March 4, 2025
Goodbye Netflix, hello Gem
Netflix finally pushed me too far with yet another price increase that supposedly pays for a pipeline of hot, new shows.
They must be going for quantity over quality because I can’t remember the last time Netflix had something I really wanted to watch. In fact, after 10 years, I was subscribing more out of habit than anything else. With tax, I would be paying $20 a month for a service I seldom use. OK, I did try the second season of Squid Game, and it was terrible.
So I cancelled. Ahh, such a relief.
At the same time, I was getting kind of annoyed by the ads on CBC Gem. So with my new-found disposable income, I decided to pay $6 a month to get rid of them.
Not that I was watching Gem a whole lot, but now that I’m a paying customer, I’ve been taking a closer look at what’s available. Here’s what I’ve been liking so far:
Son of a Critch: Home-spun coming-of-age humour about growing up in the 1980s in Newfoundland. Kinda corny but I like the characters.
North of North: A single Inuit mom navigates life with the help of a slightly crazy community in northern Canada. Down-to-earth humour, compelling characters.
The Great British Baking Show: An hour of British bakers competing every week — it’s the ultimate comfort show.
Canada’s Ultimate Challenge: Five teams turn the country into a giant obstacle course. The challenges are actually quite daunting, and they are interspersed with personal drama.
Small Achievable Goals: A couple of middle-aged women, who don’t understand the meaning of TMI, team up to succeed in the podcast industry.
Canada Reads: Limited series where five champions pitch the book “every Canadian” should read. One book is voted off each episode.
Halifax Comedy Festival: A half-hour mix of stand-up comics that always gets a few chuckles out of me.
Coming up on March 21 is a new show called Ghosting that looks good. “Catch a new season full of screams and laughter as Luke and Matthew venture across the country, along with celebrity guests, to investigate some of the most famous hauntings in Canada.”