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Netflix v YouTube


Now we have more time to watch TV, the quality and variety of terrestrial offerings and most cable channels seems to have gone right down the pan.  So much so that people seem to be falling over themselves to sign up for subscription streaming services, like Netflix and Britbox. 

We (my wife and I) haven’t yet gone down that road.  This is because as an alternative to our telly package we are not convinced it will be enough, and as an extra, it is really quite expensive.

I know, many people enjoy rewatching tv shows and drama series but I am not one of them. I am in my 60s and have forgotten many of them or (at least the plots) so if I did watch them again, it would be like watching them for the first time.  But the thing is, I know I have watched it and it just seems wrong to go back.  I want new stuff but frankly, some stuff I have seen advertised on Netflix is not floating my boat.

So while we ponder and pontificate, I have been delving more and more into the endless pit of video information and frivolity that is - YouTube.  And I think I’m addicted. 

The other night, I set off looking for a tutorial video on my Canon Camera and ended up 2 hours later watching conspiracy theories about aliens, and how The Simpsons tv cartoon predicted the future including the Presidency of Donald Trump, Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox and 9/11.  I knew I had a real problem when I actually watched a vlogger describing (with great enthusiasm) the entire contents of her fridge. And this was not a video on safe food storage or healthy eating; it was a beauty and lifestyle vlogger from the Philipines describing her favourite brand of orange juice and chicken nuggets.  The really sad part was that the video had received 438,000 views and there are many more ‘whats in my fridge’ videos to choose from!

I wondered what normal people were currently into on Youtube so I clicked on ‘Trending’.  This brought up a mighty list of celebrities showing me how they are getting though lockdown.  Now as a retired man in lockdown, I don’t have many demands on my time but I do feel I am wasting my remaining life by watching celebrities dancing around the home, playing with their pets, devising stupid games, showing me their living room fitness regimes, personal grooming tips, and baking a Victoria cake.  It’s just not quite the entertainment I am looking for, nor the inspiration I need to keep sane in lockdown.

Finding good stuff inevitably means wading through the dross and of course being fairly specific about what you are looking for.  In browsing through my favourite topics, I did find these gems....

Music
If you are musical, check out Rick Beato’s ‘All things Music’ site.  My favourite videos are those in which this experienced musician, teacher, music producer and engineer explains his top songs, intros, guitar and drum solos.
Cars
This is the web site of Scotty Kilmer, an auto mechanic with over 50 years experience. Honest and funny, and with no sponsored content he tells the brutal truth about cars.  His philosophy seems to be - all cars will break and cost you money except a Toyota, Honda or Lexus.
Travel
This site - ‘Joolz Guides’ is that of award-winning tourism film maker Julian McDonnell.  He is famous for his bite sized video guide to London using short selfie-type films of those interesting places that are not always in the guide books.  Videos usually end with a pint in an interesting London pub.

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