Ever Since the pandemic in 2020 there has been a huge increase in the number of streaming platforms available to the public. For a lot of people streaming is the new normality to watch their favorite shows, and as a college student myself, I use streaming services more than I ever have. In this article I’m going to share my thoughts on all the popular streaming services to hopefully give you all a guide through the world of streaming.
Arguably the most popular streaming platform, Netflix, started its streaming services in 2007. After dominating the streaming industry for over a decade, Netflix is still on top, with other streaming services desperate to catch up to them. What’s on Netflix though, and is It worth subscribing to? The simple answer to that question is yes, I do think Netflix is still worth having, even if it’s lost some of its credibility over the years.
For starters, Netflix has some of the biggest original shows in pop culture history, such as Stranger Things, Cobra Kai, and Wednesday, but it also has a lot of variety in its library. As I figured out in the last year, Netflix has a HUGE selection of foreign projects, and as someone who loves K-dramas, I couldn’t be happier with its selection. The streaming service also gets a lot of big movies, especially from SONY and DreamWorks which cycle out regularly. So, in my opinion, Netflix deserves to keep its top spot as the best streaming service.
Launching only three years ago in 2020, Max (formerly known as HBO Max), has the highest chance of overtaking Netflix for the top spot in streaming. Unlike Netflix, Max focuses on quality over quantity and delivered some of my favorite shows of all time, the biggest being Succession. Max also has other hit shows such as Game of Thrones, The White Lotus, The Last of Us, and The Sopranos. Max also has a pretty solid selection of movies. Are you a Harry Potter fan? Max has all eight films. There are also many classic films as well, such as Casablanca, The Exorcist, Gone with the Wind, and Singin’ in the Rain. If Max keeps on this winning streak there is no doubt that Max will be one of the top competitors in the streaming industry.
Now it’s time to talk about Disney Plus. Disney Plus started with a bang when it was launched in 2019. For the launch, they dropped the Mandalorian which easily became one of their most popular titles. Then they started the big-budget Marvel series, which got a lot of hype at the time, but many people started to lose interest very quickly in both Marvel and Star Wars. With Disney Plus mainly focusing on Marvel and Star Wars, it leaves almost nothing else that’s interesting on the platform. There are a couple of standout projects though, like High School Musical the Musical the Series, Andor, and Disney’s entire library of films over the last 100 years, but if you’re looking for quality original content, Disney Plus is not the place.
Prime Video is a streaming service that, in my opinion, doesn’t have that big of a selection, but the stuff they do put out is top-tier stuff. If you like extremely graphic superhero shows you can check out the Boys, Gen V, and Invincible. The streaming service also has crime thrillers such as Jack Ryan, Jack Reacher, and the Terminal List.
The next streaming service is Hulu, and this is probably the streaming service that I use the least. If you’re a fan of reality television, then Hulu is the place to go because there are a lot of reality shows like the Kardashians. I will say that Only Murders in the Building is an incredible show and it’s the only reason why I consider keeping Hulu. The Bear is also worth checking out if you like tense shows that riddle you with anxiety. The service also has a lot of adult animation shows like Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers, so if you’re a fan of that, check out Hulu.
Paramount Plus is probably the streaming service that I had the least faith in just because nothing on the platform seemed to interest me, but I was pleasantly surprised with this one. If you’re a fan of Star Trek, Paramount Plus is the place to be. There are also some standout shows like the ICarly reboot and School Spirits. If you are a fan of crime television, there is also Tulsa King and the Mayor of Kingstown which you can check out.
I don’t currently have Apple TV or Peacock, which are some other major streaming services, so it wouldn’t be fair for me to share my thoughts on them, but neither of these streaming services have got anything that makes me want to get them, so there’s something.
These are my thoughts on these streaming services. Hopefully, this article gives you some insight into what streaming services are right for you.!