Max (Streaming Service)

[Nick]

So I watched the available three episodes of the Max Original “Love Life”. It’s a 30 minute show, so easy to binge, but wow, what a bland show.

Anna Kendrick gives the type of performance you would expect from her, but it ultimately boils down to a story about a privileged white woman that just complains a lot because she can’t find a guy. There’s nothing interesting about it at all.

 

[GadgetGuru]

I'm super excited about HBO Max because of the content. But, it's a messy rollout. Here's what I had to go through with my parents:

1. There's this new thing called HBO Max
2. Yes, it's basically the same as HBO but has some other stuff
3. No, it doesn't cost more money
4. No, you can't watch any of it on your Amazon or Roku devices.
5. Well, unless you want to (do more complicated technical thing) or (buy new device), you can't watch HBO Max and have to use HBO Now
6. I don't know why there's separate apps
7. So yeah, new thing but you can't use it. Just know it exists!
8. Nope, everything's basically the same. Just forget I ever said anything

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

So turns out my family gets this through Spectrum cable. So far, I agree with the points about the content lineup (why don't they have Harley Quinn) but they do have an excellent amount of classic movies compared to other mainstream streaming services.

Also, there must be some kind of magic going on with those Ghibli movies because the streaming quality for Princess Mononoke was ultra crisp on my spotty wifi. Probably the best I've ever seen that movie

 

[Nick]

So turns out my family gets this through Spectrum cable. So far, I agree with the points about the content lineup (why don't they have Harley Quinn) but they do have an excellent amount of classic movies compared to other mainstream streaming services.

Also, there must be some kind of magic going on with those Ghibli movies because the streaming quality for Princess Mononoke was ultra crisp on my spotty wifi. Probably the best I've ever seen that movie

Harley Quinn will come within the next few months. It’s still making a lot of money on VOD with rentals and people buying it.

Man of Steel and The Dark Knight Trilogy are also missing, but I assume those are just caught up in licensing deals for the time being.

 

[Legacy]

This service has got a hell of a musical line-up though.

 

[Nick]

This service has got a hell of a musical line-up though.

It’s got a hell of a library period. My watch list has gotten stupid long already. They didn’t launch with any real impressive originals, but the library is so deep, wide-ranging and appealing that they can afford weak originals at launch.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

It’s got a hell of a library period. My watch list has gotten stupid long already. They didn’t launch with any real impressive originals, but the library is so deep, wide-ranging and appealing that they can afford weak originals at launch.

Meanwhile, Disney's got classics like Sammy the Wayward Seal!

 

[Nick]

Meanwhile, Disney's got classics like Sammy the Wayward Seal!

Disney's got a decent library, but the value lies mostly in animation, Marvel and Star Wars. What will keep Disney+ from getting forgotten in the streaming wars are these 3 things:

1.) It's entry price is $6.99 or $12.99 with the bundle, which is less than HBO Max and Netflix cost.
2.) The service works amazing as a baby-sitter as parents know that the content never goes over the PG-13/TV-14 threshold.
3.) As weak as Disney+'s Originals are looking right now, they have quite a few heavy-hitters with all of their MCU Series, more Star Wars Series (incl. The Mandalorian Season 2), The Right Stuff also I think has a chance to be a pretty good non-Disney IP scripted show. At some point, their originals are either going to be what carries the service or sinks it depending on how they are received.

 

[quinnmac000]

Ummm when did Syfy get the rights to Harley Quinn? Hulu has it as Syfy and it has the Syfy intro logo before the DC universe

Maybe WB is allowing some properties to Universal for streaming in exchange for HP.

 

[Nick]

Ummm when did Syfy get the rights to Harley Quinn? Hulu has it as Syfy and it has the Syfy intro logo before the DC universe

Maybe WB is allowing some properties to Universal for streaming in exchange for HP.

It’s possible.

I’m so completely confused why DC Universe is still a thing though. There’s barely anything worth watching on there that warrants the subscription at this point, especially with a lot of DC stuff on HBO Max now.

Harley Quinn and Doom Patrol were basically the only things and both can now be seen elsewhere.

WarnerMedia’s streaming strategy is currently very confusing.

 

[Pirate Athos]

It’s possible.

I’m so completely confused why DC Universe is still a thing though. There’s barely anything worth watching on there that warrants the subscription at this point, especially with a lot of DC stuff on HBO Max now.

Harley Quinn and Doom Patrol were basically the only things and both can now be seen elsewhere.

WarnerMedia’s streaming strategy is currently very confusing.

It's probably because they still have subscribers. The app is more then just shows and movies. Also they still have some original content of their own not on HBO Max yet. However I feel that it will eventually be rolled into HBO Max, much like how Stargirl is shared with CW now.

 

[Legacy]

Ummm when did Syfy get the rights to Harley Quinn? Hulu has it as Syfy and it has the Syfy intro logo before the DC universe

Maybe WB is allowing some properties to Universal for streaming in exchange for HP.

It’s actually airing on SyFy now.

 

[tielo]

Disney's got a decent library, but the value lies mostly in animation, Marvel and Star Wars. What will keep Disney+ from getting forgotten in the streaming wars are these 3 things:

1.) It's entry price is $6.99 or $12.99 with the bundle, which is less than HBO Max and Netflix cost.
2.) The service works amazing as a baby-sitter as parents know that the content never goes over the PG-13/TV-14 threshold.
3.) As weak as Disney+'s Originals are looking right now, they have quite a few heavy-hitters with all of their MCU Series, more Star Wars Series (incl. The Mandalorian Season 2), The Right Stuff also I think has a chance to be a pretty good non-Disney IP scripted show. At some point, their originals are either going to be what carries the service or sinks it depending on how they are received.

Yeah the potential is there, Disney only needs very deep pockets to make it work and that is something they clearly don't have. Running those servers and making content costs a lot.

 

[Nick]

Something i've realized... aside from there being very few extras available a major omission from the service is that the movies and shows only run at 1080p quality (no 4K). Apple TV+, Disney+ and Netflix offer several extra viewing and and sound options depending on your TV and/or home sound system, such as 5.1 Stereo, DolbyVision, Dolby Atmos, HDR10, etc.

I can forgive the lack of special features since that seems to only be Disney+ doing it so far (although Warner owns so much of this content that it's still annoying). But for them not to offer fairly basic components for a streaming service that supposedly wants to compete with Netflix is extremely stupid (especially at their pricepoint - both Disney+ and Apple TV+ are much cheaper yet still offer this).

Honestly, if it wasn't for the library (which I know you can't push aside obviously), i'd say Apple TV+ is better. Their original content is miles ahead, even when you just compare Day 1 content. All Apple need to do is acquire a studio and they'll be unstoppable. They have enough money to buy whoever they want, too. I feel like them buying Disney is an inevitability someday. It gives them a deep library to stock Apple TV and Apple has the money to pay off all of Fox's debt without blinking.

My point is that I really hope HBO Max doesn't try to skate by on their library while charging $14.99/month.

 

[belloq87]

Apparently I also get this service as part of my regular cable package, so that's a nice discovery.

I've only browsed a bit, but the Turner Classic Movies section seems like the place I'll be spending most of my time!

 

[Nick]

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

Yet still no Roku support, aka 40% of the streaming market :yawn:

 

[GadgetGuru]

Yet still no Roku support, aka 40% of the streaming market :yawn:

I'm shocked that HBO hasn't caved to both Roku and Amazon. It's the single reason my parents haven't used HBO Max when we're already paying for it

 

[Nick]

Yet still no Roku support, aka 40% of the streaming market :yawn:

And they’re losing practically all of their DC movies on July 1st. This is such a botched launch and even at the reduced $11.99/month price I got by buying early, I’m wondering how worth it it actually is. So far, I’m working my way through Fresh Prince for the first time in a long time, so that’s keeping me satisfied enough. Hopefully there’ll Be some good originals soon enough.

 

[GadgetGuru]

And they’re losing practically all of their DC movies on July 1st. This is such a botched launch and even at the reduced $11.99/month price I got by buying early, I’m wondering how worth it it actually is. So far, I’m working my way through Fresh Prince for the first time in a long time, so that’s keeping me satisfied enough. Hopefully there’ll Be some good originals soon enough.

Were you a big HBO fan before this? Sharp Objects is a joy