30 days without Netflix: how I survived thanks to free platforms

Big consumers of films and series, when I announced to my partner that, for the sake of an extreme experience, we were going to give up paid streaming services, I expected a knee-jerk reaction. But she simply replied: “Great, we’ll finally be able to talk!” Everyone will draw the necessary conclusions… After this acquiescence, I nevertheless told him that we were going to launch another crazy challenge: make do with the free options for a month. After all, I said, with the number of advertisements we would face, we would have plenty of time to tell each other about our days. I think I've made a point at this point…

Until now, it was always the same scenario: grabbing the remote control around 9 p.m. without any specific idea, browsing the six SVoD platforms to which we subscribe – a budget of around €50 per month, by the way – and, after having combed through the different catalogs, realizing that it is almost 10 p.m. to finally fall back on a sure bet, content that has already been seen, without taking any risks.

Sticking to the more limited catalogs of free services seemed like a good idea on paper. In practice, renouncing Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and others, it also means leaving one's comfort zone and venturing into terra incognita. To make matters worse, the memory of Salto, this “little angel who left too soon”, made me fear the experience of the free alternatives that followed, like TF1+, M6+, OQEE or France.tv.

So, what does that give? Spoiler alert! There were moments of cruel loneliness, repeated advertisements, but also pleasant surprises.

Week 1: withdrawal and nostalgia

The first week started with a culture shock. I who used to binge watcher films and series without interruption, I rediscovered this forgotten concept: advertising breaks. Free SVoD platforms never let you forget that they too have to pay electricity bills. Before each selected content, there is a series of advertisements for cars, toys, other programs on the platform and, ironically, spots for paid content. Thanks for the temptation, but vade retro Satanas anyway…

Despite this, I ventured onto TF1+ and M6+. If I had to give up on horror films (a shame as Halloween approaches…) in favor of a fairly early collection of Christmas TV films, I rediscovered the charm of TV series of my youth: Lois & Clark, Charmed, Veronica Mars…The promise of a cozy evening with Madame, in short.

Week 2: adaptation and curiosity

The second week, the habit gradually took hold. I have personally learned to appreciate his services for what they are. On France.tv, I found a selection of fascinating documentaries, such as The Tie Or The Kingdom of Silence. I even went through great vintages of French cinema. Rediscovering the masterpieces of Truffaut or Dupieux is priceless. Well, yes, it’s free!

OQEE by Free was also a revelation. Freebox customer, I have access to live and replay channels. Perfect for catching up on the best moments of Daily when returning from the office. But where the service stands out is in its selection of completely free films and series: 21 Jump Street, Very Special Envoys, Taxi Driver, Skirt Day, White House Down, Scary Movie, Taken… For once, it was almost like paid streaming, but with a very tricolor touch, namely small loading bugs here and there, as if to remind us that the service is free in every sense of the word.

Week 3: weakness and tenacity

The third week was the hardest. A bit like the different stages after a breakup, I went through denial. The new seasons of my favorite series were released and I wanted at all costs to avoid spoilers on social networks, as if my life depended on it.

At one point, I confess, I almost broke down and restarted my subscriptions. Then I thought of the glare from our deputy editor Marie and, trembling, I stood my ground and turned to television 2.0, namely YouTube. Humorous programs, clips, scientific and historical popularization, reports: the choice is vast! In addition to a certain freedom of tone, I especially (re)discovered creators: Karim Debbache, Nota Bene, e-penser, Hugo Décrypte, or even Legend, with this former colleague I met during my radio decade…

We also had to satisfy our little monsters, to whom I passed on my love for the cartoons of my childhood. So I introduced them to Jimmy Neutron, Hey Arnold!, The Ninja Turtles, or even Rugrats. The Pluto.tv site offers free thematic channels with continuous films, series and children's programs… for a few advertising pages. And that's when I realized one thing: no matter the platform, we inevitably return to the television format. A concept that even the paid versions could not resist and which is naturally found on the free services.

Week 4: acceptance and resilience

The last week, something surprising happened: I no longer felt the lack. By avoiding paid platforms, I had acquired a taste for this different pace. I had stopped frantically consuming content and, for the first time in a long time, I no longer had that anxiety of “what am I going to watch next?” An observation which allowed me to understand that SVoD quickly transformed into fast food video, leading to bulimia which makes viewers less demanding once they are given their dose.

It also opened my eyes to the sociological aspect of this overconsumption of content. Word of mouth, viral campaigns, coffee machine chats, etc. The growing buzz that these different programs can generate creates a social bond, which can also lead to a feeling of being left out. This is FOMO syndrome (Fear Of Missing Out), this form of anxiety that leads consumers to fear missing out on an event or trend. By settling for free services, I rediscovered the pleasure of sitting in front of a program without having to ask myself if it was the best possible choice. Freed, delivered!

Verdict

This experience showed me that there is real potential in free options. So yes, these don't really compete with the variety of programs and the few ads that paid services offer. However, this need to constantly enrich their catalog requires them to provide content that can be consumed quickly and can appeal to all audiences. Particularly smooth content which often tickles users' nostalgia with resurrected franchises. But if the method had something to seduce for a while and attract my attention, the result was often quite disappointing and hollow, which explains my rapid withdrawal.

So, will I continue to avoid paid platforms for all that? Not sure. Nothing stops you from playing it serial churner and, like almost half of American users, to subscribe occasionally so as not to miss the best releases and catch up on them over the course of a month. A way to never run out of programs to discover, without having to browse for hours through an endless catalog that shares many titles with the free variants. For those looking to reduce their monthly bills, even if it means sacrificing a little comfort, the game is worth it.

Ultimately, this adventure taught me to appreciate simple things again, to accept the commercial break as an opportunity to do something else, and not to consider the binge-watching as a social obligation. So, if you are looking for a digital detox, as we embark on a Dry Januarywhy not try the experience? After all, perhaps the best content is the one you don't watch.

NB: you are probably wondering how my other half had the experience? Let's say I'm up to date on the gossip and know how his days unfold over a month… Thanks for the ad!