SAN JOSE, CALIF. ⸺ With Netflix already gaining more popularity throughout the 2019-2022 Covid-19 time period, more students at Silver Creek have most likely used the streaming service to lessen their boredom. With this drastic increase in users, students have various opinions about Netflix’s way of doing things.

In 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, places where people socialized had to shut down because of the virus’ danger. Malls, movie theaters, restaurants, schools, and many other locations that provided important requirements for all ages closed. As a result, people that had to stay at home were met with the same issue: boredom. Streaming services like Netflix blew up in subscriptions, since viewers could watch a variety of movies and shows with theaters being closed.

Netflix was created in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph. The streaming service was first launched as a mail-based rental service delivering rented DVDs to customers. When 2007 came around, Netflix decided to switch from only having a DVD subscription to becoming a streaming media service. Then, from 2007-2012, the company focused more on advancing their services, or partnering with different companies like Paramount. They also included features such as having the Netflix button for certain remote controls. From 2012-2022, the company has expanded into different areas such as creating their own TV shows and movies while also adding new productions based on video games.

Netflix is a great streaming service for people that want to find new TV shows or movies without having to search for specific categories. Netflix puts shows and movies that fit your recent activity on the site to match your individual algorithm. They also have a “Most Popular” category where they display 10 shows or movies that have gotten the most watch time within the last week or so. Another feature Netflix has is a kids’ section and an adult section to fit their different target audiences.

However, something on Netflix that I would say needs some improvement is the way Netflix runs seasons for shows. I understand if Netflix can’t post all the seasons for certain shows, since according to Netflix they need the original broadcaster to post the episodes. Netflix releases a few episodes at a time which I don’t like or dislike. Even so, in other countries, the Netflix there contains more episodes for seasons and more movies. Another part of Netflix I dislike is how it runs their own productions of a TV show. For example, Netflix collaborated with David Productions to release the episodes of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure on Netflix before they had been released from Japan. I would have been fine with them releasing one episode every week, but Netflix decided to release the episodes in batches of 12. The reason I dislike this is because Netflix is basically telling fans to binge the batches of episodes then to wait months for the next batch instead of just doing them weekly.

When asking 12 students if they use Netflix, eight of them do while four don’t. One of the students who said that they do use Netflix, freshman Justin Le, agreed to allow me to ask him a few questions about this streaming service. “There used to be no ads when I used Netflix.” said Le when questioned about what he likes about Netflix. Le also commented that his favorite show is “Stranger Things”. “Netflix removes shows and movies that are good, then they add new ones that nobody cares about or ones that most people have already watched from a long time ago,” Le revealed as a feature of Netflix he opposes.

I think Netflix is a good streaming service that most of the time has good shows or movies. However, they can still improve by adding more seasons or shows since people will have to use VPNs to change their location online to access more shows and movies on Netflix. I don’t want to have to go through the trouble of changing locations, just to experience more entertainment on a site I’ve already paid for.