Is Netflix prepared for pay TV?

I must admit, at 69 years old, I should know better than to stay up way past my bedtime. But on two occasions last November, I found myself wide awake into the wee hours of the night. The first time was on election night, and let me tell you, the following day felt rough after being sleep-deprived. And to add insult to injury, I stayed up late again to watch a disappointing fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul.

Now, this fight was supposed to be exciting, but it fell flat. Tyson, who is 58, didn’t throw many punches, and it was clear that age had caught up with him. Some even said the match was rigged because Tyson didn’t take advantage of opportunities to hit Paul. It was a letdown for Netflix, which had a packed stadium in Dallas and around 60 million viewers tuning in.

Let’s talk about the poor buffering and picture quality that had viewers frustrated. These technical issues do not bode well for Netflix, especially as they gear up to broadcast NFL games on Christmas Day and take over WWE’s Monday Night Raw in January. NFL fans can be tough critics, but wrestling fans? They’re a whole new ball game.

Growing up in the 1960s, the idea of paying for TV was a big deal. At my house, it was like we were living in a completely different world from the families on TV shows like “Ozzie and Harriett” and “Leave It to Beaver.” My dad was not the understanding, helpful type like Ward Cleaver. In fact, he was more likely to kick the TV down the stairs than pay for TV.

I vividly remember my dad’s antics, fueled by something stronger than milk, as he threatened to give our TV the boot. His failed attempt left him flat on his back, and I thought he might be dead. But no, just a little worse for wear. The next morning, TV and Dad were still in their places, and I turned on Captain Kangaroo, pretending to wake up the clock.

After a night of chaos, I can tell you that yelling at a clock did nothing to cure Dad’s hangover. Ah, the memories of those wild nights and early mornings.

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Mike Tasos has lived in Forsyth County for more than 30 years. He’s an American by birth and considers himself a Southerner by the grace of God. He can be reached at miketasos55@gmail.com.