Streaming Sucks. Just Pirate.

This is going to be a low-effort article, but I hope people find it relatable.

Back in 2020, I got a Netflix subscription for myself. But I couldn’t find any movies I wanted to watch. Instead, I discovered new films and series. A few of them were watchable, but most were trash.

There are also geographic restrictions for movies and shows on that platform. You need a Japanese IP to watch certain anime, or an American IP to access some U.S. shows that aren’t available elsewhere. The only way to get around this is by using a VPN—which used to be a big selling point back in the day.

Also, Netflix is surprisingly slow. If you have an old computer or a low-end Android phone, it can be hard to load. That’s because Netflix decodes the video stream on the client side using their proprietary JavaScript to handle DRM. This process consumes CPU power. On older devices, that means slower performance and faster battery drain. So the speed doesn’t just depend on your internet connection.

If you want to watch something that’s not on Netflix, you’ll need to subscribe to another streaming service. And now Netflix is introducing a cheaper paid plan that will show personalized ads using AI.

At this point, I tell people to skip the hassle and just torrent. It’s privacy-friendly, free, and more convenient than paid services like Netflix. It won’t force you to watch something just because of limited options.