It’s no secret that I like streaming services. I’ve blogged about my favorite shows on Netflix, Hulu, AppleTV+, and Disney+. Why shouldn’t I blog about the next hot commodity, HBO Max? On May 27th, 2020, HBO Max was launched. It was heavily advertised and pretty much everyone on social media knew what it involved. A big talking point about HBO Max was the price point: $14.99 a month, which is pretty hefty compared to other streaming services. (Disney+ is $6.99, AppleTV+ is $4.99, etc.). I recently purchased a subscription to HBO Max and here are my thoughts.
Movies
Okay, there are loads of movies to choose from on this platform. Way more than I had initially expected, honestly. And there are some notable titles: all of the Harry Potter movies, The Sun is Also a Star, She’s the Man, Ford v. Ferrari, Joker, Kill Bill, Star Trek, Fast Five, and more. There’s a lot of genres to choose from and there’s family-appropriate content as well. I’m blown away by how many films there are to choose from. While the $14.99 seems a little steep, I rationalize it by thinking about how I can rent a movie for $3.99 on iTunes or Amazon. I can watch way more movies through HBO Max (and they have a great range of movies) for less. I think for the movies alone, it might be a good option to consider.
Series
HBO Max has more shows than I thought they would. They have Friends, True Blood, Sex in the City, Pretty Little Liars, Westworld, South Park, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, the Big Bang Theory, Doctor Who, Rick and Morty, His Dark Materials, and Game of Thrones. And they have way more. I’ve missed Friends since it left Netflix, but I’m glad that I get to watch it again! It’s the perfect show to have going on in the background while doing other errands, such as blogging. Not to mention all of the original Max shows that the platform has to offer, like the aforementioned Westworld, His Dark Materials, and Game of Thrones. The quality of the shows stand out compared to those produced for television and are, in my opinion, worth the money of the subscription.
Layout and Usability
The app itself is very well-designed. I use it the most on my phone or on my tablet, and each time I use it, I’m pleasantly surprised by how efficient the layout is. It’s very east to sort through all of the content. They have featured categories, such as “bingeable series” or “movies to watch with the family.” You can also see the movies A-Z and the same for the shows. There are also sections for “just added” and “leaving soon.” Overall, it’s very easy to navigate and the layout is very intuitive. It’s one of my favorite layouts for a streaming service, that’s for sure.
All in all, I think the $14.99 is a big price, but worth it. With as much content and movies and series they have to offer, I think it’s a fair trade. It has a large quantity of quality content to choose from. One of my favorite things is that they have complete shows (every season). Some streaming services piece-meal series and only have a couple of seasons. With HBO Max, it’s every episode from the first to the last.
What are your thoughts on HBO Max? Do you have it? Would you subscribe? Why or why not? Let me know down in the comments. And, as always, thank you so much for reading!
Love,
Kaitlin H Powell 