😍 2022-03-21 06:00:00 – Paris/France.
I'm just gonna come out and say it: I was wrong. Last summer I wrote an article claiming that Prime Video is the service of Streaming the most underrated. If you've ever read the headline above, you can probably guess that's not an opinion I have these days.
Almost three months into 2022, and I really can't remember the last time I watched anything from Prime Video's content library. I've been watching various shows and movies lately that I purchased digitally, but in terms of consuming exclusive Prime Originals? I draw a serious blank.
The wars of Streaming are a constant and fiercely contested battle. and while Netflix, Disney Plus and Apple TV Plus catch my eye, the Prime Video app collects virtual dust on my Smart TV home screen.
However, although Amazon Prime Video has become an overlooked service in my service library of Streaming. I'm not even close to hovering over that undo button yet. Maybe that's a good thing, and Amazon would make it even harder to unsubscribe from Prime. So let me tell you why I keep Prime Video, even though I'm sick of it.
Prime Video (almost) never enters the conversation
I like to think I have my fingers on the pulse when it comes to Streaming. If nothing else, I'm surrounded by knowledgeable colleagues who keep me up to date on occasions when a must-watch original series goes over my radar.
The rate at which Amazon releases truly remarkable original content is glacial. The wait for The Boys Season 3 has been incredibly long.
Among the Tom's Guide team, we have daily conversations about the greatest hits in Streaming, and we do our best to predict the future shows/movies that will dominate the entertainment conversation. I can probably count on one hand the number of times a show/movie on Prime Video has been involved in these discussions over the past six months. [Editor's note: some of us have talked about The Wheel of Time season 2 rumors, but there was also discussion about how Alan Ritchson packed on 30 pounds of muscle to play Reacher]
It's not that Prime Video doesn't have compelling original content. Shows like The Boys and The Man in the High Castle are worth watching, and as a sports fan, I really enjoy Amazon's All or Nothing documentary series. However, the rate at which Amazon releases truly remarkable original content is glacial (the wait for The Boys season 3 felt impossibly long).
(Image credit: Amazon)
Admittedly, every time I start the Prime Video app, I seem to be greeted with a new title proudly displaying the "Amazon Exclusive" or "Amazon Original" tag. The problem is that I have rarely heard of these pieces of content.
In the world of Streaming with dozens of highly recommended shows/movies released every month, it's a death sentence. As Showtime and Apple TV Plus roll out of the park with hits in Streaming highly rated and critically acclaimed like Yellowjackets and Severance, Prime shows like Wolf Like Me failed to break through.
It's perhaps telling that at the start of the month, I was aimlessly searching for something to watch, and the thought of browsing Prime Video's library didn't even cross my mind. Instead, I scrolled through Netlifx for a while before deciding to start Only Murders in the Building on Disney Plus (via Star) — which was ultimately a pretty good choice; it's a fun murder mystery game.
Why I still keep Prime
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
I keep Prime Video mostly because it's part of a larger service that I still use regularly. Amazon Prime offers many member benefits, more than you might think. However, it's the free shipping that makes me addicted to the service.
Yes, I should probably support more local stores rather than a mega retailer like Amazon, but the convenience of clicking 'buy now' and having your item appear the next day is hard to beat.
Likewise, not having to factor in exorbitant shipping costs when you want to buy relatively inexpensive items like new batteries justifies the entire monthly Amazon Prime fee for me. However, I swear I don't literally buy everything on Amazon.
It's not just shipping and Prime Video that comes with a subscription either. Although I still use services like Amazon Music less than Prime Video. I would be very happy to pay less for a version of Amazon Prime that gives me free shipping and removes additional services.
Streaming-overkill-xa0″>Hit the excess Streaming
Recently, I pondered one of life's greatest questions: how many Streaming represent too many services Streaming ?
If Amazon Prime hadn't hooked me with free shipping, I can confidently say that Prime Video would be the service of Streaming who would end up on the block.
I am currently subscribed to four services of Streaming (Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, and Prime Video), and to be honest, that seems overkill to me. I mainly focus on Netflix, with Disney Plus a comfortable second, and Apple TV Plus bringing up the rear. Prime Video, as discussed, didn't even finish the race.
I think three could be ma service of Streaming sweet spot. A trio of services offer a wide variety but not such an overwhelming number of content libraries to keep you frustrated. If Amazon Prime hadn't hooked me with free shipping, I can confidently say that Prime Video would be the service of Streaming who would end up on the block.
For now, I only watch Prime Video as a free bonus. I get what I pay for from other Amazon Prime offerings, so it doesn't matter if Prime Video doesn't catch my eye. He can stay in the background until the rare occasion when one of his original shows breaks through and becomes the hit that everyone is talking about.
Today's Best Amazon Prime Deals
SOURCE: Reviews News
Do not hesitate to share our article on social networks to give us a solid boost. 🍿