Why Netflix Works

It was Friday night and I picked up the remote and began channel surfing-- and surfing, and surfing. Nothing interested me. I didn't care to watch sports, reality tv shows, cartoons, or even the news. Frustrated, I threw the remote on the couch and headed towards my room. My roommate came out and said that she's about to watch a new show on Netflix and invited me to join her. Sure I've heard of Netflix, but it never interested me. She told me about this new series that she thought I would like. And she was right. After ten minutes of the first episode I was addicted.

Orange Is The New Black is a Netflix success. Netflix releases the entire season at once and gives viewers a healthy dose of satisfaction on-demand. I finished the 13 episode, hour long drama in a day and a half instead of seeing it once a week for months on end like other cable tv shows. And the best part, no commercials! I watch when I want, and I can cancel my subscription at any time. Not bad for less than fifteen bucks a month.

Anything can go wrong with watching shows on cable tv. Time Warner Cable and CBS are currently bickering over cable fees, and that has resulted in the removal of CBS programming for Time Warner subscribers. After my experience, which I am sure is no aberration, it’s no wonder so many cable subscribers are checking out Netflix and other streaming content providers. With streaming online content breaking barriers and changing the way we view television shows, it’s no wonder that the company has been successful. Netflix even earned its first Primetime Emmy nominations this year for Arrested Development, Hemlock Grove, and House of Cards.

Netflix isn’t the only game in town, either. With Hulu Plus, Redbox, Amazon, and many more, I wonder if I am missing out on other series.