Netflix Shuffle Play doesn’t work for a second

With the Netflix feature Shuffle Play you can watch something ‘random’, but my experience was a series of hilarious misses from the streaming service.

Last year, Netflix introduced the Shuffle Play feature, with which choice-stressed viewing could play something random. In itself a great concept for when you feel adventurous and want to try something new. Unfortunately, my experience with Netflix Shuffle Play so far has been pure motivation for a passive-aggressive facepalm.

Netflix Shuffle Play

Last night I felt exceptionally adventurous over dinner. “Throw something my way,” I said nonchalantly to Netflix. The streaming platform rattled the complex, sophisticated algorithm to provide me with the perfect suggestions. In contrast, it turned out to be more of a practical joke than an informed suggestion.

Netflix’s first hit Shuffle Play was the show Unbelievable. Highly recommended, great detective mini-series. Unfortunately I had literally copied that show the night before. There was less than 24 hours between my Unbelievable binge session and Netflix’s suggestion to do it all over again.

Then I was served Lupine, Bridgerton and the final season of The Crown. You guessed it; all series that I (or my lovely girlfriend) have checked in the last few months.

The epic suggestion spree concluded with the suggestion to watch the seventh episode of Mindhunter’s second season. Again; that show is still exceptionally fresh in my memory, let alone that I want to start ‘over’ from the seventh episode.

Growth space possible

After five absurd hits, I finally got a nice show. That does not alter the fact that there is still enough room for growth for the Shuffle Play feature of Netflix. Of course random is actually random. So you can get a series of bad suggestions one after the other.

Still, the algorithm fails a bit; in any case, you shouldn’t be able to get the last show you watched right away. Even starting in the middle of a second season of an already watched show feels pretty pointless.

If those teething problems are finally resolved, the Shuffle Play could well be a very welcome addition to the service. With all that diverse content and all those suggestions, it can sometimes be nice to leave your ‘Netflix in the background during dinner’ to fate. And by destiny, of course, I mean an algorithm that takes your preferences into account, but also takes into account what you literally did the night before.