For the past few months, the entertainment world has been a yo-yo for Netflix users. From price and policy changes to Netflix stocks going haywire, this streaming giant has had its work cut out for it.
But despite the changes, many MU students still use the service.
“I think even with all the recent changes, it’s still the best option,” freshman Scott MacDonald says. “Renting a video used to be such a hassle and pretty expensive, so being able to get unlimited movies delivered and streaming online for such a low price is worth it.”
Even though Netflix lost 800,000 members after the changes were enacted, some Netflix subscribers at MU continue to find that the best way to catch up on the best in television is just a click of the remote away.
Callie Lockhart, DSA film’s committee senior chair, says Netflix has been a great alternative to external services.
“I like Netflix, especially since right now I do not have cable or satellite,” Lockhart says. “It is really nice to have a reliable and legal source of streaming video. I use it fairly frequently, maybe three to five times a week, depending on what my schedule is.”
Graduate student Alyssa Smith agrees with the convenience of Netflix, but DVDs through the mail seem like a part of the past.
“It became illogical to pay to send away for movies,” Smith says. “It is cheaper for me personally to go to Redbox to rent a movie each week than it would be to pay for a month of movies from Netflix. Instead, I only use Netflix for videos that can be watched instantly.”
The consensus also shows Netflix is mostly used for catching up on those shows people always say they’re going to watch.
“My general opinion on Netflix is that it’s a good way to catch up on shows and movies that you’ve always wanted to see,” freshman Sarah Mosier says. “At the same time, it kind of sucks away your life. I personally like it because it’s got some really weird movies that you wouldn’t find in a movie store, and it’s super convenient, something that American society values today.”
Netflix represents about 33 percent of North America’s downstream traffic. While that doesn’t mean much to some people, the fact that it beat out YouTube does places its significance in perspective. With such a large community, it would be hard not to piss off a few people, but the true gems of live streaming are found in finding hidden treasures.
“The best part is the complete catalog of shows like ‘Arrested Development’ and ‘The Office,’” MacDonald says. “I’ve been able to watch those whole series instead of catching random reruns on TBS.”
Lockhart enjoys the greater access to foreign and classic films. Mosier has watched every season of “Arrested Development.”
“My favorite movie from Netflix has probably been ‘Duck Soup,’ starring the Marx brothers,” Smith says. “With the decrease in the number of video rental stores, it can be more difficult to find some older films.”
With Redbox raising its prices and Amazon starting to develop its own instant-streaming service, the streaming race might have just started, but with an abundance of quality shows, a fair price and hidden film treasures, Netflix will continue to be the one to make viewers press play.
