Weekend poll: Which video streaming service do you consider the most essential?
Streaming services are a dime a dozen these days. It seems like every media company under the sun has decided to become your home for movies and shows. From major studios toindie startups, there’s no limit to the number of platforms that want your attention — and your hard-earned dollar.But with pricessteadily risingandads slowlybutsurely arriving, one has to wonder: if you could only live with a single video streaming service, which would you pick?
I’d bet many of our readers have a different answer to this question than they did just a few years ago. Paramount+, Apple+, and Disney+ — just to namesomeof the “pluses'' — have built massive libraries of legacy content or,in the case of Apple’s offerings, a smash hit sitcom about asoccerfootball coach. Meanwhile, HBO Max has emerged as a solid competitor to Netflix, while classic services like Hulu and Prime Video have just kept trucking along.
The idea of only having one of these services might feel extreme. After all, how can you continue the Friday night tradition of jumping between apps for 45 minutes before settling back intoThe Officereruns if you only have one? But, for the sake of this weekend’s poll, let’s say you can only subscribe to one video streaming service, completely limited to its library. Which would you pick?
It’s an easy decision for me. While I’ve been continuously disappointed by Netflix’s output over the last few years, HBO Max has surprised me with a deep library of old favoritesandsome genuinely excellent originals.Successionremains one of my favorite shows of the last few years, and I think I could rewatchThe Sopranostwenty times over without getting sick of it.
For this poll, I’ve tried to include as many major players as possible into one single list. Obviously, it’s easy for these options to get out of hand real quick, so I had to make some cuts — sorry, my beloved Criterion Channel. If your streaming platform of choice isn’t listed here, feel free to select “Other” and let us know about it in the comments below.
Which video streaming service do you consider the most essential?
Broader branding hints at wider paid-tier ambitions
The note-taking app I should have used all along
Pixel downsides never change
A hefty discount makes this a no-brainer
Change your network settings the easy way
Tidal is the best app for streaming music
