HBO Max via Hulu, Not The Same Experience

I cannot recommend using adding HBO Max to one’s Hulur subsrcription.

Recently, our family decided to renew our HBO Max subscription through Hulu rather than directly through HBO Max. Eventually, the different streaming services are going to get smart and offer multiple competing services in one huge mega-bundle. Until then, consumers will have to cherry pick to which services they will subscribe, often changing services from month to month. I have thoroughly explored many of the streaming services, and while Netflix remains my favorite, HBO Max surprised me with its tremendous value through its acquisition of so many Criterion Collection titles.

For those who don’t know, the Criterion Collection is a DVD library/catalog of hundreds of the all-time greatest films. In 2016, WarnerMedia’s Turner Classic Movies succeeded Hulu Plus as the exclusive online view-on-demand (or VOD) distributor of the Criterion Collection, though some titles were available through Kanopy. This year, WarnerMedia started the HBO Max streaming service, and the majority of the Criterion Collection seemed to be available on HBO Max. As a former film student, I have always loved the Criterion Collection, which is curated some of the greatest experts in Cinema Studies. As soon as I started using HBO Max, I was streaming movies from the Criterion Collection non-stop. It was definitely worth the money spent. Consumer value, baby!

Apparently, HBO Max does not offer the Criterion Collection through the Hulu app. It was such a rude awakening when I discovered that Hulu would not let me access that aspect of the HBO Max service. While many of Warner Bros.’s best films are available via the HBO Movies “hub”, they same is not true of the Criterion Collection. Zounds! Gah! What’s the sound that Caliban makes when Prospero hits him? Sod it! What matters is that the Criterion Collection has disappeared from my life once more, and it feels like a robbery. I have to advise against subscribing to HBO Max through Hulu until this aspect of the subscription service changes.

Thanks for reading, friends. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. If you can, stay home. Stay healthy. Stay safe. One Love.