Through their own greed, the once beloved streaming services—such as Netflix and HBO—are slowly losing their appeal among the iPad generation, making space for the unexpected comeback of DVDs. With such a fallout of favor, it’s no wonder the chronically online teens and young adults have turned to a new (or rather retro) novelty: physical media.
Streaming services found large profits through the convenience and affordability of being able to watch anything at any time and anywhere. These services boast a wide range of popular shows or movies, and even tag along the specialty of their own original creations such as Netflix’s hit show “Stranger Things” (2016) and HBO’s similarly successful “Euphoria” (2019).
With such a sound formula for success, it’s absolutely mind-boggling that many of the appealing qualities and benefits of these services are being trifled with. Netflix, back in 2024, has limited its password and account sharing to only those of the same address. And the prices haven’t gotten any cheaper. A standard plan comes at the hefty price of $17.99 per month for two devices. A premium plan is $24.99 per month for four devices. To add anyone else on the plan would cost an additional $6.99 per month or $8.99 per month for no ads. That’s right: to receive a plan with no ads for a streaming service you already pay for, you have to pay for more to enjoy such a luxury.
Many users, having no other options, continued to pay the ridiculous upcharge and dealt with the policy changes, leading to soaring profits for Netflix. However, the audacity of Netflix and other streaming services did not stop there. Users face the constant threat of having their favorite movies and shows stripped from the platform with no warning, like the drama series “Jane the Virgin” (2014). The Netflix originals were not immune to cancellations either, even after a successful run and a growing fan base, such as “Shadow and Bone” (2021) and “Lockwood & Co.” (2023).
The only solution then seems to be the obvious trend back towards the past of DVD collecting, just at the time when every college student seems to be obsessed with photo booth strips and carrying around digital cameras at every event. DVD collecting ensures that, with the proper players and set up, the movies and shows you grow attached to and periodically binge will always be there, free to rewatch. Having a collection of favorites can serve as decoration to show off to visiting friends that you have taste. It is no secret that teens and young adults have grown fixated on trinket collecting or showcasing their personal style through assorted collectibles, so why not add that touch of nostalgia back into their lives, save money and push back against these corporations?
The common misconception with collecting DVDs is that it is an expensive, wasteful and inconvenient activity. But in reality, there are tons of ways to start your collection that are good for your wallet, the planet and even the libraries. At the thrift store, DVDs usually go for $2.99 to $3.99, and at the bins, it’s by their weight which works in your favor as DVDs are fairly light. DVDs can also be found at the library to borrow, so you can contemplate if a movie or show you’d been meaning to watch should be added to your personal collection or not. But, the best thing about the libraries is that they usually have a bookstore right next door called “Friends of the Library Bookstore,” or sometimes the store is left mysteriously unlabeled, save for the neon “Open” sign.
Prices range from bookstore to bookstore, but libraries will always have DVDs and even VHS being sold in these bookstores for prices cheaper than the thrift stores that have you feeling like you’re robbing them. The libraries receive donations from the community, but often cannot archive or store them all, so they will opt to sell them and have the proceeds go back into the library for them to upkeep their already existing collection.
It truly is a win-win scenario as we walk away feeling accomplished, having dug around and coming across lost childhood treasures, but also that it gave back to the community and saved a great DVD from the landfills. In a seemingly small way, we are able to bring back the control and little joys of being human by getting to make the choice of what to watch and when to watch it instead of relying on these services that take their customers as fools with the heightened prices and disregard for what movies and shows they cancel or remove.
—
Featured Image via Adobe Stock
