by Stephen Lynch
Movies and TV shows are a great way to pass the time and with a phone, tablet or laptop, it’s easy to watch anywhere and everywhere. Netflix and Hulu are the top media services that offer various movies and TV shows. Both services offer their own benefits so The Ditmas Examiner asked people around Ditmas Park if they have Netflix or Hulu and why.
The general consensus is that Netflix is superior due to its simplicity and variety of shows. Netflix Originals are a huge part of Netflix’s popularity; it offers unique shows that are only featured on its service. Although Hulu does this too, their originals are not nearly as popular.
Abby mentions that Netflix is better because it has Netflix originals such as Black Mirror and Stranger Things.
Besides the originals, Netflix still has its massive catalog of movies and TV shows. Mcclaren says, “I could watch all my childhood shows on Netflix. Hulu has more recent shows and I don’t really know any recent shows.”
Netflix’s interface is also seen as user-friendly. Stella said that she has Netflix because “Netflix feels more natural and I am used to it.”
Hulu doesn’t seem to have such a nice ring in people’s head, and to add more salt on the wound, people bash Hulu’s $5.99 option that includes ads. Furthermore, Hulu’s $11.99 “ad-free” offering may have ads, depending on the show that is being watched.
Samantha has both Netflix and Hulu. She said she prefers Netflix “because it has more varieties of shows and Hulu has too many ads. In order to have fewer ads, you have to pay more.”
Hulu has a slew of services, including Live TV, Hulu Originals, and even paid add-on networks such as HBO, Showtime and Starz. Although Hulu Originals come with the $5.99 and $11.99 options, Live TV costs a whopping $44.99 and the various paid networks cost $8.99 to $14.99. Sorting through all these offers can seem cumbersome, or the prices aren’t compelling enough. Even when people fork out extra cash, there can still be ads. Emma said she prefers Netflix because, “There are no ads.”
Netflix’s “basic” option for $8.99 is also cheaper than Hulu’s $11.99 “ad-free” service, which is why it has more appeal to people. Irena said, “I have Netflix because there are no ads at no additional costs.”
Although Netflix is raising prices, the people we spoke with prefer a more expensive option without ads than a cheaper option with ads. People such as Heather aren’t happy about the price increase but she still uses Netflix because she prefers it and doesn’t want to pay for two services. Most people don’t want a media service to have ads because they interrupt whatever a person is watching.
To end off, if you are a movie person, then Netflix is your service. However, if you don’t have the time to watch movies all day and want to catch up on the latest episode of your favorite show and don’t mind the ad break then Hulu is your best bet. Netflix’s expanding catalog of shows, movies, and unique Netflix Originals keeps people glued to their screens forgetting Hulu’s ads, Originals and add-on’s even exist.