Anyone Else Find Streaming Services Have Too Much Content to Handle?

JAF on 12/04/2021 - 17:46

This is a simple enough question but I just find with array of services out there (Netflix,Stan,Binge,Amazon etc) that there is just too much content.

I feel like every week there is a brand new “must watch show” that everybody on the internet is talking about and because of how frequently there is a new “must watch show” it makes “must watch shows” less interesting and me less likely to want to watch them.

On my days off from work when I want to watch something I just don’t know where to start because of how many endless possibilities there are out there and I feel like I’m just pouring money down the drain on streaming services (I can’t split streaming service costs as all my family live back in Ireland) that I might enjoy but just will never get to enjoy because I get overwhelmed on the options.

I know everyone on Ozb hates on Murdoch because of his overpriced Foxtel empire especially since it has ads but I honestly kind of miss Foxtel. It was a simpler time having limited options and I didn’t mind the ads as it gave you a nice break from the TV. I know people in the comments will rinse me for me being “pro” Foxtel.

I’m curious if other Ozb people like me are overwhelmed with the choice and constant cycle of new shows and miss the old days.

TL;DR - There’s too many shows on streaming services and I’m thinking of going back to Foxtel.

Entertainment

Comments

  • apsilon on 12/04/2021 - 17:51
    +25

    You don't have to watch them all. The idea is to choose what you want to watch. Most of the time I find there's only about 2 episodes of something that I watch each week, occasionally more, occasionally less.

    • capslock janitor on 13/04/2021 - 17:52
      +10

      My answer: NO.

      Can't even find anything that interests me enough to watch rn, already watched everything I wanted to..

      • Jackson on 13/04/2021 - 21:25

        Go on sbs and watch any almodovar movie that's going

      • trapper on 15/04/2021 - 11:48

        Seen Hamilton Pharmacopeia?

      • Sammy Boi on 15/04/2021 - 19:42
        +1

        Yep I'm in the same boat

        I find myself re-watching things because the content offered doesn't interest me

    • jv on 14/04/2021 - 10:57
      +7

      You don't have to watch them all.

      Are you sure?

      I've been going through them alphabetically…

      I'm up to "Bhaag Beanie Bhaag" Season 1, Episode 2

      • BargnHuntr on 14/04/2021 - 11:59

        I guess you watch all shows even if they are not good. I hated that show after watching 1st episode.
        https://www.google.com/search?q=%22Bhaag+Beanie+Bhaag

        • jv on 14/04/2021 - 12:01
          +3

          I guess you watch all shows even if they are not good.

          You wont know unless you watch them…

          Often it takes quite a few episodes to get into a new show, sometimes it needs until the second season before you're hooked.
          Other times you watch crap shows just to see how much longer this can go on for…

  • brendanm on 12/04/2021 - 17:58
    +45

    I hate when I'm forced to subscribe to every single streaming service. I also hate when I'm forced to watch the "must watch" shows.

    I wish old grandpa Murdoch could just fees me with his overpriced ad riddled garbage instead.

      • brendanm on 12/04/2021 - 18:33
        +65

        Why would you want to get all those services? You said yourself that you can't watch it all. Seems stupid to have so many.

        • mapax on 12/04/2021 - 18:52
          +25

          But all the other Facebook mums…

        • JAF on 12/04/2021 - 22:33
          -4

          I don’t actually Subscribe to all those services I was just using it as an example. The ones I do subscribe to are Netflix , Disney+, Optus Sport, Kayo , BeIN sports , Amazon (use it for shipping mainly) and all of these are $90/month. And for those who will ask about BeIN content being on Kayo , Kayo doesn’t have all the soccer matches that BeIN does so I have to have both unfortunately.

          • Geoff-bargain on 13/04/2021 - 10:18
            +4

            @JAF: Why don't you share with some friends. IE you subscribe to prime and they to Disney and you make a login for each other.

          • Miss B on 13/04/2021 - 22:03
            +1

            @JAF: So you'd have kept Amazon. All of the sports stuff is on Foxtel, or do you have to have some of the sports too?

            Anyway, subscribe to whatever services you like.

            I have Amazon, Netflix and Disney+. I share my logins with other people, I'm paying for it anyway.

            Disney is $90 for the year ($7.50/month), Netflix is somewhere around the $10 mark per month, Amazon is $59 for the year (4.92/month). So about $22.50/month. I watch stuff regularly.

          • toblerone21 on 13/04/2021 - 23:17

            @JAF: what important matches are Bein showing on their site that they aren't on Kayo/Foxtel?

      • Drakesy on 12/04/2021 - 18:50
        +17

        Only difference is Foxtel is full of ads that you're paying for the privilege to watch. The pricing is only that high because of the pensioners on the legacy product that don't know any better.

        Stick with 1 streaming service and maybe kayo (if you're desperate) you'll be sorted.

        • djones145 on 12/04/2021 - 21:41
          +3

          stick to one and make friends

          • AEKaBeer on 13/04/2021 - 16:42
            +1

            @djones145: Or cancel one and replace with another when you are done with what you want to see.

            • Jackson on 13/04/2021 - 21:29
              +5

              @AEKaBeer: Or get none, and have abc ivew and sbs on demand for free. And then if you still need more get that library streaming service for free

            • djones145 on 14/04/2021 - 08:09

              @AEKaBeer: why cancel when u can have them all, i mean one

      • Lastchancetosee on 13/04/2021 - 08:26
        +3

        Foxtel content is OK. I just resented paying to watch advertisements.

        • Jackson on 13/04/2021 - 21:30
          +7

          I resented paying a megalomaniacal A-hole who interferes with elections and spreads xenophobia and lies, and jacked their price so hard because it was a monopoly, so I didnt

    • kaleidoscope on 15/04/2021 - 23:44

      happy camper with prime video. Previously used netflix and stan. For things outside of prime, I rent or purchase on apple tv when on sale.

  • chcse on 12/04/2021 - 18:03
    +22

    You don't have to subscribe to all the streaming services at once. Just subscribe to one each time, watch the shows you wanted and then switch so you get a nice balance. Unless you have to watch the show at the same time as everyone, I find it better to wait until the hype has died down and then binge it all / watch at your own pace before moving on.

    • nickj on 13/04/2021 - 16:40
      +4

      Related to this: I really dislike waiting each week for a new episode of a series that I want to watch. Instead I find it much more enjoyable to just wait until the whole season has aired (I diarise the end date of a show I really want, not the start date), and then I start watching it at my own pace. This approach fits well with the "serial monogamous dating" approach to streaming services. E.g. if you primarily want a season of a show that has 10 episodes, you can pay for 3 months and be like "where's the next episode?!" all the time, or you can wait and relax and pay for just 1 month when it's about to end, and you still arrive at the end of the story around the same time as everyone else, and the story flows better because it doesn't have 1 week gaps between all the parts, and you've paid a third of the cost.

    • happyhammer on 13/04/2021 - 18:35

      Ye this. Just rotate subscriptions. Once you have run out then move to the next one. The beauty of non set TV times is you can watch these whenever and not when they are out. Also ignore the trending shows, half of them are not worth it. Check out imdb or similar to see if it's got a good rating and it's not just talked about because its full of good looking people

  • lunchbox99 on 12/04/2021 - 18:04
    +52

    I often spend 5 mins endlessly scrolling through titles then ultimately watch nothing.

    • JAF on 12/04/2021 - 18:27
      +9

      Yes this is exactly what I do! Just too many possibilities

    • Whatisthatvelvet on 13/04/2021 - 09:11
      +5

      Only 5mins? I usually spend much longer then crack the shits that there's nothing to watch.

      • Rockets84 on 13/04/2021 - 10:06
        +4

        Same. I find NetFlix is the worst as it pushes the same stuff if different categories with a different thumb nail to make it look like there's more content than there is. A lot of the time the category doesn't even fit the content being pushed.

        • lunchbox99 on 13/04/2021 - 10:47
          +3

          This inability to make a choice when presented with more options is well known. It’s called overchoice.

          https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overchoice

          It’s primarily due to anxiety about the potential loss due to what you haven’t chosen, which is smaller when there are less choices (ie less things that you didn’t choose).

          • Rockets84 on 13/04/2021 - 12:44
            +5

            @lunchbox99: It's not being overwhelmed for choice, it's that I can't find anything I'd want to even watch or stuff I've already seen. NetFlix keeps presenting the same options over and over again in different categories. I was scrolling through movies on the weekend and it recommended Oceans 8 in a bunch of categories eg comedy. I've seen Oceans 8, it sure wasn't a comedy. That said I was using the AppleTV 4 and that TVOS version of app seems more limited than iPad or iPhone iOS version which is odd because TVOS and iOS are closely related. I've found myself watching more and more content from SBS On Demand these days because it presents options that seem interesting. I feel like NetFlix's machine learning is presenting too much stuff too similar to what you've previously watched and that limits the choices. When I compare my wife's profile vs mine, they are very different.

            • orangetrain on 13/04/2021 - 14:22
              +1

              @Rockets84: Plus, netflix doesn't have much content. They hope that users will keep "digging" and stay subscribed.

              • Rockets84 on 13/04/2021 - 15:02
                +1

                @orangetrain: Yeah been thinking about trying some VPN's with it to unlock the US library which has significantly more content in it. I refuse to subscribe to Stan as well to unlock some content there. I had it in the past on a 6 month free trial and didn't use it much but was when it was new. Had the same thing with the defunct Presto. We get screwed for content here, there's so much that's either not available or it's heavily delayed. I'm sailing the seven seas more and more for content again.

    • Bohlen on 14/04/2021 - 22:37

      This and the fact I dislike the inbuilt "my lists" across the many different platforms (can't hide already seen content etc) are some of the reasons why I built my own spreadsheet to track my "watched" and "to watch" list of movies & tv shows. :)

  • bobbified on 12/04/2021 - 18:04
    -2

    Too many choices? Maybe move to a communist country where the government will decide what your can and can't watch! lol

    • deme on 12/04/2021 - 18:53
      +4

      What has that go to do with communism?

      I find Netflix doesn't have enough content

    • RADICALIST on 13/04/2021 - 22:25
      +4

      I've been to Vietnam which is Communist and they have plenty of channels and shows on free to air. Netflix is also available in Vietnam

  • garetz on 12/04/2021 - 18:12
    +19

    If you want less choices then cancel your services and stop watching anything, you control what you do, not the other way around.

    • orangetrain on 13/04/2021 - 14:24

      "But I have hope that I could find something worth watching! What do you mean by dark patterns? I'm not stupid!"

  • Jugganautx on 12/04/2021 - 18:22

    I find hardly any of them update anything for months at a time. Each to their own.

  • Quantumcat on 12/04/2021 - 18:31
    +9

    Don't subscribe to anything, just get the free TV apps and put live TV on?

  • elgrande on 12/04/2021 - 18:52
    +2

    Just like they always say, mo streaming services, mo problems.

  • monky on 12/04/2021 - 18:52
    +2

    Only subscriptions I have is YT Premium and MUBI: YouTube has all the content in the world and MUBI only has 30 movies at a time, and is tightly curated.

    Foxtel isn't horrible… Overpriced? Yes. Ads? Yuck. Really dated model that has subjectively bad content, in my opinion. But I haven't watched free to air tv in many years, and don't intend to start again.

    Bottom line is, if you enjoy the format of modern tv shows/reality, and can live with the ads crammed down your throat, go for it!

  • ddhar on 12/04/2021 - 19:09
    +4

    You're not spending enough hours watching. /s

    I know someone who actually finished all the horror shows on Netflix. Go figure…

  • Godric on 12/04/2021 - 19:15
    +5

    I host content on my own server, and still face the issue of not being able to settle on something to watch.

    Although settling on rewatching The Office for 900th time isn't a bad choice

    • ozwog05 on 12/04/2021 - 19:26
      +7

      looks directly at camera lens

  • follow on 12/04/2021 - 19:20
    +6

    Just go on imdb top rated TV shows and see what tickles your fancy. most high rates shows have a pretty accurate rating. let others choose for you what is good and what isn't.

    • Rockets84 on 13/04/2021 - 15:04
      +1

      User or critic scores? If there's a big imbalance with the audience score not rating it but the critics love I know I'll probably not like it.

      • brendanm on 13/04/2021 - 17:03
        +2

        Generally best to go the opposite of what the "critics" say.

      • follow on 13/04/2021 - 17:39
        +5

        user of course. want to know what the average person thinks of it.

        • Jackson on 13/04/2021 - 21:37

          Except the average person is in uncultured dope who enjoys the next Wahlberg film

          • follow on 13/04/2021 - 21:46
            +1

            @Jackson: the ratings for most of his movies are pretty low. stick with 7 and above and you'll find they're mostly good

          • Bren20 on 13/04/2021 - 23:36

            @Jackson: Get off your high horse, not everyone wants to watch Spanish cinema

            • Jackson on 14/04/2021 - 00:13

              @Bren20: I know, just giving people an option. It's one thing to zone out for 2 hours while the next blockbuster, but once people are through with that they can challenge themselves with a something from an actual artist. The curation at SBS is quite decent, better than just picking a random film off the shelf because the studio bundled things off to some streaming service.

              I think the original point I was trying to make was that often the critics reviews can be better to go off than just the user ones, it goes both ways

              • Rockets84 on 14/04/2021 - 10:58

                @Jackson: I find myself watching more TV shows on SBS of late. There's plenty of decent english speaking dramas that aren't arty on there. It's the arty stuff that the critics love that I can't stand. Recently watched a drama/comedy series on SBS On Demand "Why Women Kill" it was great.

                • Jackson on 14/04/2021 - 12:41

                  @Rockets84: Agreed, even some more obscure stuff is good (last man on earth), then there's a few non-obscure shows like Counterpart and the Orville which are good, Das Boot is highly regarded, there's plenty, people just need to look past the main actor drawcard and consider reading subtitles

      • john71 on 14/04/2021 - 13:24

        I'm the opposite.

        If the critics love it and the great unwashed don't, I know it's a movie for me.

    • toliman on 13/04/2021 - 17:45

      If you have a tolerance for US shows ie you don’t mind being led into the rabbit hole of US/UK content,

      Trakt.TV and Simkl are useful in seeing what people are actually watching (via Netflix, kodi and Plex) rather than what’s being advertised or ranked. The voting scores are a little bit questionable, but the trending /popular page is often helpful to find something new.

  • Cheaplikethebird on 12/04/2021 - 19:30

    Dont show this kid broadcasthe.net

  • mbck on 12/04/2021 - 19:34
    +3

    Oof imagine if these streaming has achievements….some people will want to get all the badges or something lol

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 12/04/2021 - 19:40
    +3

    First World problem?

  • coxjon on 12/04/2021 - 19:45

    Try AppleTV+ and you’ll never have that problem :)

  • morse on 12/04/2021 - 19:54

    We just cycle through different paid services depending on what we want to watch, intermixed with free stuff (iview and sbs ondemand). Between free trials and SBS + abc we pay only a little and usually have something on the go. If we miss out there’s the library or friends.

  • macrocephalic on 12/04/2021 - 20:28
    +2

    You can share your Netflix, Youtube, and Spotify with your family in Ireland, not sure about the other services as I only use the above and Amazon.

    I understand that there's more on the streaming services than you have time to watch; my "To Watch" list is always growing and rarely shrinking. I also sometimes avoid starting a new show because I don't have the focus to engage in it - so I end up watching re-runs of sitcoms because they're easier.

    • JAF on 12/04/2021 - 22:28
      +1

      Yeah I find myself constantly watching re runs of sitcoms because it’s just easier than starting something new and having to commit to it!

  • Keplaffintech on 12/04/2021 - 21:55
    +6

    nice try Rupert

  • Charlie Sierra on 12/04/2021 - 22:28
    +2

    Back in my day you had to walk 30kms through the snow to watch television. Bare foot. And when you got to the TV, half the time, it turned out to be a book.

    Not actually that old, was just horrendously misinformed.

    • mooboy on 15/04/2021 - 11:34
      +1

      A vook? Luxury!

      When I was a kid we had to walk 60kms under a lake to be able to watch some stick figure drawings in a cave.

      • Charlie Sierra on 15/04/2021 - 11:35

        Ok boomer. Or as we used to say, ok founding settlers.

  • Ryanek on 12/04/2021 - 23:14
    +2

    This is called Option Paralysis

  • bargain huntress on 13/04/2021 - 01:23

    I only pay for one subscription for one month at a time - I pay for a month then cancel so it doesn't renew.
    Often I don't have anything on and just have free stuff.

    And I still can't decide what to watch.

    Definitely option paralysis.

    But its not just that there are too many options. Imo its also that the greater quantity has lead to a decrease in quality.
    There is more stuff to choose from and it is less good.
    Netflix has this new button to pick something random, and I hate everything it picks.

    I also don't enjoy watching many types of content alone. For most stuff if there's no one to share the experience with I just won't bother.

    Maybe we need to define a goal for our watching?

    It sounds like you like to chill out when you're tired maybe? and that's why it's so hard to decide and you enjoy watching light comedy you've seen before.
    I mean first of all; what's wrong with that?
    Apparently some people watch Frasier over and over again as ASMR to fall asleep.
    I like watching things over and over sometimes too.
    So the goal here would be to relax and soothe.

    Other times I want to watch something ive never seen before that is vaguely useful or important in someway?
    One thing I was going to try was other peoples lists. I was thinking about getting a book about tv and or cinema history. I remember seeing something like 1000 movies to see before you die or something like that. Another option I thought of was making a list from a documentary about the history of science fiction I saw.
    Where ever the list comes from, then the idea would be to work through the list systematically.

  • voiletmay on 13/04/2021 - 08:50

    We have most streaming services (disney plus, netflix, stan, prime, brit box, crunchy roll etc) but I watch youtube 99% of the time. Only thing I am watching on steaming services right now is Falcon and Winter solder on disney plus on friday nights. I am very picky and prefer youtube. Right now all I watch on youtube is people walking on beaches collecting rocks and fossils, but it changes every few weeks LOL!! I certainly don't feel I have to watch everything.

    Having all these services was useful earlier this year when I decided I wanted to watch the MCU (marvel cinematic universe) in timeline order. Needed three streaming services to do it, but everything was available.

    I will watch witcher 2 when it starts. Have read all the witcher books though.

  • Darayus on 13/04/2021 - 10:17

    Try to do some search and see if you can see movies and shows from another region like Latin American, or Asian or Chinese or Japanese, this is because your streaming shows what you had seen last and so they develope aglorithm for you to show based on what you like and keep repeating in your search function.

    Recently i started seeing Latin American spanish movies and they are really hilarious and love to see the culture. Watch korean shows and Pakistan dramas and ofcourse indian bollywood and other language movies.

    Once you broaden the search of your choice then you will not get bored.

    I have netflix and amazon and IPTV box to watch international TV and VOD for other language shows.

    you need to broaden up your spectrum to enjoy the entertainment.

  • Ultimate Gattai on 13/04/2021 - 14:26

    I just have Netflix and Disney+, between those two I just don't have the time to watch everything because of my terrible shift work (I could probably make do with just Netflix but Disney+ has some stuff I really want to watch).

  • wittyusername on 13/04/2021 - 16:58

    Found Sylvia Plath's account! Pick a fig and get eating!

  • md333 on 13/04/2021 - 17:01

    I pick up a 30 day free trial of something every year or so and usually run out of things I want to watch well before the trial is up.

  • gromit on 13/04/2021 - 17:13

    too much? ummm NO. not even close, if anything I find they have way to narrow a selection and you need to sign up to too many if you want a decent selection. But then I only watch what I like, not everything. And no I do not miss foxtel at all, overpriced garbage that gives you ads, at least once upon a time it used to be Ad free overpriced garbage.

  • Logical on 13/04/2021 - 19:49
    +2

    I have no idea what all these streaming things that you speak off are (Netflix,Stan,Binge,Amazon)…. I have never had these and never will. Just another monthly bill to add on top of all the other monthly bills…. Sounds silly. Just means more work to pay more bills leaving less time to watch…..

  • s1Lence on 13/04/2021 - 20:02
    +2

    This problem was solved centuries ago by piracy.

  • Blue Cat on 13/04/2021 - 20:13
    +2

    YouTube + adblock of your choice has been workling flawlessly for me for years. It's got everything (from consipary theories, to documentaries, dramas, discussions, some web series, even news etc.) and for free!

    I don't pay a single subscription and don't even watch free to air television, yet I can keep myself entertained for hours after work. it's been like this for quite a few years now.

    Also, if I REALLY need to see some specific movie, I just sail the seven seas…

    • silverrat23 on 14/04/2021 - 13:04
      +1

      To add to that, there is a web extension called Sponsor Block - it skips those sponsor segemets in the videos themselves.

      Add that and you won't even know it's been skipped.

      • Blue Cat on 14/04/2021 - 15:38
        +1

        Thanks, I always wondered if such addon exists but never bothered to look it up!

  • tonaye-aye on 13/04/2021 - 20:27

    Simple services for simple minded people. Enjoy foxtel lol

  • DiscoJango on 13/04/2021 - 20:59

    I quickly got over the 'must watch' shows, especially when everyone jumped on the game of thrones band wagon.

    Im now on my second re-watch of how i met your mother. love that show. couldnt care less about the million and one new tv series popping up every other day.

    • [Deactivated] on 14/04/2021 - 06:57

      I only started watching GOT just before the last season, so I knew it’s ending soon. I’m not waiting for anything. Good show nonetheless.

  • DonWilson on 13/04/2021 - 22:27

    Quite the opposite.

    I subscribe, trawl the content I want, unsubscribe.

    I rarely subscribe to any one service for more than a single contiguous month. Rarely more than three months a year.

  • Oz em on 13/04/2021 - 22:50

    I just have Netflix with my oz bargain family.
    A couple of new movies and a series each week.
    I find it harder to find filler stuff just to leave on when I’m busy but like to have the tv in. Foxtel was great for that. And I miss the routine of set times for programs to be on.

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