Netflix Review 2022: Is It The Best?

Netflix Review: Netflix is the service that popularized video streaming, but with so many new options, will it still be worth the money in 2022?

A massive library of television series and films suitable for all preferences and ages

Original content that generates buzz Regularly updated with new content.

Netflix is the 800-pound gorilla in the room for video streaming services. It’s a meme in and of itself: “Netflix and chill.” It has produced original films that have been nominated for Academy Awards.

Its name is nearly identical to the term “streaming.” If you’ve ever had only one video streaming service, it was almost certainly Netflix.

It made an artistic effect by being first, affordable, gathering massive libraries of high-quality content from every part of the globe, and ultimately, delivering up high-quality original programming that is unavailable anywhere else. It’s a colossus and unquestionably one of the top television streaming providers.

Netflix’s motion picture production isn’t quite as powerful as its television series output. However, it still has amazing content, so it’s worth considering if you’re looking for one of the top movie streaming services.

Whether or not you still require said giant depends entirely on the type of entertainment you seek. At the same time, Netflix boasts a vast library of programs, some substantial gaps in its catalog.

Even if your tastes fit with what’s available, finding new content to binge can be surprisingly tough since Netflix’s algorithm appears to purposefully discourage you from venturing too far beyond its recommended scope.

Netflix’s Originals TV shows, such as the excellent Stranger Things, prove it the master of watercooler entertainment. (Image credit: Netflix)

Netflix review: TV shows

Excellent variety of programming

Exclusives over any other service

Netflix is the undisputed king of binge-watching, the indisputable king of watercooler entertainment. Stranger Things, Black Mirror, The Witcher, The Haunting of Hill House, Queer Eye, Cheer, and The Crown are all available on Netflix.

These shows earn Netflix a slew of awards and never find a home elsewhere. If you want to see them – and participate in the discourse – you must subscribe to Netflix.

There is, however, a wealth of other television to watch once you’ve exhausted the marquee shows. If your preference is for real-world or fictitious mysteries, Netflix has rolls and rolls of crime scene tape that it is eager to unfurl for your watching enjoyment.

Those searching for baking’s alpha and omega can begin with The Great British Baking Show and then move to kid-favorite Nailed It. If animation is your thing, there’s BoJack Horseman, Big Mouth, Aggretsuko, Castlevania, and probably more anime than you’re aware of. Want to be scared? K-drama? What is stand-up comedy? Netflix has abundant all of those mentioned above and is constantly collecting more.

However, what Netflix does not have is available on broadcast television. Netflix cannot keep you up to date on The Bachelor or This Is Us. However, certain shows ultimately make their way to the library. If you’re searching for a streaming service that can act as a substitute for cable TV, Netflix is probably not the way to go.

Netflix Kids is an easy way to manage what your children watch. (Image credit: Netflix)

Netflix review: Movies

A good selection of films

With fewer new releases

Netflix’s origins as a disc-rental service are evident in its film catalog. If you’re craving a film you haven’t watched in a long time, chances are you’ll be able to find it on Netflix. On the other hand, Netflix falls short for new theatrical releases.

A simple search of Netflix for some high-profile films released in 2018 yielded only one result: Roma. Current films make their way through paid channels such as HBO and Showtime before being on Netflix, so this is not the service for those who despise waiting.

That is not to say Netflix has nothing new or relevant to offer; Netflix has produced several noteworthy original series. In 2020, The Irishman, Marriage Story, The Two Popes, Klaus, and American Factory all received Oscar nominations.

Netflix is also the home of documentaries, which may not sound all that seductive at first, but bear in mind that both Queen Bey and Taylor Swift have their stories hosted on the service.

Netflix review: Pricing

Netflix has three different pricing options, starting at $8.99 per month, $12.99 per month, and $15.99 per month. To determine which one you require, consider the following: Is 4K viewing vital to me, and how many people will be watching?

If you’re in desperate need of those beautiful high-definition pictures, you’re forced to pay $15.99 each month for Premium.

If you have no stake in the HD/4K debate, the decision boils down to how many people will be viewing Netflix concurrently in your home – for example, if your children are watching on a tablet while you watch on the TV.

If it’s fewer than two, the regular subscription of $12.99/month suffices, but anything more puts you back in Premium (up to 4). And what if there is only one? To be sure, you can save a little money by sticking with the $8.99/month Basic membership.

Whichever bundle you choose, a 30-day free trial period is included. In comparison, Netflix is not quite as competitive as Disney Plus, the selection more than compensates for the price.

Whether you’re watching TV, a laptop, or your phone, the Netflix stream quality is usually excellent. (Image credit: Netflix)

Netflix review: Quality of Stream

We watched Netflix on an Apple TV, an iPhone 8, and a desktop PC, and all three devices provided consistently flawless streaming with no buffering or lag. The stream occasionally chugged and threw an error. However, exiting the program and returning viewing resolved the issue without restarting the software. The most frustrating feature was Netflix’s uneven user interface, making discovering new content difficult. While the search tool is flawless, brand-new episodes were frequently concealed from the main navigation, depending on the platform. Not fatal, but vexing.

Should I subscribe to Netflix?

Probably. It offers a massive amount of content at a reasonable price and has enough of each kind of content to keep anyone happy. It also supplements its lineup regularly; while the big-ticket items like brand new shows may only arrive quarterly, there’s something new (or at least new to Netflix) to watch every week. $15.99 a month is a fantastic value for a family of four (or more), with parental controls keeping the younglings away from anything they shouldn’t see.

All of that said, Netflix won’t keep you current with anything on network TV or fresh out of the movie theater. This isn’t the service you get to avoid having to rent a movie from iTunes or Redbox. Think of Netflix more like its own network of programming, which may (or may not!) eventually host shows that originated on other networks, but it probably won’t be any time soon. Though canceled shows sometimes find new life on Netflix, which is different.