Netflix is going downhill and risks losing fans

The streaming service is losing the lustre it used to have

(Kristen Frier)

(Kristen Frier)

If you’ve been a watcher of the world’s most famous streaming platform, Netflix, then you might’ve picked up on some of the consistent trends and changes that have been happening over the last couple of years or so. You may have also noticed that the trends aren’t great.

Netflix is well known all around the world for a lot of reasons. As a consistent, easy-to-use service that allows viewers to watch their favourite shows at the touch of a screen or button, and with the non-existent presence of commercials and ads, Netflix has a history of showing up for its fans with top-notch shows and movies. That is until recently. 

Many have heard of movies such as The Kissing Booth franchise, Riverdale, and even the newest reality TV show called Hype House, the show where a bunch of TikTokers and influencers dance in front of their phone in every episode. Though it is not a surprise how increasingly popular these massively cringey films and shows have become, that doesn’t mean it’s a good thing.

In comparison with the addition of these low-quality shows, Netflix has had beloved shows like The Society, Anne with an E, Ozark, and On My Block have all been cancelled between one and four seasons without a proper or rather rushed conclusion to the story. 

Fans have been reeling over the cancellations of their favourite shows and the continuation of shows like Riverdale, which gets horrible reviews and seems to be never-ending.

Not only this, but Netflix has removed shows like Friends and The Office, which provided a lot of revenue and money for the consistent returns and binges of these popular and amazing shows. But with their absence, viewers have begun to turn to other streaming platforms to get their fill of their favourites. 

“Netflix’s share of subscribers in the U.S. has dropped 31% in one year,” according to a recent Bloomberg article. Those numbers should be enough to prompt Netflix into thinking about their fans’ wants. 

However, with the recent trends of shows and movies that lack substance and quality, except maybe for the sake of being so bad they are entertaining, Netflix seems to be going down a dangerous path. The platform is focusing only on the smallest trends that will change within a year or so. 

With the descent into less impactful and lower quality shows which can now be found on other streaming sites, it would be no surprise if viewers turn their attention elsewhere, and bring their wallets elsewhere too.

Platforms like HBO, HULU, and Disney+ have skyrocketed in sales and viewership with hits such as Wandavision on Disney and Mare of Easttown on HBO. 

With so many people still working from home or stuck in their house, having different ways to indulge in movies and TV shows is much more common, especially during the digital age like today. If Netflix doesn’t pick up the slack, their reputation and popularity will continue to slide into this downward spiral.