Finding something to watch in five minutes
Choose a show or movie without scrolling for an hour.
Streaming apps are built to keep you looking, not to help you decide.
The rows of pictures scroll forever. There is no end of the shelf. If you browse, the app wins and your evening goes by.
The way out is the search box, usually a small magnifying glass. Type the name of an actor you like, or a movie you loved thirty years ago. The app will show you that, plus things like it.
When something looks promising and you do not want it right now, add it to your list. Most apps have a plus sign for that. Then next time you have a shelf that you built.
Key points
- Rows of pictures are designed to be endless.
- The magnifying glass is the search box.
- Search a name you already like.
- The plus sign saves a title to My List.
- Decide before you open the app.
What to remember
- The search box and the plus sign turn an hour of scrolling into two minutes.
- Deciding before you open the app is what saves the evening.
- A list you built yourself is the shortest path to a good evening.
Try this
Tonight, open your streaming app and search the name of one actor you have always enjoyed. Add two of the results to My List, then pick one and watch it.
Practice: Finding something to watch in five minutes. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.