Remember when everyone’s main problem was that it was just simply impossible to settle for a film on Netflix? Now we still have trouble finding a good movie to watch on Netflix, but with the sudden abundance of new streaming platforms such as Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+, and the like, how can we decide which platform reigns superior over the others? 

Each program definitely has their ups and downs. Popularity inevitably increases and decreases with the addition and cancelation of various shows, but you can’t say that each platform has at least two or three staples that draw you in. 

For Netflix it might be Stranger Things, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, and The Office. Hulu; The Simpsons, Handmaid’s Tale, Family Guy. Well known shows on Disney+ include The Mandalorian and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Heavily watched content on Amazon Prime involve horror movies such as Midsommar, Hereditary, and Don’t Breathe. 

I think it’s fair to say that each program can be categorized under their specialties, or what they’re most known for being good at. 

Netflix is debatable, as their Netflix Originals are usually what draw in viewers, however their range is expanded over every filmmaking genre. Deven Du (10) shares his reason for gravitating towards Netflix, saying that “[It’s] is my favorite streaming platform because I gravitate towards those high school type shows that create a false expectation of what high school can be like. I feel as though Netflix knows that their audience is usually younger and what is appealing to them.” 

For Amazon Prime it’s definitely the horror genre, as they display some of the most popular horror hits over the past decade. However they also provide a good quantity of feel-good type content, from coming-of-age movies to the reminiscing of old times. 

Hulu seems to focus on binge-worthy cartoons, like The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers, Family Guy, and Rick and Morty. However, Allie Mortensen’s (12) reasoning for choosing Hulu is because “Hulu has more of a variety of shows and movies. They seem to also have a faster turnover, meaning that they have more shows for a shorter amount of time. I like the format of Hulu better and that the shows/movies are curated to my tastes.” 

Although the newly found Disney+ has just recently hit TV screens, fanatics are still all over campus. Some are reeled in due to the high number of content from Marvel, some to the animated musicals, and others lean towards it because when you’re writing an AP Lang essay at 1 A.M., what could provide better comfort than the familiarity of Wizards of Waverly Place? For Colin Loughran (9), action and adventure is his favorite genre, so an installment like Disney+ is naturally his favorite platform. He can watch as many Star Wars and Disney classics as he likes.

But in order to determine which platform was considered by viewers (primarily at YLHS) most favorably, I conducted a short series of polls on my Instagram. Viewers could choose between Netflix and Hulu, and then between Amazon Prime and Disney+. The poll revealed that 97 votes were given to Netflix, 16 for Hulu, 26 for Amazon Prime, and 40 for Disney+.  

In spite of the fact that Netflix has primarily reigned superior over all other streaming platforms due to its reliability and how long the company has consistently been successful, they still ensure that their content caters to people our age, thus drawing students at YLHS towards Netflix.