HULU service

[TheForce]

Couple of years ago I checked it out and was really disappointed in the image quality and selection. I had been hearing more and more good things about the service lately so I decided to check it out again and discovered it had greatly improved in program and movie selections as well as image quality. It seems to be a pretty good service to compliment Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Only problem I have seen still with the service is it pauses often while playing a movie or other program. I never see this on the other services including HDR and 4K content. So it is likely not my connection speed but rather Hulu server capacity.

 

[stardust3]

I just started using this service in the last month or so. Have not seen this issue yet. I did upgrade to no commericals shortly after signing up.

 

[Zookster]

I enjoyed my 2-month free trial last summer, which came with my new Roku. I thought the image quality was excellent, but Hulu still doesn't have 5.1 audio. And the only movies that interested me were also available on Amazon Prime. As for the TV shows, except for two Hulu originals, I got all the ones I need through my TV service, Playstation Vue. I would like to check out Runaways, and as soon as there are a couple other originals I'd like to catch up with, I'll subscribe for another month or two.

 

[navychop]

Aren’t there murmurings that Hulu is in deep financial straits?

 

[king3pj]

Aren’t there murmurings that Hulu is in deep financial straits?

Not that I know of but that doesn't mean it's not true. With Disney owning 60% of Hulu thanks to this Fox deal (they originally each had 30%) I would think Hulu is pretty safe though. There was speculation that controlling stake in Hulu was one of the big factors in Disney's decision to purchase Fox.

 

[Zookster]

It'll be interesting to see what happens when Disney launches its own service in 2019. Will ABC-owned shows still be on Hulu or move to the Disney service, or both? How much money will Disney be willing to put into original shows on Hulu when it is trying to develop and market an essentially competing service?

 

[TheForce]

Maybe Iger will simply merge the two into one service.

Looking for some great programming: Check out Future Man. I really enjoyed that series and binge watched it. My wife is into the Handnaid's Tale. This has some porn ion it so not good for kids to watch. Frankly I find the series boring but she likes it.

 

[JTBenson]

The big question is "Will Fox shows stay on Hulu?".

 

[Zookster]

Maybe Iger will simply merge the two into one service.

The big question is "Will Fox shows stay on Hulu?".

Disney is acquiring much of Fox's movie and TV assets and will effectively own 60% of Hulu once the merger is complete. The question is what will become of the remaining 40%: Comcast (NBC) with 30% and Time Warner (TBN channel content) with 10%. I don't see Disney's new streaming service simply merging with Hulu as long as Hulu is still part owned by the other companies. Of course Disney could just boot (buy) them out, but that could endanger Hulu's live TV service, which has contracts for dozens of channels from various content providers, including Comcast and TW.

 

[JTBenson]

Disney is acquiring much of Fox's movie and TV assets and will effectively own 60% of Hulu once the merger is complete. The question is what will become of the remaining 40%: Comcast (NBC) with 30% and Time Warner (TBN channel content) with 10%. I don't see Disney's new streaming service simply merging with Hulu as long as Hulu is still part owned by the other companies. Of course Disney could just boot (buy) them out, but that could endanger Hulu's live TV service, which has contracts for dozens of channels from various content providers, including Comcast and TW.

But they are not acquiring Fox Broadcast Networks. Not sure how that impacts the broadcast rights of Fox shows on Hulu. I think as long as Comcast has 30% ownership, NBC shows will remain on Hulu.

 

[Zookster]

But they are not acquiring Fox Broadcast Networks. Not sure how that impacts the broadcast rights of Fox shows on Hulu. I think as long as Comcast has 30% ownership, NBC shows will remain on Hulu.

Fox retained some local Fox affiliates it owned, but it sold its movie and TV studios, along with all the intellectual property therein. I imagine if some of the prime time shows airing on the Fox network aren't owned/produced by Fox studios, they may not be part of the deal. Interestingly, Disney gets the popular This Is Us, which airs on Comcast's NBC network.
Here are the films and TV shows Disney would get from Fox

From the linked article:

One of ABC’s longest-running hits, Modern Family, is actually produced by 20th Century Fox Television, and one of its newest, Speechless, is a co-production between Fox and ABC. Other popular network shows from Fox include This Is Us, which airs on NBC, and Empire, which appears on Fox. That channel also broadcasts Fox-produced shows such as the revival of The X-Files and The Gifted, a live-action series based on the X-Men.

20th Century Fox Television has a subsidiary, Fox 21 Television Studios, that primarily makes programming for cable channels. Fox 21 has a hand in Showtime’s Homeland and FX’s American Horror Story, among many other shows. Disney would also acquire FX Networks in this deal, including the channels FX, FXX and FXM as well as the studio FX Productions. That company makes Fox’s second X-Men show, Legion, along with acclaimed series such as The Americans and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

The other subsidiary of 20th Century Fox Television is Fox Television Animation, which, of course, makes animated TV series such as The Simpsons, Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers. The firm’s library includes American Dad!, Futurama and King of the Hill.

Disney would own the production apparatus behind those series, as well as the production and distribution rights to Fox’s widely varied back catalog, which includes shows such as 24, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hill Street Blues, M*A*S*H, The Mary Tyler Moore Showand The Shield.​

 

[ncted]

Hulu really has come a long way, huh? My household watches way more on Hulu than Disney+:

Hulu Is Driving More Streaming Subscribers to Disney Than Marvel or Star Wars

New subscriptions to Hulu have outpaced those of Disney’s flagship streaming platform in 18 of the past 24 months as the company makes more content for adults.

www.wsj.com

 

[KAB]

Hulu really has come a long way, huh? My household watches way more on Hulu than Disney+:

Hulu Is Driving More Streaming Subscribers to Disney Than Marvel or Star Wars

New subscriptions to Hulu have outpaced those of Disney’s flagship streaming platform in 18 of the past 24 months as the company makes more content for adults.

www.wsj.com

We have been watching a lot more of it lately than Amazon or Netflix. Disney+ is only good for the occasional Marvel or Star Wars series.

 

[Juan]

HULU R.I.P?

Disney Shutting Down Hulu?

Could Hulu end up getting absorbed by Disney+ into one larger streaming service? The possibility is actually out there. Here's what we know.

www.giantfreakinrobot.com

 

[Bruce]

HULU R.I.P?

Disney Shutting Down Hulu?

Could Hulu end up getting absorbed by Disney+ into one larger streaming service? The possibility is actually out there. Here's what we know.

www.giantfreakinrobot.com

That story is from 2 YEARS AGO, so has not happened yet.

 

[Juan]

That story is from 2 YEARS AGO, so has not happened yet.

True..actually they bundled it...more to come

 

[ncted]

Hulu really has come a long way, huh? My household watches way more on Hulu than Disney+:

Hulu Is Driving More Streaming Subscribers to Disney Than Marvel or Star Wars

New subscriptions to Hulu have outpaced those of Disney’s flagship streaming platform in 18 of the past 24 months as the company makes more content for adults.

www.wsj.com

Yeah, I know people have been predicting the demise of Hulu for a while. In the meantime, they've quietly gotten a lot better.

 

[Zookster]

The ad-load creep has made Hulu unwatchable for me since subbing last November on the $1/mo BF deal. I'll push my way through a couple more shows on my must-watch list and season 5 of Handmaid's Tale this fall, but I'm mainly watching ad-free Disney+ right now thanks to the $2.99/mo. deal I'm getting through Hulu.

 

[ncted]

The ad-load creep has made Hulu unwatchable for me since subbing last November on the $1/mo BF deal. I'll push my way through a couple more shows on my must-watch list and season 5 of Handmaid's Tale this fall, but I'm mainly watching ad-free Disney+ right now thanks to the $2.99/mo. deal I'm getting through Hulu.

I don't watch any ads except the unavoidable ones at the beginning of certain shows on Hulu. I hate ads and I'm willing to pay to avoid them. Thankfully, I am still paying the same or less when I still had cable/satellite.

 

[KAB]

You only need to wach Only Murders in the Building to know that Disney has plands for HULU.