Review: Netflix

A few months ago my husband signed us up for a free trial month of Netflix.  I was adamant that we cancel the subscription before it auto-renewed on our credit card, because come on, we're already paying for cable.  Why would I spend an extra $8.99/month for more TV?

Turns out, Netflix is the next best thing to sliced bread.  Not only does it provide an endless supply of suitable shows for the preschooler set (especially since most kids in that age range like watching the same shows over and over again), but it also has a pretty darn good assortment of shows for grownups too.  I've barely scratched the surface of TV shows, and I know there are tons of movies available on Netflix as well.  So far we've really enjoyed watching the following TV series: Life on Mars, Being Erica, Arrested Development, Coupling, and Pulling.  My 4 year old son's favourites are (of course) Mighty Machines, Word World, and the Wonder Pets (sigh).

 It's so nice to be able to browse through such a variety of shows, and there are new ones added all the time.  Netflix will recommend shows to you based on others you have enjoyed, and you can browse by the type (movie vs TV) and genre of show.  Once you start watching something, Netflix saves your spot, so if you need to pause your show for some reason, you can come back the next day and pick up right where you left off.  This works even if you switch between shows - it will remember your spot in each show.

Netflix can be watched on game consoles (such as Xbox 360, PS3, Wii), streaming players (such as Apple TV), networked Blu-ray players, networked HDTVs, mobile devices, home theatre systems, and of course, your computer.  There's nothing better than being woken up by a newborn for a 45 minute feeding than to be able to catch up on a favourite TV show while feeding the baby.  (OK, I'll admit, sleeping through the night would be better.  But while you're up, you might as well have some fun!)

You can check out Netflix at http://ca.netflix.com (for Canadian readers) or http://www.netflix.com (for US readers).  Your first month is free!