Staff Writer: Ryland Staples
With the arrival of the highly anticipated exclusive streaming service Disney+, streaming services across the web are vying for their users’ attention by trying to make their service stand out.
From new streaming platforms such as AppleTV+ and Peacock, NBC’s new exclusive streaming platform, to not-as-new players in the game like Netflix and Hulu, everyone’s gearing up to create groundbreaking content.
So, with the ever-growing popularity of streaming services, many people have decided to “cut the cord,” which refers to deciding to not pay for basic cable anymore.
It’s crazy to think about how much things have changed. Just a decade ago, viewers watched American Idol on Fox every Wednesday to call in on landline phones and vote for their favorite contestants. In those days, DVR and rewinding weren’t commonplace, and if you missed the new episode of Ugly Betty, you were just out of the loop until the reruns came on.
With new streaming websites popping up, the ones already here need to be able to stand out. For example, Netflix combined forces with Nickelodeon to produce new content and stream their shows. In August, they released two new short films from two classic cartoons, Invader Zim and Racko’s Modern Life. They even have more recent shows on there like the first couple seasons of Victorious and the Hey Arnold! movie that was released a few years ago.
It is a good move because they’re cashing in on people’s nostalgia, which always works. Disney+’s success as an example. Also, Netflix capitalized on fans re-watching Friends and The Office. Think about it, how many times have you re-watched your favorite shows? I’ve personally re-watched The Office three times. Not because I have this undying love for The Office, but because I know what I’m getting, it can last me at least a month and I know I’ll be entertained while I’m eating or bored.
Hulu, Netflix’s longtime rival in the streaming industry, has built up a nice potential package for new customers. With the arrival of Disney+, and the fact that the Walt Disney Company owns a major portion of Hulu, they have combined forces with another Disney-owned company to deliver the ultimate user experience: $12.99 for Hulu (with ads), ESPN+ and Disney+.
HBO also has joined this streaming battle. With the end of the heavily influential Games of Thrones, HBO has focused on trying to make content that will be able to fill up that time slot. With the success of shows like Barry, Euphoria, The Black Lady Sketch Show and Chernobyl, the summer gave HBO the extra boost needed to propel it forward.
Now, HBO MAX will house classic HBO shows like The Wire, as well as Friends, which is set to leave Netflix next year. Consumers will be able to stream shows like South Park, The Big Bang Theory and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, since they’re all under the Warner Media umbrella.
Even anime fans will be very satisfied with the HBO MAX lineup, with classic Studio Ghibli movies like Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totaro.
It only gets better with a Cartoon Network partnership to bring back childhood favorites as well as an Adventure Time reboot on the way.
With so many options, how do we manage to figure out what we want and what we don’t? With a cable package, you were able to get a certain package with certain channels and be satisfied with that. Now with all these options available at varying prices, widespread confusion can lead to you feeling lost in a sea of content.
The Hampton Script 