Every minute, more than 500 hours of footage is uploaded to YouTube. Suffice it to say, you're never going to be able to watch everything on YouTube; it's an endless source of entertainment.
Away from the masses, YouTube Originals is a dedicated place for original content made by YouTubers, celebrities, and creators who wish to share their vision on the platform. But are YouTube Originals worth checking out? And, more specifically, how do they compare to the original content produced by streaming services like Netflix and Hulu?
Let's take a closer look at YouTube Originals.
YouTube vs. Other Streaming Services
Streaming services have become an integral part of how most people spend their free time. There are so many platforms available, and new ones continue to pop up: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, and so on.
YouTube launched in 2005 and boasts over two billion users. Its YouTube Originals has been around since 2014.
Most streaming services today require a paid monthly subscription, though you can find free streaming services. For example, Netflix costs $8.99/month and Disney+ costs $7.99/month, though plans can vary (and there's often a discount for signing up for an annual subscription.)
YouTube can be both free and paid. You can enjoy it for free, or you can invest in a YouTube Premium subscription that costs you $11.99/month. Amongst other Premium perks, one of the best is that you won't see any ads.
You can watch some YouTube Originals for free, though these are supported by ads. Other original content is behind a paywall and requires YouTube Premium.
What Do YouTube Originals Offer?
The best part about YouTube Originals is that you don't have to pay to see most of them. All you have to do is log onto YouTube and press play. But are they up to par with, say, Netflix and its original content?
Netflix has many hits that become cultural phenomenons. It also has duds that didn't hit with audiences, and shows that get canceled after the first season. Unfortunately, that seems to be the norm with YouTube Originals. What's more, whatever doesn't get chopped moves to a different platform altogether.
For example, Cobra Kai premiered in 2018 and became a huge hit. It stayed on YouTube as an original show for two seasons and moved to Netflix for its third.
Most YouTube Originals end after a single season, even if people appear to enjoy them. For example, though the show Origin had more than a few plot holes and weird decision-making on the protagonists' parts, it still offered an intriguing storyline. It only made it ten episodes before getting canceled. Weird City and Wayne, which were other seemingly liked shows, only made it six and ten episodes, respectively.
What About YouTubers' Original Content?
Since YouTube is the home of YouTubers, it's only natural that they've also produced original content. Many have their own shows, some of which became pretty successful.
PewDiePie, the most subscribed to individual on the platform, had a show called Scare PewDiePie that lasted ten episodes and was well received. Liza Koshy, who's amongst the most famous YouTube creators and has also made it to mainstream media, has her show Liza on Demand that will run for three seasons.
Escape the Night, which was the brainchild of creator Joey Graceffa, had four seasons and 46 episodes before ending in 2019. It was one of the most famous YouTube Originals shows.
Recently, mainstream celebrities have begun making YouTube channels and producing original content on the platform, too. It's debatable whether they're technically YouTubers, but they are creating original content on YouTube, so they're worth mentioning.
Will Smith created Will Smith: The Jump, in which he documented himself bungee jumping out of a helicopter for his 50th birthday. The show was eight episodes long and amassed many views.
Kevin Hart also created Kevin Hart: What The Fit, which spans three seasons and documents him and a celebrity friend trying a new workout routine—like sumo wrestling and goat yoga.
Some YouTube Originals are definitely worth checking out, but most are bound to disappoint you, either because they got canceled prematurely or because they're simply no good.
Are YouTube Originals Worth Checking Out?
Naturally, that depends, as it's pretty subjective.
There are countless YouTube Originals you can explore, but as already mentioned, they tend not to last that long.
Most shows get canceled after a single season, even if they're interesting to watch. So, you may find a show that intrigues you, but you're still likely to get disappointed since you'll get hooked but not be able to see how the story progresses.
That's not to say that other streaming services aren't guilty of the same, and cancel shows that are fan favorites. But, ultimately, there are better things to fill your time watching than YouTube Originals.
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