Great Debate

Hulu Plus vs Netflix

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Hulu Plus

I love TV.

Watching a 30-minute episode of one of my favorite shows is often the perfect stress reliever.

Take me through one of Cartman’s diabolical plans on “South Park” or give me some Liv from “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” shutting creeps down and I’ll be happy.

What puts Hulu Plus above its competition is its dual-use as both a general movie and television library combined with its next-day availability for network programs through the on-demand service.

Obsessed with “Arrow” on The CW but can’t watch because you have to work? No problem. Wait until tomorrow and follow Oliver Queen’s journey through Starling City.

Missing ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” because you must attend a study group? Don’t sweat it.

Catch up on Meredith Grey’s new life without Derek the next day.

Hulu carries the biggest United States networks including NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox including flagship programs such as “Empire”,”Family Guy” and “The Voice.”

Not only does Hulu provide next-day availability for some major fan-favorites, for many shows it provides all of its episodes in its entirety.

That means for one of my favorite shows “South Park,” I get every single episode from the show’s 19 illustrious seasons. Those are a lot of life lessons taught through satirical comedy and every episode gives me another reason to renew my account.

Hulu Plus costs about $8 with ads included. This means you’re subject to three-to-ten thirty second commercials but now Hulu has offered a new payment plan which provides most of the content with no commercials for $12.

If you don’t have a way to record your favorite television and you can’t live without it, Hulu Plus is the right choice.

— Austin Mai, Editor in Chief

 

Netflix

Netflix is my way of escaping from everyday life.

When I have a paper due, I know I can calm my nerves and watch Agents Mulder and Scully solve paranormal mysteries on “The X-Files”. After a hard test, I stop thinking about how I did when I curl up and binge on “The Walking Dead”.

I love the crazy specific categories like “Cool Moustaches”, which features some of the most mantastic TV and film face-caterpillars the world has ever known. What I don’t love, however, is when people tell me Hulu Plus is a better streaming service.

As far as depth of content goes, Hulu Plus has nothing on Netflix. According to Quora.com, Netflix has the largest streaming library on Earth, with over 36,000 unique titles on demand; equivalent to a staggering 170 terabytes of data (also equal to the storage of 2,656 64GB iPhone 6 Plus’s).

Then there’s the advertisements. I don’t have to watch any ads because Netflix respects my monthly payment of $7.99. But those who choose Hulu Plus aren’t as lucky. The only time my streaming is interrupted is when the internet cuts out or Netflix asks if I’m still watching.

Netflix is specifically catered to assist the media glutton inside all of us. You can revisit your single favorite episode, or spend an entire weekend watching the entire season.

Meanwhile on Hulu Plus, some shows only have up to five episodes available at a time, often times not even in sequential order. Sure, you get the new episode of “The Strain”, but then you’re either forced to watch repeats of the same show or search for another five episodes to desperately cling to. Aside from hosting a plethora of movies and TV shows for instant access (not including their home delivery DVD service, by the way), Netflix has independently created some of the greatest television shows ever.

The most watched series Netflix has is an original production. “Orange Is the New Black” won three awards in its first season and was the first show ever to receive nominations in both comedy and drama categories. When a new season like this is completed on shows made by Netflix, they still remember who their audience is and whole seasons are posted at a time to give the viewer the freedom of when to watch. Can you Hulu Plus subscribers say the same?