In 2024, content discovery continues to challenge the streaming industry as viewers endlessly scroll through crowded libraries. Comcast Advertising’s Content Discovery in a Multiscreen TV World report found that more than half of U.S. viewers are so bogged down by browsing that they often give up and rewatch old favorites. Tivo’s recent Video Trends report shows that a whopping 84.5% of viewers browse without knowing what they want, endlessly scanning instead of diving in. The challenge of finding something new isn’t going away anytime soon, but it’s not new either. In June 2013, Netflix quietly launched Max, its ambitious attempt to solve this very issue on the Playstation 3, hoping to add some “content serendipity” into the streaming world – where you can watch what you want, when and where you want…until you don’t know what to watch.
When I think about today’s on-demand apps, they’re not that different from a digital Blockbuster. Even now, most of us are choosing movies based on cover art, whether we’ve heard of it, who’s in it, or maybe the synopsis—just like we used to do at the video store on Friday nights. Sure, we don’t have to leave the house anymore, but we’re still making choices based on limited signals, scrolling through endless thumbnails as if we’re strolling through aisles. And in that process, we skip over a world of content because it didn’t check those boxes. That’s where linear has a clear advantage: it introduces a bit of serendipity, letting us stumble onto something we might never click on ourselves. Netflix’s Max was an early experiment that brought that feeling to streaming, nudging viewers toward unexpected content without relying solely on those usual cues.
The Vision: Serendipity Through a Game Show Lens
Max wasn’t just Netflix’s take on a recommendation algorithm. He was built to add humor and spontaneity into the streaming experience, asking questions like “Dinosaurs or Interpretive Dance?” or pitting actors against each other to help viewers land on something fun. Developed by Jellyvision, the company behind the cult classic game You Don’t Know Jack, Max’s interaction was more a game show than a browsing tool, delivering suggestions with a mix of charm and passive-aggressive sass.
Max’s programming was all about creating a lighthearted, guided discovery process without traditional browsing. In “Celebrity Mood Ring,” he’d ask users to choose between two actors, while “One Simple Question” threw out absurd genre match-ups. If those didn’t lead to a decision, Max would try the “Ratings Game,” where users would rate movies on the spot, nudging Max closer to understanding their taste. And if users still didn’t pick anything, he’d launch the “Final Five Countdown,” dropping five movie choices in rapid succession, practically begging users to just choose something before he signed off with a quip.
The Experiment and the Challenges
While Netflix hoped Max would become a content discovery ally, early experiences showed he was hit-or-miss. Max’s quirky approach led him to sometimes suggest wildly off-the-mark movies—if you wanted something light, he might serve up Hotel Rwanda, creating more laughs than viewership wins. And while fun, Max’s game show approach didn’t align with Netflix’s on-demand identity, especially for those who preferred direct control over choice. Max entertained more than he assisted, which was both his charm and his downfall.
From a technical perspective, Max was confined to Playstation 3 and later Playstation 4, making him an enigma for most users who never encountered him. Although Netflix teased plans to expand Max to devices like the iPad, he never made the leap, and the experiment quietly wrapped up a year later. For Netflix, it became clear that Max’s charm couldn’t outweigh his limited practicality in the user journey.
Max’s Legacy: When Serendipity Met Streaming
In the end, Netflix quietly retired Max, letting him fade away without much fanfare. Despite his flaws, Max left a memorable mark on Netflix’s approach to discovery. He was Netflix’s early recognition that serendipity has a place even in a digital world. Max’s playful guidance and quippy personality laid the groundwork for the industry’s ongoing search for ways to inject the unexpected into content discovery. Today, FAST services and linear streaming channels are bridging the gap Max first tried to close between structured programming and choice.
For Netflix, Max was an early experiment in breaking down choice paralysis, a step toward understanding that content discovery isn’t just about accurate algorithms but about nudging viewers into new territory—sometimes with a bit of help. While Warner Bros. Discovery’s “Max” takes a very different approach, Netflix’s original Max paved the way, reminding us that sometimes, viewers just need a little extra help finding something to watch.
