Television

I know you can buy access to content to some TV shows on the Apple store, Amazon and the Microsoft Store - but these are still subject to geoblocks, not accessible in many countries and only offer a relatively small selection of TV shows anyway (and even then they're subject to this shit.)

Think about how video games have been fundamentally transformed. You can buy the majority of video games on Steam (or just use other similar apps). They're all basically released everywhere on day 1. They're automatically yours forever (until such a potential when Steam goes down - but you can easily extract and secure the files if you worry about that).

The same is not remotely true with TV. I understand that multiple streaming services were obviously going to emerge as TV production expanded. I understand that expecting to be able to watch everything on Netflix for £9.99 a month was never going to be realistic. But alongside these streaming services, a Steam-type client should've emerged allowing people to just buy seasons of content on the services. For people who want to legally keep what they watch, paying something like £5-15 per season (with sales much like Steam). No geoblocks. No restrictions.

I say this because in many cases I have had no choice but to pirate to watch a TV show season. It literally was not available to me through any legal source. I could not digitally buy it, nor was any streaming service accessible to me carrying it. This is now happening to Americans more and more (I am not American) with European series being heavily delayed. The last season of Babylon Berlin released in October 2023. It took another year or so for it to get to America. It's also not accessible in France or many other European countries too.The show has suffered from staggered international releases since it was initially released, essentially throttling its popularity potential (most expensive German series ever made at one point).

As for me? I'm British. I could not, and still can't watch the second season of Balkan Shadows anywhere legally according to Justwatch. Paris Police 1900 season 2 is also still not accessible for me. This is really quite pathetic when you think about music and video games.

Thank you everyone who posts, comments or votes

Hugh Grant's terrifying plan comes to a head in Heretic's blood-soaked (albeit confusing) ending.

Ref: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/zero_day

Started watching the series the other day and completed…

Here’s a short comment I have come across, I kind of agree somehow

Zero Day Netflix Series and the New America by M. M SAGMAN

The Zero Day series highlights the dangers of a “new America” through its plot and themes. Released by Netflix shortly after Trump’s re-election, the six-episode series features Robert De Niro as G. Mullen, a former president leading an investigation into a nationwide cyber attack. Mullen, portrayed as a patriotic and intelligent figure, faces moral dilemmas as the commission he heads prioritizes private law, allowing controversial decisions in a crisis.

The series also critiques the relationship between capital, media, and politics, exemplified by the character of President Mitchell, who embodies a mix of Obama and Harris. The narrative reveals how political figures, including Mullen’s daughter, navigate ethical challenges amid a backdrop of systemic issues, suggesting that the American dream often masks deeper problems.

While the series addresses the cyber attack as a societal crime, it emphasizes the rise of fascism as a more pressing concern. Mullen’s character reflects the complexities of leadership, as he grapples with personal loss and moral integrity. Ultimately, Zero Day presents a narrative that critiques the American political landscape while reinforcing the notion of the American dream, albeit through a flawed lens.

Despite its engaging premise, the series sacrifices truth for fiction, simplifying complex issues and portraying individual actors as the sole sources of systemic problems. This approach risks obscuring the broader capital-centered networks that shape American society and its global actions.

M. M SAGMAN He is a PhD student in Sociology. He has been actively involved in various civil society organizations. He worked as an editor for a while. He is married and has 2 children.

I like the review above more than the series itself and would currently rate the series no higher than 7 out of 10.

Paramount Global says that the second season of 1923 has significantly grown its audience ahead of the April finale.