Amazon Prime streaming video recommendations thread

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Tried watching 'tales from the loop' again last night. Bloody hell it's a struggle. I'm told the last episode, or last two bring it all together. . . Which is where I have now gotten up to, but jebus it's hard work. Each one is about five or ten minutes tops of content spread over forty odd minutes, mistaking dragging a story out and baggy editing for atmosphere and breath. A couple were pretty solid but could still have done with ten to fifteen minutes of trimming. I know these are not supposed to be fast paced, and they don't have to be. It's a mixture of repeated point making and extended scenes more than anything else.

Those last two episodes better be worth it.

 

[chandlerp]

Yes thats a fine feature but it still doesn't help that a huge chunk of the catalog is paywalled if you've something specific in mind, and changes at random.

Paywalled because it's not on Prime. The Fire TV and Fire TV Stick is a storefront. It also advertises Netflix, iPlayer, More4, Demand5, TVPlayer shows on there. Do people complain that they are having to pay for Netflix shows because they should be getting them free because Amazon are advertising them on the Fire TV?

If you want to see just what's included in Amazon Prime Video, download the Amazon Prime Video app which is just like any other app on the Fire TV. That way you only see what's included.

 

[Orang Utan]

How are people watching Amazon Prime? Didn’t realise there was any other way than through the app. Have never had any issue with unexpected fees as all Prime Videos are labelled Prime in the corner and there’s a free to me section too.

 

[chandlerp]

You can watch Prime in an internet browser

 

[Spymaster]

Paywalled because it's not on Prime. The Fire TV and Fire TV Stick is a storefront. It also advertises Netflix, iPlayer, More4, Demand5, TVPlayer shows on there. Do people complain that they are having to pay for Netflix shows because they should be getting them free because Amazon are advertising them on the Fire TV?

I think he means all the additional subscription channels within the Prime app (MGM, Acorn, Arrow, Starz, etc).

 

[chandlerp]

Others view it on a Fire Stick but seem to think that means everything the Fire Stick or TV shows them is included in Prime. The Fire devices are basically just the same as a Fire Tablet but use the TV as a screen. As such it's just an app-driven device same as any other android device.

 

[chandlerp]

I think he means all the additional subscription channels within the Prime app (MGM, Acorn, Arrow, Starz, etc).

Are they within the Prime Video app? I've never seen them. See them all the time on the Fire TV but they're just extra subs like Netflix and that, I wouldn't expect them to be included in my Prime membership. Like I say, the Fire TV is just a device to sell you subscriptions.

 

[chandlerp]

Just checked, the app has a toggle switch for "Free to me" which hides them.

 

[Spymaster]

Are they within the Prime Video app?

Yes. You need to view through "free to me" to get rid of them.

Edit> as you've just seen.

 

[Artaxerxes]

Watch via an App on the tablet or via the browser, don't have an actual TV or a Fire Stick.

The "free to me" toggle also doesn't solve the fact the interface and search is shit in general.

 

[kabbes]

There is no doubt that the interface is the worst steaming pile of dog turds imaginable.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Just checked, the app has a toggle switch for "Free to me" which hides them.

Yes but it flips back immediately if you do a search, or basically anything that takes you off the page you were on when you clicked it.

 

[han]

I've just started watching the miniseries 'We're Here'. It's an HBO drag show presented by Shangela, Bob The Drag Queen and Eureka O'Hara.

It's billed as 'Drag queens recruit and train small-town residents to participate in a one-night-only drag performance.' I've only seen one episode so far but it's bloody lovely. Really heartwarming. And it has 8.3 on imdb!

In the first episode they go to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and produce a little show with some willing participants. It's really joyous and emotional. It's a bit like a combination between Drag Race and Queer Eye. Lovely. And... I love Shangela so much!

 

[dessiato]

We have come late to Dexter. It's very good, we find ourselves watching 3 or four episodes a day.

 

[chandlerp]

It had such a disappointing ending that I'm glad it's coming back for a limited series later this year to hopefully put things right.

 

[chandlerp]

John Lithgow being the best thing about Dexter.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Watching the 'Devil and Daniel Johnston' documentary.
It's good.

 

[Chz]

Started on "Hunters".

It is very, very silly. But that's sort of what I need right now.

Also, "Upload" basically plays on all my fears of modern technology. In a comedy.

 

[Sweet FA]

Tried watching 'tales from the loop' again last night. Bloody hell it's a struggle. I'm told the last episode, or last two bring it all together. . . Which is where I have now gotten up to, but jebus it's hard work. Each one is about five or ten minutes tops of content spread over forty odd minutes, mistaking dragging a story out and baggy editing for atmosphere and breath. A couple were pretty solid but could still have done with ten to fifteen minutes of trimming. I know these are not supposed to be fast paced, and they don't have to be. It's a mixture of repeated point making and extended scenes more than anything else.

Those last two episodes better be worth it.

Yeh, I thought it would be perfect stoned telly. It was too slow for even my slowed down brain. Let me know in a non-spoilery way whether the last 2eps are worth it

 

[Artaxerxes]

Started on "Hunters".

It is very, very silly. But that's sort of what I need right now.

Also, "Upload" basically plays on all my fears of modern technology. In a comedy.

While somehow celebrating how great capitalism is at the same time as saying how its not, its a very confusing show.

Enjoyable enough mind.

 

[sojourner]

I thought Loop was immense!

 

[Artaxerxes]

I thought Loop was immense!

It looked amazing but it was so fucking slow.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Also, "Upload" basically plays on all my fears of modern technology. In a comedy.

I quite liked upload. Even though it's not perfect and it's all wrapped up in a very American easy watch wacky comedy format, it does have some good ideas and interesting points.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I watched that Amazon original 'Bliss' which I think they are currently pushing as 'mind bending'. Owen Wilson and Salma Hayek star.
Pretty much total trash. They were probably going for something quite cerebral, but lost it all along the way (during production - the film is shite from the off), and then they ended up trying to pretend it had a matrix type quality for for the marketing.

I recommend you give it a swerve.

 

[DaveCinzano]

There is no doubt that the interface is the worst steaming pile of dog turds imaginable.

BritBox just texted me to ask if you could hold its pint

 

[sojourner]

It looked amazing but it was so fucking slow.

I didn't think it was 'slow' in the slightest.

 

[DaveCinzano]

BritBox just texted me to ask if you could hold its pint

I've just received a telegram from UKTV requesting that BritBox looks after its flagon

 

[kabbes]

I expect UKTV’s tacked-on on-demand portal to be a bit useless, though. But Amazon? What’s their excuse?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I expect UKTV’s tacked-on on-demand portal to be a bit useless, though. But Amazon? What’s their excuse?

I can't say I have a massive problem with the prime interface once it gets going/you get used to it. Be nice programs were favourites rather than each individual series of a program. The rest of it is just geared up to make you aware that other non prime shows are available, probably part of a deal they have. . . . And maybe the customer star ratings are a bit generous, but at least there are stars.

 

[kabbes]

I can't say I have a massive problem with the prime interface once it gets going/you get used to it. Be nice programs were favourites rather than each individual series of a program. The rest of it is just geared up to make you aware that other non prime shows are available, probably part of a deal they have. . . . And maybe the customer star ratings are a bit generous, but at least there are stars.

The problem is mostly that it doesn’t categorise and filter for you in any consistent or systematic way. You can’t just find (e.g.) a “comedy” category and follow that through to a subcategory (e.g. UK sitcoms) and then see everything in that category. So it’s hard to find things to watch until you have enough of a history behind you that you can follow the chain of what others have watched. Thanks to this thread, I do now know that you can do searches for things like ”documentary” but even then, the results are a bizarre mix of helpful and irrelevant.

None of the portals are good — the BBC, Channel 4, ITV all have their (serious) limitations. But at least BBC and Channel 4 do allow me to decide I want to watch a documentary and then show me their documentaries!