One feature of conversations we often have here about geek media is that they get sidetracked into conversations about the various streaming services that are currently offering the content. So while you want to talk about Captain Pike's amazingly dreamy hair and cooking skills on Strange New Worlds, you instead end up discussing Paramount+. Or instead of being able to chat about the delightfully awesome and weird Severance, you end up debating the merits of AppleTV+.
Therefore, as a public service, I have decided to create this thread - for talking about the relative merits of streaming platforms, as well as to all people to provide their own power rankings of the platforms. This was, by the way, partially prompted by the curious (and, IMO, dumb) decisions made recently regarding HBOMax.
I apologize but this is going to be US-centric. That's because I am reasonably certain that the US is the only country, and that every time I have flown "outside the US" I have actually only gone to the World Showcase of Epcot ... which, wow, they do a good job! I still don't know how they got an accurate representation of the Dolomites in a central Florida swamp. That said, please feel free to contribute with your own observation from Central Florida.
Second, feel free to discuss any and all of the 10,984 streaming services that you want! ESPN+? Sure. Shudder? Love the horror. FuboTV? FUBO! That said, for purposes of power rankings, I will be looking at only the following services:
Netflix
Prime (Amazon)
Disney+
HBOMax
Hulu
Paramount+
Peacock
AppleTV+
How are power rankings determined? They are a completely subjective mix of my opinion as to how the service is doing currently, along with my belief in how the service will be doing in the future. In addition, I will provide a trend (up, down, steady).
1. Netflix. Sure, the share price has dropped. Yeah, they spent a lot of money on some bad movies. No, they don't have the library they did seven years ago, before everyone else started yanking their content for their own streaming services. And, of course, they are treading water on subscribers. But that obscures the larger point- they have the technology. They successfully pivoted to creating their own content. They have worldwide distribution. They have a brand. And unlike the other streaming sites, which puff up their numbers with free subscriptions or special offers ... Netflix is all paying.
2. Disney+. This is partly due to recent events, and also a projection (see Hulu, below). Disney has one ... massive ... thing ... going for it. The content. If you're a fan of Marvel, Disney is a must-have. If you're a fan of Star Wars, Disney is a must-have. And ... if you have children, Disney is a must-have. When Content is King, the House of Mouse will eventually prevail.
3. AppleTV+. This is mostly projection. Apple was always chasing quality ... and sometimes, especially early on, that wasn't paying off (The Daily Show, See). But what was the first streamer to win an Oscar? That's right, Apple. Despite being a latecomer to streaming with only a handful of TV shows, Apple is already one of the top "platforms" for Emmy nominations. Apple appears to be taking the heavily-curated HBO approach; the only thing that they lack is a back catalog. And Apple? They have money.
4. HBOMax. This pains me. If I had done this prior to Warner getting spun off to Discovery, HBOMax would have been #2, easily. Combining Warner Bros. content (including DC), a ton of great old TV series, adult swim (!), anime, classic movies, tons of original new programming and ... the amazing quality of HBO, this was probably the highest-quality streamer out there. And AT&T kept funneling money to make sure it would continue to be successful. But now? It's a company saddled with debt, that's seems lost in terms of direction, and is intent on diminishing a successful brand. Maybe it will work? Or maybe it will flounder and get sold to someone else.
5. Prime. On the plus side, they have Lord of the Rings, The Boys, and Amazon's infinite war chest. On the minus side, most people view it as an adjunct to getting stuff shipped to them, not as a stand-alone service.
6. Paramount+. Also known as "The Star Trek Channel." Between the CBS library and the Paramount library, they have a decent back-catalog. But right now, they are riding the success of the launch of a number of Star Trek shows.
7. Hulu. Fun fact! Did you know that Hulu is mostly owned by Disney? But that part of it is still owned by Comcast (the company that owns Peacock)? And that it doesn't exist outside of the U.S.? Which means that there is a streaming service that is very successful within the U.S., doesn't exist outside of it, and will have to end its existence relatively soon due to various contractual obligations. Expect to see Disney buy out Comcast.
8. Peacock. Wait, I rated something lower than a streaming service that will be forced to end it existence in the next few years? Yeah. Comcast needs Peacock to work, and yet ... it isn't. It's been a disaster since the launch. Quick- what "must see" program in on Peacock? Yellowstone (which is actually a Paramount show ... that was an unfortunate licensing deal)? Peacock has fewer people watching it than Paramount+, but the vast majority of people that are "subscribers" are actually watching the free version - there are fewer than 10 million paying customers, and of those, most of them received deals or are paying for the ad-supported version. It's bleeding money, and has little interest.
Anyway, feel free to post any thoughts or comments about the streaming platforms here- and not in the show pages!
Therefore, as a public service, I have decided to create this thread - for talking about the relative merits of streaming platforms, as well as to all people to provide their own power rankings of the platforms. This was, by the way, partially prompted by the curious (and, IMO, dumb) decisions made recently regarding HBOMax.
I apologize but this is going to be US-centric. That's because I am reasonably certain that the US is the only country, and that every time I have flown "outside the US" I have actually only gone to the World Showcase of Epcot ... which, wow, they do a good job! I still don't know how they got an accurate representation of the Dolomites in a central Florida swamp. That said, please feel free to contribute with your own observation from Central Florida.
Second, feel free to discuss any and all of the 10,984 streaming services that you want! ESPN+? Sure. Shudder? Love the horror. FuboTV? FUBO! That said, for purposes of power rankings, I will be looking at only the following services:
Netflix
Prime (Amazon)
Disney+
HBOMax
Hulu
Paramount+
Peacock
AppleTV+
How are power rankings determined? They are a completely subjective mix of my opinion as to how the service is doing currently, along with my belief in how the service will be doing in the future. In addition, I will provide a trend (up, down, steady).
1. Netflix. Sure, the share price has dropped. Yeah, they spent a lot of money on some bad movies. No, they don't have the library they did seven years ago, before everyone else started yanking their content for their own streaming services. And, of course, they are treading water on subscribers. But that obscures the larger point- they have the technology. They successfully pivoted to creating their own content. They have worldwide distribution. They have a brand. And unlike the other streaming sites, which puff up their numbers with free subscriptions or special offers ... Netflix is all paying.
2. Disney+. This is partly due to recent events, and also a projection (see Hulu, below). Disney has one ... massive ... thing ... going for it. The content. If you're a fan of Marvel, Disney is a must-have. If you're a fan of Star Wars, Disney is a must-have. And ... if you have children, Disney is a must-have. When Content is King, the House of Mouse will eventually prevail.
3. AppleTV+. This is mostly projection. Apple was always chasing quality ... and sometimes, especially early on, that wasn't paying off (The Daily Show, See). But what was the first streamer to win an Oscar? That's right, Apple. Despite being a latecomer to streaming with only a handful of TV shows, Apple is already one of the top "platforms" for Emmy nominations. Apple appears to be taking the heavily-curated HBO approach; the only thing that they lack is a back catalog. And Apple? They have money.
4. HBOMax. This pains me. If I had done this prior to Warner getting spun off to Discovery, HBOMax would have been #2, easily. Combining Warner Bros. content (including DC), a ton of great old TV series, adult swim (!), anime, classic movies, tons of original new programming and ... the amazing quality of HBO, this was probably the highest-quality streamer out there. And AT&T kept funneling money to make sure it would continue to be successful. But now? It's a company saddled with debt, that's seems lost in terms of direction, and is intent on diminishing a successful brand. Maybe it will work? Or maybe it will flounder and get sold to someone else.
5. Prime. On the plus side, they have Lord of the Rings, The Boys, and Amazon's infinite war chest. On the minus side, most people view it as an adjunct to getting stuff shipped to them, not as a stand-alone service.
6. Paramount+. Also known as "The Star Trek Channel." Between the CBS library and the Paramount library, they have a decent back-catalog. But right now, they are riding the success of the launch of a number of Star Trek shows.
7. Hulu. Fun fact! Did you know that Hulu is mostly owned by Disney? But that part of it is still owned by Comcast (the company that owns Peacock)? And that it doesn't exist outside of the U.S.? Which means that there is a streaming service that is very successful within the U.S., doesn't exist outside of it, and will have to end its existence relatively soon due to various contractual obligations. Expect to see Disney buy out Comcast.
8. Peacock. Wait, I rated something lower than a streaming service that will be forced to end it existence in the next few years? Yeah. Comcast needs Peacock to work, and yet ... it isn't. It's been a disaster since the launch. Quick- what "must see" program in on Peacock? Yellowstone (which is actually a Paramount show ... that was an unfortunate licensing deal)? Peacock has fewer people watching it than Paramount+, but the vast majority of people that are "subscribers" are actually watching the free version - there are fewer than 10 million paying customers, and of those, most of them received deals or are paying for the ad-supported version. It's bleeding money, and has little interest.
Anyway, feel free to post any thoughts or comments about the streaming platforms here- and not in the show pages!
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