Netflix’s identity crisis: Overabundance of shows is like “wandering in a Walmart without aisles”
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The streaming giant is missing an identity thanks to its “more is more” philosophy, says Hank Stuever, and “the overall effect can be like wandering in a Walmart without aisles — a feeling that everything is indeed here, but a lot of it is sort of cheap.”. He adds: “Logging on to Netflix now means a visit the core of TV’s overall rush to die of obesity. It’s full of shows that one might have heard about, or intended to watch. The spirit is willing, but after one too many Marvel superheroes and self-absorbed dramedies, the attention span grows weak. That’s because Netflix is better than anyone at triumphantly unleashing a new show, gathering a moment’s buzz among the bingeing class, finding success with a niche of fans, and then moving on — with little lasting impact on the cultural conversation. Of all the shows Netflix has released, how many of them manage to reach common reference points, the way Game of Thrones or This Is Us or The Handmaid’s Tale have done?”
