Netflix drives me nuts

[alarimer]

I only watched "Kill Bill vol. 1" for about 10 minutes before turning it off because it was too violent.

Now I get, "Because you watched Kill Bill Vol. 1", you may like...

Kill Bill Vol.2

No, I won't. Does your fancy algorithm not take into account the fact that I NEVER finished it?

Or how about the fact that you are only now making suggestions on something I watched a year ago?

Or how about the fact that "New Releases" are not, in fact, new releases because I've had the same list for months?

How about letting me pick from simple genres, like Science Fiction or Thrillers? Not, "Intriguing British Serial Killer Comedies."

Or better, yet, how about letting me use the service the way I want to, not the way you THINK I should?

[sharp_stick]

1. You have to rate it down and it will help

but you're right their lists are really shitty. Mine is infested with kid shows because they watch more than I do.

You're better off going to instantwatcher.com to find things to watch or failing that use the Netflix website.

[Lars39]

2. Give the kids their own profile so their shows don't clutter up yours.

[sharp_stick]

3. That doesn't work on the big TV

Netflix hasn't updated their widget for that one yet.

[Lars39]

5. Well, darn.

[alarimer]

9. I almost never bother to rate films I don't like.

That may explain why they keep popping up.

[Generic Brad]

4. My daughter has totally screwed up my account

I even set up a guest account for her so she would stop screwing up my recommendations. She likes stoner cartoons and horror movies so that is what Netflix thinks I like. But will she use her guest account? No way. She watches the garbage under my account and then watches art films on her account.

The algorithm will never work for me as long as she lives in my home.

[bettyellen]

16. you should start using her account, LOL

[Generic Brad]

17. Brilliant!

Nothing but Thomas the Train and Dora the Explorer for her!

[Sedona]

6. I cancelled Netflix

I get all the same content and then some from Amazon Prime.

[charlie and algernon]

8. I have Amazon Prime now too

SOOOO much better and that's not counting the fact that most of the HBO shows come to Prime tomorrow!

[Le Taz Hot]

14. Tell me more.

Is it all streaming or are there DVD's as well? How much is it per month?

[Sedona]

18. amazon prime info

http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Prime-One-Year-Membership/dp/B00DBYBNEE

[Godhumor]

19. love Prime. The streaming services are just the icing on the cake

That comes with the 2 day shipping and the Kindle book borrow option (if you own an actual Kindle).

I would say 80+%of Prime's streaming is exactly the same as Netflix, which is more than fine by me.

[dawg]

7. It's best to go online to update your queue, and then ...

just select from that queue on your television. It's so much easier to search on the website, with an actual keyboard at your disposal.

For what it's worth, Netflix told me "Because you watched Dexter, you may like ..... Dexter's Lab!"

(But I do like Dexter's Lab, so I can't really complain.)

[alarimer]

11. This is what I do, too.

Plus InstantWatcher has all the latest shows added to Netflix. Netflix's "recently added", when it appears (which is hardly ever) is not really all that recent.

I wrote the OP because I saw an article in which Reed Hastings said that Neflix was planning on doing away with the genre categories altogether and only showing users what was recommended by the algorithm.

I'm a little bit sick of companies whose product we pay to use not letting the consumer decide how they want to use it. Plus the recommendation engine is just not very good. Or it gets messed up if several people use the same account.

[RobinA]

10. I Liked Blockbuster

mail service much better, but that is no longer an option. I agree about the New Releases. Not very new. Blockbuster selection was better too. Oh well, Netflix had better marketing...

[Skittles]

12. if Blockbuster had treated their customers better back in their heydey

I believe they would have had more loyalty and still be around......people remember when you treat them badly

[Le Taz Hot]

13. You have to rate it.

Give it one star.

[Orrex]

15. Netflix doesn't care what you want to watch

As I've complained elsewhere, I have done everything that I can to convince Netflix that I don't like anime, but I still get "because you watched" suggestions featuring lots and lots of anime.

Nice algorithm, Netflix.