Netflix 'Shuffle Play' Feature Rolling Out to All Users Later This Year

[DocMultimedia]

"Maybe you'll like this movie since it has a 0.3 IMDb rating."

 

[jtrenthacker]

I have a better idea. Add content that isn't mostly crap. I'm pretty sure I will be cancelling soon. The only reason I haven't already is Stranger Things season 4 (who knows when that will come out) and maybe watching Breaking Bad again.

 

[Saturnine]

I didn't realise this was only a test feature. I've had it for several months and it's pretty useless. Netflix obviously know all the shows I've watched and still gives me some pretty awful recommendations on a regular basis. The shuffle feature just shuffles programmes from that recommendation list - most of which I have no interest in watching.

This definitely feels like a feature designed by a committee who patted themselves on the back for solving the issues of how to get viewers watching more content. Maybe it works well for some, but it doesn't do much for me.

 

[CarpalMac]

At first they should do a proper user interface which can hide already seen movies.

This!! And also, ALLOW ME TO MARK AN EPISODE AS HAVING BEEN WATCHED!!!!

Ahh, that feels better.

 

[WiseAJ]

Can we add shuffle play for only episodes of a specific show? Not that they are on Netflix anymore but shuffle play would be great for episodes of Friends and The Office.

I’m sure there is some other show out there like that still on Netflix that would be great for this. (I’m honestly barely on Netflix anymore so idk)

 

[arobert3434]

Also known as the you should really do something else with your life button.

Yup, talk about total relinquishment of all free will. Just stimulate me, I don't want to have to do anything.

 

[4jasontv]

I'm sure there'll be a lotta pushback on this, but they're essentially recreating one of the few good things about network TV; the lack of choice in programming usually makes it easier to decide what to watch when you just need to kill half an hour or want something on in the background while you work or eat.

A little over a year ago, Drew Gooden made a video suggesting a shuffle feature, and it sounds like it'd be great for movie nights.

It's always nice to meet another little stinker.

 

[4jasontv]

This!! And also, ALLOW ME TO MARK AN EPISODE AS HAVING BEEN WATCHED!!!!

Ahh, that feels better.

Add add Up Next support.

 

[doboy]

Don't get why this is front page, especially when it's months and months out? It's not even related to iPod Shuffle

 

[velocityg4]

Issue will be that Netflix wouldn’t know if you want to spend a +2 hours movies night or just want to kill half an hour.

People are generally creatures of habit. If it's 8PM on a Thursday and you are usually watching Netflix from 8PM to 11PM on Thursday's. There's a pretty good chance you have a few hours to kill. Anyways, you can just turn it off and continue where you left off if it was any good.

I'm sure there'll be a lotta pushback on this, but they're essentially recreating one of the few good things about network TV; the lack of choice in programming usually makes it easier to decide what to watch when you just need to kill half an hour or want something on in the background while you work or eat.

A little over a year ago, Drew Gooden made a video suggesting a shuffle feature, and it sounds like it'd be great for movie nights.

Analysis Paralysis can be a problem. I solved it by having a good list of series on Amazon and Netflix to watch. Something good for several months. Taking time to consider a good series to add once one has completed.

Anyways, usually I just watch something from the list. I keep down to about five or six series. This way I have variety but a simple choice of stuff I love. Also I have enough variety so that when one series is complete. I can take time to think of something new to add.

If I feel like looking for something different. I'll just give myself two or three minutes to find something. If I can't find anything by then, back to the list. As it only takes a few minutes to go through the A-list of movies on two services.

Actually, by having such a list. Network television is dead to me. It's way easier to find something I want to watch. Rather than clicking through a bunch of channels. Frankly, I can't bear to watch commercials anymore and refuse to. I can't recall the last time I did any channel surfing or looked through the guide. The only channel I watch is TCM.

 

[gsurf123]

Now all we need is for the Netflix Apple TV app to be half as good and intuitive as the version on every other device.

Why is it so hard to get back to 'continue watching' and why isn't there a 'coming soon' section like there is on the iOS app?

I folded on the AppleTV (the remote sucks and therefore using certain Apps sucks extra). It may not be for everybody, but the Nvidia Shield is an outstanding product that is continually updated. I am not into side loading, but it can run just about any Android app if that is your thing.

 

[SDJim]

*snicker* Hey Netflix! The 90's called, they want Google's "I'm Feeling Lucky" button back! *chortle*

 

[MVMNT]

Had this for months.

Don't understand how effective it is for long-form content that you've not got curated as part of a playlist. Unless it's got some really good algorithmic work going on to get it right most of the time.

 

[routine_analyst]

Shuffle play? So like... cable?
Awful.

 

[maxfromdenmark]

I’ll never use it. My time is too precious for watching shuffle crap.

 

[kevinacote]

Why would anyone want this?

Hulu has this feature for Seinfeld, which I particularly like since the episodes are mostly stand alone. I don't get this as a Movie shuffling feature, fits better within a TV show.

As to why I like this...since al la carte has been mainstream I have found myself in withdrawal and longing more and more for scheduled programming, watching whatever is on TV like with cable or Fubo.tv like services. My wife and I find ourselves more compelled to watch a movie when it's on TV rather than picking it out, feels a little more special ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[groundedUX]

It would seem a higher priority for users to have a decent search and filtering before providing MORE randomness 🙄

 

[Localcelebrity]

After canceling many of their best shows, losing much of their good back catalog stuff to Disney, HBO Max, and Peacock, AND raising their prices again, they are looking for a way to get us to watch the glut of exclusive content they already created that doesn't interest us.

Seriously considering canceling until the next season of 'Umbrella Academy' comes out.

 

[Macyourdayy]

I thought that’s how they were operating anyway. The search and “recommendations” appear totally random and if you drop out of a binge session, you might never be able to get back to the next episode or even find that title.
This should be even more fun then. I should probably bail out of Netflix as I can’t remember the last thing I watched there. Is there anything worth watching?

 

[Macyourdayy]

Shuffling 100 shows I don't want to watch isn't the answer

Somebody thinks it is. I’d hate to see the question though.

 

[Macyourdayy]

Given that 98% of the recommendations from Netflix are claptrap. I can't imagine using this feature.

Using it? Trying to avoid it will most likely be impossible, like their infuriating sound up previews when you’re trying to read the title, summary and other info before random crap is blasted at you.

 

[cwwilson]

These streaming services are getting to be too much to deal with. Yeah, they offer a lot of content but there is so much stuff on there I don't care about watching or will never get around to. It's to the point where I only sub when I know there is a show I'm going to watch right away and as soon as I'm done with it I cancel. Everything is so messy these days... Not to mention the quality of most of these "originals" have gone way downhill. We're just too overloaded with average shows and movies and not a whole lot that's critically acclaimed. There used to be a lot of series on Netflix in particular that I liked but they've since been ended/cancelled. The worst part is, there hasn't been anything that's come around to replace them.

I'm just getting really tired and burnt out with a lot of this stuff in all honesty.

 

[Nathanh29]

Had this for ages. It’s a nice idea but i'd rather see it suggest 3 titles, which you've never seen before, and then autoplay #1 if you don't choose.

 

[harmoniumfarfisa]

I saw a forum where people were actually acting like this was some useful long overdue feature they'd been requesting.
I'm pretty sure they all just gave them away as Russian bots. Nobody really watching Netflix wants them to randomly pick content. Netflix suggestions are awful.

How about a way to select the type of content you want to see, and block (or better yet) section off foreign titles? I don't need rows of stand up comedy specials and reality shows I'm never going to watch, and I really don't want to get surprised by subtitles every time I settle in to binge watch for a week of my life. I can't multitask and read subtitles.

 

[jMc]

I didn't realise this was only a test feature. I've had it for several months and it's pretty useless. Netflix obviously know all the shows I've watched and still gives me some pretty awful recommendations on a regular basis. The shuffle feature just shuffles programmes from that recommendation list - most of which I have no interest in watching.

This definitely feels like a feature designed by a committee who patted themselves on the back for solving the issues of how to get viewers watching more content. Maybe it works well for some, but it doesn't do much for me.

I’ve had it for months too. Can’t say I’ve ever used it for grown up TV watching, but have used it a few times for the kids (who are less picky about what crap they watch and I don’t want to go through half an hour of scrolling through while they agree on something to watch ).

jMac