This kinda thing doesn't happen usually I'm on the opposite side of it truthfully...
Towards the end of March, Netflix finally launched in Australia. I was on the verge of hooking up a US connection (complete with spoof IP) after experiencing Paul and Parker’s selection over the Christmas/New Year break, but decided this would be a cheaper option to test the waters.
Apart from the fact that the US exchange rate is shocking at the moment, my bank sees fit to charge me every time I make an international payment, making it safest to do so sparingly.
The introductory offer of one free month came just in time for the Easter long weekend and we took full advantage. We spent the majority of Saturday, Sunday, and Monday curled up under the blanket (it rained relentlessly for most of it) with an array of queued goodness.
We discovered Nashville - reaffirming our love of Connie Britton - and burned through season one. We screamed with laughter at Aziz Ansari’s Live At Madison Square Garden. We alternated movie selections, some of which we’d never heard of, others of which we’d never dream of paying for.
I like the fact you can build profiles for each person in the household as my flatmate and I have very different interests at times. I like the way you can make choices based on ratings, though several titles have been severely over or understated. I like the way it uses your watched titles and rated titles to recommend items you might be interested in.
The interface is easy to use, search, and navigate. In fact, the only thing I don't like about it is the bizarre selection. For example, 22 Jump Street is available but 21 Jump Street is not. Nashville season one is available, but season two is not - despite the fact they're about to kick off season four.
After three weeks, I quite feel confident in saying that the Australian content leaves a lot to be desired. There are some excellent shows on offer but, unless they're planning on adding and/or rotating items at a rapid rate, I can imagine that three months would be all you'd need to burn through the programs you're interested in. Everything else is just filler.
I'm surprised that a lot of more recent releases have been made available, but equally as surprised that older titles haven't been swept in for inclusion. Classics are sorely lacking. Though, admittedly, the majority of shows I have an interest in are ones that I've already watched in their entirety.
Some brilliant person went ahead and made a spreadsheet to compare the available content of Australia (1,326 titles) to Canada (4,400) and the United States (8,499). While I was stoked to see that one of my favourite shows, Firefly, is exclusive to Australia, there are a lot of disappointing exclusions.
I was hoping Netflix would introduce me to a bunch of shows and films I hadn't yet discovered but, at the moment, it's been more useful at providing shows I've been meaning to see but have never gotten around to - mostly documentaries and stand-up comedy.
The truth is that while I enjoy the convenience of video on demand, I could never sacrifice my whole analogue collection for a streaming service - no matter how good the selection on offer. And it's more than the quality; it's the visual library, the selection, and the knowledge that I'm sufficiently compensating artists for their creations.
So, rather than replacing my viewing habits with Netlfix, it will most likely become a back-up option when I'm looking for something new to watch.
Apart from the fact that the US exchange rate is shocking at the moment, my bank sees fit to charge me every time I make an international payment, making it safest to do so sparingly.
The introductory offer of one free month came just in time for the Easter long weekend and we took full advantage. We spent the majority of Saturday, Sunday, and Monday curled up under the blanket (it rained relentlessly for most of it) with an array of queued goodness.
We discovered Nashville - reaffirming our love of Connie Britton - and burned through season one. We screamed with laughter at Aziz Ansari’s Live At Madison Square Garden. We alternated movie selections, some of which we’d never heard of, others of which we’d never dream of paying for.
I like the fact you can build profiles for each person in the household as my flatmate and I have very different interests at times. I like the way you can make choices based on ratings, though several titles have been severely over or understated. I like the way it uses your watched titles and rated titles to recommend items you might be interested in.
The interface is easy to use, search, and navigate. In fact, the only thing I don't like about it is the bizarre selection. For example, 22 Jump Street is available but 21 Jump Street is not. Nashville season one is available, but season two is not - despite the fact they're about to kick off season four.
After three weeks, I quite feel confident in saying that the Australian content leaves a lot to be desired. There are some excellent shows on offer but, unless they're planning on adding and/or rotating items at a rapid rate, I can imagine that three months would be all you'd need to burn through the programs you're interested in. Everything else is just filler.
I'm surprised that a lot of more recent releases have been made available, but equally as surprised that older titles haven't been swept in for inclusion. Classics are sorely lacking. Though, admittedly, the majority of shows I have an interest in are ones that I've already watched in their entirety.
Some brilliant person went ahead and made a spreadsheet to compare the available content of Australia (1,326 titles) to Canada (4,400) and the United States (8,499). While I was stoked to see that one of my favourite shows, Firefly, is exclusive to Australia, there are a lot of disappointing exclusions.
I was hoping Netflix would introduce me to a bunch of shows and films I hadn't yet discovered but, at the moment, it's been more useful at providing shows I've been meaning to see but have never gotten around to - mostly documentaries and stand-up comedy.
The truth is that while I enjoy the convenience of video on demand, I could never sacrifice my whole analogue collection for a streaming service - no matter how good the selection on offer. And it's more than the quality; it's the visual library, the selection, and the knowledge that I'm sufficiently compensating artists for their creations.
So, rather than replacing my viewing habits with Netlfix, it will most likely become a back-up option when I'm looking for something new to watch.