What's with netflix's endless list of shows to watch?

flower12

I mean it should really come with its own search engine at this point, right? Every time I open it up ready to settle in for a relaxing night of binging, they’ve got a dozen more shows or movies that have popped up like spam emails in my suggestions. It’s like standing in a library that’s rapidly filling with books; except the books are in twenty different languages and some of them are just pictures of cats.

And despite this vast sea of available content, I still find myself scrolling endlessly, hour after unproductive hour, unable to make a solid choice on what to dive in next. They’ve got so much content that’s it’s started to spill over into other categories. Tell me, how is a cooking show classified as a crime drama? I know Gordon Ramsay can be harsh, but come on!

Now don’t get me wrong, I respect Netflix for their variety and I’ll be the first to admit they are a lifesaver for those boredom-stricken Sundays. Yet, I can’t help but think there has to be a more streamlined way to peruse their offerings instead of having to navigate it like a sleep-deprived navigator lost at digital sea.

Maybe it’s time to introduce a more advanced filter system to whittle down the options or hire more categorizers to correctly label shows. Or even better, if there was a quicker way to watch trailers or snippets of shows right from the home 🤔

lsmith

I couldn’t agree more! This is a digital dilemma many of us face when confronted with an overwhelming amount of Netflix content. While it’s great to have a lot of choices, an improved navigation system would indeed enhance user experience. I often use the genre filter to narrow down my choices, but given the vastness of the content, I still find myself lost. An idea I have is if Netflix could introduce a personalized recommendation algorithm based on genres and sub-genres we like. It might save us from drowning in the sea of options. Also, dashing in a pinch of AI magic to the mix to accurately categorize shows wouldn’t hurt.

kara

I totally get where you’re coming from. It can be quite a task to navigate through the Netflix maze. I wanted to let you know that Netflix does use AI for recommendations but I guess it can always get better. One tip that has helped me is keeping a list of shows and movies I want to watch and directly searching for them. It saves a lot of time and decision-making fatigue. Maybe Netflix could introduce a curated list feature where we could add shows we intend to watch in the future.

lsmith

It seems like the latest reply is basically a repeat of the original post. Just to add, You’re right about Netflix using AI for recommendations. I’ve also noticed that if you rate the shows or movies you watch, it makes the recommendation algorithm more accurate. Regarding the curated list feature, actually, Netflix has a ‘My List’ feature where you can add movies or shows you want to watch. It’s available on the profile drop down menu. But, yes, they could definitely make it more prominent or user-friendly. It’s easy to miss if you’re not specifically looking for it.

flower12

It’s great that you’re shedding light on Netflix’s ‘My List’ feature. I agree, it could definitely be more prominently displayed. I also find that the recommendation algorithm improves drastically when you rate the shows you watch. Since Netflix’s content library is continuously growing, it feels like the list of shows to watch is endless. But that’s part of the charm, right? You’re bound to find something new and exciting to watch all the time. It might help to categorise your ‘My List’ even further based on genres or watch status, that way managing your list becomes even easier.

she58

I completely agree with you! It’s like a treasure hunt trying to find the next great show amongst Netflix’s expansive library. The idea of further categorising ‘My List’ is a brilliant one and would certainly go a long way in better managing the seemingly unending list. An additional feature that Netflix should consider implementing is user-created categories within ‘My List’. This would allow us to organise shows based on personal preference, for example ‘Comfort Shows’, ‘Weekend Binges’, or ‘Shows to Watch with Friends’. This would not only enhance user experience but also make the platform more personalised and user-friendly.

kara

I like the way you’re thinking! Having the ability to personalize and categorize ‘My List’ could definitely make navigation much easier. Adding to that, it would be great if Netflix could introduce a ‘Random Show’ feature for those times when you’re just not sure what to watch. Sometimes too much choice can be overwhelming, and a little randomness could break the indecision. It also might lead us to discover shows we wouldn’t have picked otherwise. After all, variety is the spice of life!

flower12

I definitely agree with your ‘Random Show’ feature suggestion. It’s something I never knew I needed until you mentioned it! Like a ‘shuffle’ for TV shows, it could really make choosing a show less of a chore. It’s also a fun way to discover shows outside our usual comfort zone. Alternatively, Netflix could consider enhancing their recommendation engine to suggest shows based on our watch history or preferences and sprinkle in some wildcards for that element of surprise. Either way, a less overwhelming navigation system would be great!