Why You're Having a Hard Time Finding a New Series to Stream

Ever find yourself clicking on something that suggests “if you liked ____, you’ll love this!” only to find yourself in the middle of streaming some series you absolutely hate but still trudge through just because that one suggestion has you hanging on like “but, I did like ____, so maybe this series will get better at some point…?” It’s amazing that we all sometimes gullibly fall into the trap of being influenced – as if you’re just simple and every blog on the internet knows you precisely. Na.

So, I’m not going to tell you what to watch next – I’m going to help you figure it out.

With so much streaming content out there, you’d think it’d be quite easy to jump from one great show to the next. However, oftentimes, you find that you really enjoy one only to be let down by the next few you start. That scenario I mentioned where you keep watching, even though you know you don’t like it but feel you should continue anyway – that’s called sunk cost (keep in mind, your lost time is a “cost”). So, is it that there just isn’t anything good on? Or, is it that we don’t actually understand why we like what we like?

If you want a good case study here, consider the 90s cult hit, Twin Peaks.

If you find a die-hard fan of the show, if you haven’t seen it, you’ll likely want to know why this thing has such a notable following. The thing about it is, it’s difficult to explain what makes the show work. It’s quirky, but scary – ugly, but interesting – nonsensical at times, but intriguing.

One thing is for sure, it can’t be duplicated. So, when you see, “if you liked Twin Peaks, you’ll love ____!” it’s a sure bet that whatever that show is, it’s not going to hit you the same and just making that comparison actually lessons your viewing experience altogether.

Ever read an article giving the "best shows streaming now on (insert streaming service)" and get frustrated after starting the fifth one in the list and not liking a thing about any of them? It’s a bit unnerving to realize, “Man, I’ve been listening to advice from someone I don’t know that has interests obviously far different from mine.”

Maybe you’re one of those that puts up a social media post asking for suggestions – this is where all your friends get to give you suggestions that everyone else can see as well. There’s a lot of different motivations there and you have to understand that there are different reasons that your friends like what they like.

But, these are all extrospective searches and that is the reason they can leave you going to bed all upset because Mad Men is actually boring, but it took you a season and a half to finally admit it and move on.

Stay with me, here, I’m getting to a useful point.

Also, if you got upset with my statement about Mad Men, then you’re proving my point already.

So, then what - if we can’t find a perfect alignment of our interests with our friends, acquaintances on the internet, and random blogs, are we doomed to suffer through bad TV for most of our streaming investment in order to reach a worthy watch?

Perhaps the solution is one of introspection.

If you’ve read this far, then it’s safe to assume that you have watched, completed, and really enjoyed a full online series before. But, have you ever took a moment to analyze why you liked it?

I’m not simply asking for the simple “it’s, like, medieval and I like that stuff” or “it’s got some androids and robots” or “they fall in looooove (sighs loudly)” – no, I mean have you talked about a series before and analyzed the factors that you enjoyed and what you felt made it good?

Sometimes, you’ll find that it’s something deeper than what’s in the series description (and always remember, those are written to entice you to watch). Sometimes, what makes a series resonate with you comes from metaphors that parallel with you or something you know, or characters that remind you of those in your life, or challenging concepts and ideas that motivate your thought.

I’ll apply a great example of my own; as a male that absolutely favors a sci-fi over any rom-com, favors swords and dragons over true-to-form period works, and definitely favors serious linear plots over sit coms – I found that one of my absolute most favorite shows of all time is “The Good Wife.”

If that seems inconsistent with someone who generally starts with the horror section when searching a new show, let me explain the why. It comes down to what makes the show great – much of which are factors that are universally recognized as components of a good story: real character development, engaging tension and suspense, connection to the viewers, and heavy stakes.

Regardless of your setting and scenario preferences (which by the way are merely the factors of a series that attempt to attract you to watch, not keep you watching), a good, meaningful story and/or well-established characters may be found potentially in any series. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you will find satisfaction in every series but opening up your viewing base allows for those unanticipated gems to be discovered!

Now, for a reverse illustration, consider the Netflix series, Altered Carbon.

I was immediately attracted to the series just by the thumbnail image and description – people storing their brains on flash drives and switching out bodies in a cyber-punk world… cool! The thing is, the show literally changes main characters as it progresses and there’s so little development of the main character that it’s difficult to care what happens to him. Now, I hate to pick on this show, as it had some neat ideas and fun eye candy, but after two episodes, I found myself with such little mental investment that I drifted from the show as it was playing.

This isn’t to say that you won’t like this show or any other show that I may criticize – my point is simply that there were factors missing from this series that prevented me from finding satisfaction in the experience.

Still with me? Ok, here’s the point:

When you’re ready to start a new series, consider the factors that have made your favorite series enjoyable to you. This does require some thought and consideration; think in terms such as these:

• What about the characters made me engaged in them?

• Was there something withing the story that resonated personally with me?

• What feelings and emotions did this series evoke in me?

• Was there a particular element to the plot that I was drawn to?

• Were the stakes of the conflict within the story a factor in my enjoyment of the series?

You can fill in anything that you found meaningful within the viewing experience. Then, when you begin your search – use those terms to guide you.

Remember to keep yourself open to whatever you get in the search, regardless of genre or any superficial factors. You never know, you may find that gem you’ve been looking for in the most unlikely of categories.