I h8 Netflix
I don't even know how to start this one.
Growing up in an English-speaking household in Switzerland, my daughters didn't have much access to television. So, many of the cultural constructs that my wife and I, as well as our children's contemporaries, had were something that they had no experience of. It doesn't seem to have done them too much harm, but I get a certain comfort from looking back at my childhood TV memories, and I'm sad that my girls won't have that. But what's done is done, it can't be undone.
Nevertheless, my wife and I bought the family a one-year Netflix subscription for Christmas last year. Although I've hardly used it, and I should since I'm paying for it, I'm not impressed with what I've seen thus far.
The only thing that I've actually watched is the first 15 minutes of The Witcher, because Netflix recommended
it to me. Based on what? A deep understanding of my likes and dislikes, or becase they're desperate for viewers? I can honestly say that I hadn't a clue what was going on, which only made sense later on when I discovered that the screen adaptation drops you in about three-quarters of the way through the storyline. Fine, if you're familiar with the story in the first place and know what to expect, not so otherwise.
Since then, my time has been largely spent compiling a watchlist of things that I'd like to watch, if I ever get around to it. Which leads me to something that I really don't like about Netflix.
When I search for something that isn't in the catalogue, or is unavailable due to my location, rather than a simple sorry, no can do
message, I get a choice of a whole load of irrelevant crap. Is this on the basis that viewers are expected to accept anything handed to them? And why does Netflix then list the titles that I actually do want along the top of the screen, with handy-dandy clickable links that lead nowhere? Is the purpose simply to piss me off? Because, if so, it's succeeded…AAAAAARGH!
In the meantime, my daughters have spent a lot of time, and derived a lot of viewing pleasure, from Netflix. And, when all is said and done, that was really the point in the first place.
So, fuck Netflix. But we'll keep the subscription. For now.