We are a culture of streamers and binge watchers. That’s been true for years, and never more so than now in this era of quarantines and lockdowns. Fortunately for our collective sanity’s sake, this all happened during the “Golden Age” of television. We now have better content, delivered in greater quantities and from more sources than ever before. So, why do we still find ourselves staring blankly at the screen each night with no idea what to watch?
Maybe the options are so vast that our silly human brains can’t find focus. At a loss, we turn to the most logical solution in 2021, the robots. A robot can cull through its database to make suggestions based on your listening history. The problem with that solution is that each robot you ask is using a different set of data by which it calculates its probabilities.
The Disney algorithm thinks your multiple binges of The Mandalorian indicate that Pirates of the Caribbean is your next best choice. Based on your obsession with the IT Crowd, Netflix says you are sure to enjoy something called Mascots. And Hulu figures that your devotion to Futurama means you are sure to love King of the Hill.
They are all very wrong. However, it’s not the robots’ fault. They simply do not have enough information. For instance, if they knew that you preferred aliens in your cartoons, computers in your comedies and your heroes in space, then they would have made very different suggestions. If only the robots knew you as well as your friends do.
That’s where MustWatch comes in. The app is the brainchild of co-founders Che Edouard and Aimee Carvalho. The two classmates and graduates of Boston University’s Questrom School of Business launched the idea after Che was inspired by a conversation at a party. As his friend complained that he had no one with whom to discuss Game of Thrones, the entrepreneur realized people needed a virtual watercooler around which they could gather and discuss their favorite shows. Edouard calls it, “A social hub for TV.”
To use the app you first need to register with a username and password. From there you build your database of favorite shows and favorite people. Through an easy to use graphical interface, you tell the app what you like to watch. MustWatch then allows you to connect with family and friends who are also using the app. Once you’ve got your friends, start sharing. Send recommendations back and forth about what to watch with people who actually know what you like. The app is designed to be your personal social TV guide, where you can find and share viewing inspiration with friends new and old.
It’s a great concept and a lot of fun. MustWatch gives easy access to the whole universe of television information, and user-friendly design to connect you with those whose opinions you trust… your friends. So, download the app and tell those friends to do the same. Together you can finally answer the age old question, “What do you want to watch, tonight?”