KAYLA DRAKE | Multimedia Producer
Ever since boomtowns shot up in the west along the Transcontinental Railroad, people have loved a deal. No, ever since Egyptians were selling crops from the Nile River, humans have loved a deal.
That is what new subscriptions – Hulu and Amazon Prime – are offering after the advent of Netflix. With Hulu, students can get premium Spotify for five bucks a month. With Prime, subscribers get access to any product imaginable, plus original content and Hollywood movies.
All winter break, I sat on the couch using my mom’s Roku, watching Prime Original series. As I was lured into the black hole of streaming shows, I realized how much Prime Originals have to offer.
After the Golden Globes, it seems Prime is the new “it boy,” “it girl” of subscription-based streaming. Why? Because Amazon Studios are starting small, and in return getting big names and big awards.
Netflix started in 1997, the year I was born; and has shaped my life of home entertainment. Nearly 60% of American households stream, 51% with Netflix. The company was revolutionary and started a trend of “cord cutting,” or canceling cable subscriptions.
Netflix is definitely not going down the drain, they still walked away with three Golden Globe awards.
But the service has become polluted with c-list movies, causing the user to search for the cream of the crop.
While Netflix is the big dog on the block, with over two decades of experience, Prime started in 2013 and has walked away with multiple Emmys and Golden Globes for shows like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Also Amazon made history as the first streaming service to receive a nomination for Best Picture at the Oscars.
Meanwhile, Netflix has yet to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination.
Amazon started Prime Originals to convert audiences into shoppers – with over 100 million subscribers worldwide, according to Fortune. You can actually view first three episodes of Prime Original seasons for free with a Amazon Video account – which is free to make.
So, if you’re a student and take advantage of Prime to order books or clothes or shampoo, you might as well try out Prime Originals. It’s a good deal.
