September 29th, 2023 is going to be a huge day for Netflix subscribers. That’s the date that marked the company’s “final season” finale for DVD-by-Mail rentals, which has left a pretty question in the air: where are all those discs going to go? As the big red streamer has finally revealed its answer to that query, I’m both relieved and a bit confused as to how this is going to work out.
While I'm feeling a bit relieved and confused right now, this news has also revived my fury over Netflix’s closure of its DVD service yet again. So, before I start ranting again about why this whole scenario sucks, let's talk about the potential upside to this disc giveaway, and all of the metaphorical strings that come attached.
What Netflix Is Going To Do With Its DVD-By-Mail Discs
If you’re a DVD plan subscriber, you should have already gotten an email laying out what’s happening. For those of you content with experiencing everything new on Netflix through a purely streaming plan, here’s what’s going on. Apparently, Netflix is going to be giving up to 10 discs away to those still signed up to rent them between now and the final shipping date.
There’s a little bit of legwork that needs to be done though, as that email contains a special link. Once you’ve clicked the button that’s aptly labeled “I want more red envelopes,” the process is complete. At this point, you’ll see the following message:
On the plus side, knowing that Netflix will be giving away its library of titles kind of softens the blow for some devoted subscribers. I hope my colleague Rich Knight, who’s probably still working through his feelings about Netflix closing its DVD mail rental service, takes comfort in this news for himself. There’s a chance that the two of us, and any other eligible physical media lovers out there, might be able to swap some cool stories about gaining some surprise relics that are long out of print.
Then there’s the downside to all of this hubbub. Some interesting language is included in this offer that downright confuses me about this entire process, and it’s more confusing than comforting.
Why This New Netflix DVD Giveaway Seems So Confusing
There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding what’s supposed to be a happy announcement. First off, you don’t know if you’re going to be getting any DVDs to keep “until they arrive.” That’s starting to sound more like a sweepstakes event than anything else, which leads to the next point of order in this potential giveaway of “up to 10 discs.”
While the maximum expectation is set, how is Netflix going to decide the number of discs each lucky subscriber selected will be sent? Do years subscribed factor into the matter, or is this going to be a randomized drawing that gives us answers in time? I would think that time enrolled in the service would count for something, as 10 discs to someone who's been with the family since 1998 would be a fitting send-off, for sure.
Also, this surely means that some subscribers won't be getting any discs, right? That's another case where I hope some sort of quantifiable algorithm or formula is being used, and that 25-year subscriber mentioned above isn't cheated out of some sort of a piece of this thank you.
It's Going To Be Fun Discovering What Movies You End Up Owning
Even if that's the case, which 10 movies would you be getting? Brace yourselves for this next concern, as it’s something that I can tell Netflix is already trying to mitigate through the statements surrounding this initiative: How will they choose what discs you’re sent? In both the email and the confirmation page shown above, subscribers are being told to make sure their “must-see movies” are at the top.
I get the sentiment, and keeping one’s queue updated properly to reflect what they want to see most is always important. At the same time, you could be going home with some movies you merely put on the list because of morbid curiosity; an attitude that worked better in the Blockbuster days.
I didn’t plan on owning a copy of Return of the Living Dead 5: Rave to the Grave when I put it into my queue, but now that’s a distinct possibility. And if that potential reality prevents me from snagging a copy of Kenneth Branagh’s sterling adaptation of Hamlet, I’m going to feel a bit sore.
Worst still: imagine what's going to happen when someone realizes one of their take-home prizes is a copy of Gigli. Unless you're into that sort of thing; in which case, I root for you heartily.
Netflix's Goodwill Gesture Is Both Exciting And Scary
I get it: it’s the luck of the draw, what should I be complaining about, right? Well, when I don’t know how many discs I’ll be getting, or if I’ll be getting any discs to begin with, it just makes for a soup of suck. Netflix is trying to be a buddy and give its loyal subscribers a token of appreciation for years of devotion, and I’m not blind to that. However, the randomness of it all kind of takes away from the joy I’m supposed to be feeling right now.
That being said, if appreciation is being given random discs from an incomplete series, or something I once saw on a whim at Redbox and didn’t get to previously rent, then maybe I’m not ready for this. Maybe, just maybe, Netflix should have sold its DVD rental apparatus to another company that wanted to keep it alive. You know, like that offer they turned down from Redbox.
Do I hope I get some “extra red envelopes” in the mail? Absolutely. Am I looking forward to some potentially interesting pickups, like that copy of Looker I’ve been putting off buying? Definitely. Although, even in the middle of all the interesting potentials, I’m still worried how this is all going to shake out.
Most of all, I’m going to miss having the stability of Netflix’s physical media library to help me further my cinematic education. I know there are other options available, like public libraries, GameFly, and other subscription services that might spring up to try and fill the void. It’s still going to take me some time before I shake that excited expectation of a red envelope arriving at my doorstep.
September 29th is going to be here before you know it, fellow Netflix disc subscribers. So check your email, click that link, and wish upon your mailbox that the media gods are kind to you. Good hunting fellow disc junkies, and may fortune smile upon you and your movie collection.
