Streaming Video Power Rankings #162

Happy Memorial Day, everyone!

1) HBO: NOW what? Yes, HBO wants to "replace" Game of Thrones, but let's give it one more week to bask in the success of the series. I think a lot of people hated the finale, but they watched.

2) Netflix: Historical Roasts sounds interesting, and the latest seasons of the CW shows have all migrated here. Plus Outlander coming here is a pretty big deal, right? the new What/If looks like it could be horrible but maybe fun horrible. For me it was all about the comfort food of old sitcoms, but it was a decent week for Netflix overall.

3) Boomerang: I don't need access to Huck Hound 12 months a year, but it's nice to have it every now and then. I'm hoping for one really cool new cartoon added before I let it go in a week or two.

4) Hulu: I really wanted to see Live in Front of a Studio Audience bur couldn't see it live. Enter...Hulu! Ramy continues to get good buzz. Hulu seems to be steadily building something. Will Disney continue this or will it introduce some radical changes?

5) Pub-D-Hub: After a spotty few months of updates, the PUB is back on track (I watched a Boston Blackie episode this week) and even launched a podcast of sorts for its customers.

6) Amazon Prime Video: A slow week for adds, but I enjoyed some Yancy Derringer and Make Room for Daddy.

7) YouTube: Did I mention that a few weeks ago someone uploaded tons of old This Week in Baseball episodes? Don't all go at once. Let's not call too much attention to it.

8) My Retro Flix: The greatest channel I kind of don't want everyone to know about has added a handful of movies for the spring.

9) Starz: If you're interested in seeing The Jeffersons, the original, here's where you need to go.

10) Sony Crackle: And here is the streaming home of All in the Family--unfortunately, only the first two seasons.

Streaming Video Power Rankings #161

1) HBO: After the Veep finale and an acclaimed Muhammad Ali movie comes the TV event of the year, the Game of Thrones finale, and though I don't watch the show, I am kind of pleased it has totally overshadowed the end of The Big Bang Theory.

2) Netflix: I give them credit for trying with the Laugh-In special, and it's been a great resource for those of us getting ready for Endgame. There are some returning series I totally forgot about (White Gold?), but I am glad to see another season of Nailed It, which I hope to watch with my kids if I can drag them away from...

3) Boomerang: Oops. I messed up that transition. I thought I might be able to watch some classic toons with my kids, but I'm the one enjoying goofy stuff like Yogi's Ark Lark on here while they watch...

4) YouTube: Yep, here it is. Kids love, love. love YouTube. I could bemoan them watching so many videos of, say, kids playing Roblox, but can I really talk when I spend so much time watching old network TV promos?

5) Amazon Prime Video: Thanks for giving me one extra episode of Happy Days, Amazon. Now how about adding some more? It did add more Pink Panther Show, so maybe more is on the way. Also, Amazon is getting a lot of critical praise for Fleabag season 2.

6) CBS All Access: I have to admit, the end of The Big Bang Theory is a big deal, and cord cutters who want to see the last episode can go here for it.

7) Hulu: I'm looking forward to George Clooney's adaptation of Catch 22, and I should probably have this higher. but I didn't actually watch anything on here this week.

8) The CW: Here's another of my periodic reminders that if you don't want to wait for Netflix, you can see all the CW shows here for free on the app. I wonder if this will change when CW shops it shows around when that Netflix deal expires. I admit I still do find myself just waiting for ad-free Netflix sometimes.

9) Pub-D-Hub: After several weeks off, it returned with a new look and, more importantly, a new update of content, including a Boston Blackie episode.

10) I Married Joan: I sincerely love that not only did someone create a Roku channel devoted to this old Joan Davis sitcom, but they tout it with the line, "All episodes available!"

Streaming Video Power Rankings #160

1) Netflix: As someone scrambling to catch up on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I'm glad that most everything is right here in one convenient place. Let's not worry right now about what happens when all this stuff leaves Netflix.

2) Amazon Prime Video: Sneaky Pete is back for all you fans of things happening in 2019, but I am impressed by the addition of the first 5 seasons of Perry Mason, most of a season of Happy Days (apparently the same meager assortment available on CBS All Access), and the first 4 seasons of The Brady Bunch. Yes, the Cousin Oliver episodes are too hot to touch right now.

3) HBO: The Veep season finale and Game of Thrones keep HBO riding high.

4) Boomerang: This channel has added so much of the goofy toons of my youth in recent months, I have to give it another month. Those late Seventies/Eighties Flintstones cartoons--the Shmoo? Fred and Barney as cops? CAPTAIN CAVEMAN?  I am gonna relive them even if they are less than stellar.

5) YouTube: Forget the NBA playoffs, I think we need to look into this Houston Gamblers vs. Pittsburgh Maulers game someone uploaded here this weekend.

6) Hulu: I don't know if it's turning it into subscribers yet, but Hulu is riding a real wave of critical acclaim lately, now headlined by the sitcom Ramy.

7) MLB TV: The Pirates once again made the Free Game of the Day spot...and this time, they won!

8) Court TV: I was never a huge watcher of the cable TV version back in the day, but I didn't think it needed to be transformed into...whatever it became. It's cool to see an established channel revived as a totally free entity available in the Roku channel store.

9) Pluto TV:  Me when I first saw all the Viacom channels added to Pluto: Oh, this is lame. It's just 'curated' selections of them and nothing resembling live streams of the linear channels." Me a minute later when I noticed Beavis and Butt-head was on: "YES! "[BANGS HEAD UP AND DOWN]

10) NBC: Two things are becoming clear in my gradual Punky Brewster watch: 1) NBC was really, really high on T.K. Carter at one point. 2) I obviously have way too much free time.