I’ve been a cable subscriber for years.
Even though cable sucked, they were the only game in town.
Then came Blockbuster.
Like cable, they had a super selection of movies, which you could watch when you wanted.
But their expensive rental and draconian late fees, made them a not-oft-used luxury.
And it was inconvenient.
Unlike cable, if you wanted a movie, you had to get into your car.
Drive to your local Blockbuster.
And hope that the movie you wanted was in stock.
When Netflix arrived on the scene, they gave Blockbuster a run.
As long as you were willing to deal the whole snail mail thing.
And didn’t have a problem waiting until your movie was returned before you could get a new one.
Netflix wasn’t totally intolerable.
And they were dumb cheap.
But they weren’t really an alternative to cable.
You couldn’t just plop onto your couch, point your remote and wham – instant gratification.
But that was yesterday.
Netflix realized that the landscape for movie rentals was going the way of the dinosaur.
And they adapted.
Added streaming to their offering.
Changed to a subscription model.
And watched as Blockbuster folded, under the unbearable weight of it’s brick-and-mortar infrastructure.
Like cable, Netflix offers streaming television programs and movies.
Like cable, Netflix allows you to stream to your television, mobile and tablet devices.
But unlike cable, Netflix is DUMB CHEAP!
And you can stream your movies anywhere – not just in your crib.
I pay like $200 a month for my Verizon Fios.
To be fair, it’s a bundle: internet, phone and tv.
If I just had Fios TV, I’d be paying like $90 a month.
I pay $7.99 a month for Netflix.
$7.99!
If I wanted to add the ability to receive multiple DVD’s at home, it would be another $4.
So for like $12 I could get my movie on.
There is, however, one serious drawback to Netflix…
Most of the good movies are on DVD.
No seriously.
Sure, every once in a while, a movie you want to see is available for streaming.
But for the most part, the really good stuff isn’t available.
Trust me.
I’ve been down this road before.
Since wifey is a night owl, she’s constantly trolling the channels to find something to watch.
Cable routinely fails to deliver.
So Netflix has become the good old go-to.
And while there are literally hundreds of thousands of movie titles to chose from…
The movies we want are never the ones available to stream!
Netflix get your shit together!
I’m just bitchin’.
Cause there’s nothing on tv.
And the movie I want on Netflix is only on DVD.
Which means I can’t watch it right now.
And I’m a big baby.
First world problems.
Stephen Chukumba 