They fixed it! Kind of. – Netflix Review

Update Jan 2022: True to my word, I am back to give this beloved service 5 stars again. Netflix did it! They brought back the button option to continue playing shows without being asked again if I want to stop. I like the autonomy of being able to choose for myself when I am done watching something. Now I would love an option to dismiss the “Skip intro” button as I am not a fan of it covering up portions of artistic show intros or recaps. I love that I’m seeing some form of ratings return. Streaming services need to know that humans will fully get into watching 2 star content from time to time. I like knowing what to expect and to have recommendations at least SOMEWHAT match my interests. A big thank you to whoever made the service more personalized again, because I’m seeing more of what I want to see and less filler advertised to me that I will never watch; like the hillbilly reality shows and stuff glorifying serial killers irl. Not mad if you’re into that stuff, it’s just not for me and sifting through it was a drag. I’m seeing more anime, comedy, and fantasy content, and I love that. You brought back some quality movies. Midnight Mass was stunningly good! I was bummed by the knee-jerk reaction to cancel Cowboy Bebop, but glad you guys made it in the first place. I still really miss the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, guys, but you have upped your game and I appreciate it. Old 2021 review: I don’t know why Netflix has been gradually dismantled, with everything ruined that used to be user friendly, but it’s unrecognizable from the service I loved during its first 5 years. I would rate some of its original content 5 stars, like Stranger Things (of course), The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (I really have no idea why it got canceled), and The Haunting of Hill House/Bly Manor, but it used to be known for its giant catalogue of movies, including rare titles and criterion classics. A lot of its awesome content is gone. I know some of that isn’t Netflix’s fault, but rather the competitive element of so many channels bolstering their own juggernaut streaming services, but Netflix is made worse by an evermore frustrating user interface. Missing features: - Sortable personalized lists. We used to be able to view our lists by the order we added movies, or alphabetically, by genre, or by director. It was our choice how we viewed our content. Our lists weren’t dictated by sponsors-Being able to view all clearly delineated genres, not a constantly rotating bunch of random categories. Trending on Facebook? Seriously? Movies no one has EVER heard of are trending on Facebook? Just no. -Titles that fit their genre lists instead of a bizarre tower of genres stacked with the same 20 or so titles (whatever Netflix is attempting to force down our throats in a given week). If I didn’t choose to watch “Criminal Files” or whatever generic garbage you were peddling in the first 10 rows of esoteric genres (it fits into everything including Family Fun Night AND Slasher Thrillers? Really?!), I’m not going to choose it when it’s in the 11th genre even if it IS celebrating black heritage. -The ability to remove titles, not JUST from continue watching (although we’re stuck with all kinds of garbage there, and do you think I WANT my husband to know I watched an episode of The Great British Baking Show without him?), but also from RECOMMENDATIONS. I miss the ability to hide content from view that I will NEVER watch. It is a waste of my precious time (I am dying of terminal cancer) to sift through hundreds of slots of repeating sponsored content. Let me find hidden gems by not hiding them in a sea of bizarre reality show hillbilly rubbish. Not everyone is obsessed with glorifying real life serial killers. -Anime that wasn’t made on flat and lifeless digital animation engines. Staff traditional 2D animators once in a while instead of relying on techies to know what fluid art should look like. (But thank you for any anime at all. Seriously).-Star ratings. I miss recommendations genuinely based on those star ratings. The thumbs up thumbs down system was okay, and either would be grand if they would eliminate thumbs down or one star rated programs from view, so I might actually find something to watch that I’m interested in (there’s a reason we bailed on cable).-The ability to rewind, fast forward, and pause with a clear frame to help us find our place or freeze a funny detail to share with a pal. Why did you think anyone wanted to pause on a dim screen with words all over it? Why don’t you make ANY of your features optional or customizable in any way? It’s 2021!-Binge watching. Remember when we could watch hour after hour of TV shows without stopping? I love how it used to get me through terrifying nights of PTSD insomnia. Now I can’t get through 40 minutes of Kath and Kim without Netflix INSISTING I inform them of whether or not I want to continue watching the show I turned on and did not turn off, or they’ll automatically shut it off “for” me. Listen up, big brother, I’ve got a pretty low carbon footprint for a tech addict (I drive a Prius, my lights and handhelds are solar charged, I buy free trade sustainable organic free range local), I do not need or want you to police my television, and it’s primarily for this reason that I am canceling my subscription for the first time since Netflix began. It was bad enough when you would force me out of the credits I wanted to watch and into a random “next up” selection you made without my consent, and how I would have to rush to remain for the precious end-of-credits scenes, but you couldn’t even let me keep the feature where I could inform the app that I didn’t want to be asked again if I wanted to keep watching. Is Netflix NOT for watching???? Apparently so! Bye! Donezo! Boom goes the dynamite. ?
Review by TamaraMonkey on Netflix.