Like most people, I welcomed the new TV-on-demand revolution with open arms. With unbridled enthusiasm, I found myself subscribing to streaming platforms as if I were collecting Pokémon. Before long, my homescreen resembled a digital buffet serving Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Apple TV+, and more.
Eventually, I realized that I was spending far too much time flicking between streaming services and scrolling menus without finding anything appealing that I hadn’t already seen. It reached the point where, on balance, it simply wasn’t worth the monthly service charges. It was time for a radical change, and I set about canceling my subscriptions one by one.
However, there was one streaming service that I couldn’t quite bring myself to lose: HBO Max. It was abundantly clear that, in a landscape where quantity seems to reign, this is one platform that places quality above all else.
- founded
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May 27, 2020
- number of users
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125 million+ users
- notable shows
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The Pitt, Peacemaker, Pretty Little Liars, Hacks
The streaming overload
Too much mediocre content led me to hit cancel
Cable TV was chaotic, and TV-on-demand saved us from the rigid confines of scheduled channels. Initially, it was a real breath of fresh air. You didn’t have to change your lifestyle to suit your viewing habits, and you never had to worry about missing a favorite show. But between the algorithms’ often questionable recommendations, autoplay trailers, and ever-expanding menus, I later found myself paralyzed by choice.
The number of shows that I consider essential viewing was dwindling, as more forgettable light entertainment filler crept into the playlists. Across all platforms, I was seeing a growing amount of material that should have been consigned to some sort of digital bargain bin upon release. The realization that I was paying for this excess proved to be the final straw that led me to cancel most of my subscriptions.
I’m apparently not alone. A 2025 Gracenote survey revealed that price hikes, subscription fatigue, and the challenge of finding new content have led to a growing number of customers canceling or reducing their streaming subscriptions. With the average American spending $1,000 a year on these services, it’s easy to see why they quickly come under scrutiny as soon as the quality starts to wane.
Why HBO Max stayed
One service still carries the same prestige and promise of quality
Even back in the days of cable, HBO carried a certain prestige and quality that wasn’t bubblegum entertainment, and that appeared to respect our intelligence. This quality has carried over to its streaming service, where essential new releases, such as Chernobyl, Succession, The White Lotus, Mobland, and The Last of Us, rub shoulders with classic series like The Sopranos, Band of Brothers, Boardwalk Empire, and The Wire.
HBO Max’s track record for high-caliber TV is unmatched, and by joining forces with Discovery, it offers even more variety while maintaining the same high levels of quality control. Where competitors are happy to churn out cookie-cutter shows that adhere to tried-and-tested formulas, HBO Max continues to champion fresh content and take risks with genres.
Furthermore, HBO appears to commit to series without cancelling them as platforms like Netflix often do, if a show doesn’t meet its expected viewing figures (I’m still bitter about 1899). In a nutshell, there are three significant reasons I am sticking around:
- Consistent quality and curation: While HBO Max doesn’t release dozens of new shows per week, whenever a new show drops, I am confident that it’ll be worth checking out. Where other platforms seem to prioritize quantity over quality, HBO’s keen editorial taste is what sets it apart and makes it feel more relatable.
- Transparent value: OK, HBO Max isn’t cheap, but I feel I am getting good value for money. There are no hidden paywalls for premium content or sudden shifts to ad-heavy formats unless you opt in. But above all else, the content that it does have feels premium and worth the fee.
- It respects my time: With HBO Max, I don’t feel like I’m being force-fed content or having auto-play compel me to binge shows in rapid succession. This invites reflection and doesn’t demand my constant engagement when on-demand TV is already a sensory overload.
It’s the trifecta of what makes any streaming service good, and HBO Max nails it.
Did I act too soon?
The negative side of cancelling my subscriptions
Of course, I will miss out on many shows, and there will be watercooler conversations that I won’t be able to participate in. Plus, there are plenty of nostalgic shows like Seinfeld that I won’t be able to re-watch at will (although, mercifully, I can get my comedy fix with Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO).
I am all too aware that this decision requires a significant compromise, especially at a time when winter draws closer and I will be forced to spend more time than usual indoors. However, it will be easy to turn this negative into a positive by spending more time enjoying other pursuits that I skip in favor of mindlessly flicking through streaming content. Crucially, the TV I end up watching will be higher quality, and it will feel like less of a time-passing exercise.
Channeling out the noise by clearing digital clutter
As much as it felt like a brazen move at the time, canceling my subscriptions has been like a digital spring clean—a decluttering of my digital closet that has left considerable space for more important things. Of course, I can always resubscribe to a platform for a month or two if there’s a show that I cannot afford to miss, but for the most part, I am happy with my decision. Additionally, there are numerous high-quality free streaming platforms, such as Tubi and Pluto TV, where I can satisfy my movie and TV show cravings without committing to a paid subscription.
HBO Max isn’t perfect. No platform is. However, it still believes in the craft of storytelling and entertainment in the long run, not in quickfire content that scratches an entertainment itch but leaves you with nothing to reflect upon. Besides, in a world where everyone is intent on subscribing to as many platforms as possible, having just one feels like a small act of rebellion, and for me, that one subscription is HBO Max.
