its stride when cancelled, so is incomplete.

Of that Looper list, haven’t seen Lost in Space or Altered Carbon, would like to eventually. Heard both are good.

Killjoys had a complete run, would recommend. More in the Firefly caper vein than a hard sci-fi show, but had a good arc over the series. Forgot about Defiance, which I liked, though can’t remember how/if it completes.

That list doesn’t mention Falling Skies, which had a decent, complete run.

I second Dark Matter, enjoyable ride despite the cancelation.

Discovery is pretty awful, I'm a Trek diehard and had to stop watching it.

Alerted Carbon has a great first season, but a boring second.

On the last rewatch Galactica's back half was better than I remembered, possibly because a couple of things that seemed terrible at first could be laughed at.

Only made it two episodes into Altered Carbon, it felt very "horny basic cable."

pgwp is talking about the new Apple show Dark Matter (based on the mediocre Blake 'Wayward Pines' Crouch book) and not the one where all the people wake up on a spaceship with their memories wiped xps