By Lindsay Der
Netflix hates good TV. At least, that’s how it seems. Known for its easy, comparatively cheap streaming and huge variety of TV series, movies and other entertainment, Netflix is the number one paid streaming service. These last couple of months, however, Netflix has received a fair share of backlash from its customers.
Don’t get me wrong, Netflix has some of my favorite shows and movies, but for the most part, it seems as though Netflix values quantity over quality. The corporation brags about having thousands of shows and movies to watch yet I can’t help but feel, as I scroll through the seemingly never ending options, that only barely any of the titles are even watchable. I find myself watching the same select shows over and over again, too lazy to browse for a half an hour to find a decent series.
With that in mind, the recent removal of renowned shows such as Parks and Recreation and That 70’s Show was only amplified by the lack of quality entertainment remaining on Netflix. Fans felt blindsided by the sudden removal of both shows back in September. For the rest of October, Netflix users should watch out for the removal of their favorite TV shows and movies, as the service seems to be doing a purge at the end of the month. On top of these removals, Netflix has been forced, by COVID, to cancel the renewal of Netflix originals including Glow, I Am Not Okay With This and, one of my personal favorites, The Society, sparking complaints across the internet from fans who hoped to see these well-liked shows come back for more seasons.
Instead, Netflix released Cuties, a movie about a young dance troupe which received huge amounts of backlash for the over-sexualized portrayal of children. The movie resulted in the trending of the hashtag #CancelNetflix on Twitter and a jump in Netflix subscription cancellations. Netflix has defended the movie claiming Cuties “is a social commentary” on the dangers of the sexualized imagery of young girls in the media. Still, many find discomfort with the erotic dances and other overtly sexual scenarios performed by the preteens in the movie.
Despite everything that happened in the last few months, I could not do without Netflix’s simple streaming services. It provides mindless entertainment, and I easily lose myself in Netflix’s rows and rows of shows and movies. Additionally, Netflix continues to add more shows and movies every month. So, Netlflix may hate good tv, but I still don’t hate Netflix.