Physical media or streaming? The winner is clear for me. Aside from the science-backed reasons to love DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K discs, as a cinephile, I simply get a thrill from adding a new title to my collection and knowing that I officially own it.

However, I reject the idea that we need to approach this issue from a binary perspective. After all, purchsing physical media involves certain risks (like the risk of damaging a disc) that streaming platforms can help hedge against. If I had to choose between streaming, digital downloads, and physical media, I’d easily opt for physical media, but personally, I’m thrilled this isn’t a choice I need to make.

Even a physical media nerd like myself can appreciate the benefits and strengths certain streaming platforms offer. Consider the following examples. I may be proud of my Blu-ray collection, but I also fire up these platforms on a regular basis.

The Criterion Channel

A streaming platform that appeals amateur film students

Again, the reasons I’d rather buy a physical copy of a movie than stream or download it are numerous. Access to supplemental features is a major factor. Thanks to special features like audio commentaries, retrospective documentaries, and related content, a physical disc can practically serve as an informal alternative to film school.

Most streaming services and digital downloads don’t offer these features. However, there are exceptions.

The Criterion Channel is a noteworthy example. As many a cinema connoisseur already knows, the Criterion Collection offers physical releases of prestige titles. They’re meant to appeal to the kind of film fan who cares about impressive picture quality as much as they care about consuming extra content that showcases what makes a particular film worthy of inclusion in the Collection.

The Criterion Collection also has its own streaming service, the Criterion Channel. This may seem to contradict the point of the Criterion Collection, but in practice, it actually supports the company’s mission.

The Criterion Channel achieves this goal in a few ways. First, it’s worth noting that Criterion Collection discs can be expensive. Few can justify buying all the titles they might wish to from the Collection. Although the Criterion Channel doesn’t technically offer all the movies available on disc via the Criterion Collection, it still boasts a massive library, often including obscure pictures that may be difficult to find on other platforms.

Perhaps more importantly, it’s not uncommon for movies on the Criterion Channel to also come with special features. You just have to search for titles available as “Criterion Collection Editions” on the platform. To as much of an extent as is possible via a streaming service, these versions of Criterion movies come with the same supplements as their physical counterparts. Any hardcore movie-lover can understand the value of such a service. For example, if you’re on the fence about spending money on a particular Criterion disc, the monthly cost of the Criterion Channel will cost you less than that single purchase, while also providing you with far more content.

National Theatre at Home

A streaming service offering something physical media can’t offer

In the debate over the merits of physical media and streaming platforms or digital downloads, it’s easy to overlook a critical point: Some content isn’t available via physical media.

Maybe you’re a fan of the theatre. While some filmed versions of stage plays do get DVD or Blu-ray releases, this is somewhat uncommon when you compare the volume of plays that are staged with those that get anything resembling an official physical media release. It may thus seem as though the only way to experience these productions is to buy a ticket and travel to where they’re performed.

Is this the ideal way to enjoy a play? Absolutely. Is it an option for everyone? Absolutely not. Whether the barriers are geographic, economic, or both, for many, actually attending a professional performance of a play they might otherwise wish to see could be out of the question.

National Theatre at Home offers an alternative in these circumstances. With a membership, users get access to literally hundreds of filmed versions of classic British plays, often featuring well-known talent from the big screen. For example, as a confirmed Danny Boyle fan, I used this service to make the most out of spooky season, watching his production of Frankenstein with Benedict Cumberbatch as the iconic monster.

National Theatre at home is an example of a streaming platform that offers content you simply can’t get on physical media. Speaking as someone who is more than happy to sing the praises of a robust Blu-ray collection, this one benefit only a streaming service can really offer. That’s what makes me a fan.

Prime Video

A streaming service I’m already paying for is the best kind of streaming service

While I know where I stand when it comes to the superiority of DVDs and Blu-rays, I’ll concede that streaming comes with some unique advantages that didn’t exist until fairly recently. Essentially, a devout film fan like myself may want to view as many films as possible in a lifetime. This can be impossible if you’re only watching physical media. While no streaming service can offer access to every movie that’s been released, a streaming platform can theoretically offer access to a large content library at a fraction of the cost that it would take to build an equivalent physical library.

Streaming and digital titles also don’t take up space. Listen, not every movie or show is good enough to justify taking up any of the already limited storage space in my small apartment. When I want to watch something, but not badly enough that I want to own it, streaming offers a perfectly good alternative.

The streaming option is even more attractive when I more or less already pay for a streaming service. I’m thinking of Prime Video. I get Prime Video with my Amazon Prime membership. Thus, there’s no reason not to explore its content from time to time.

Prime Video doesn’t exactly earn a spot on this list because its library is greater than that of others. Prime Video belongs here because it’s an example of a streaming service that’s worth the cost. Some platforms are worth the cost because the cost is, well, fairly low. Others, like this one, are worth what I spend because they technically count as one feature of a larger service to which I already subscribe.

I haven’t abandoned streaming

We should remember why we embraced streaming in the first place

Don’t get me wrong! Few are as thrilled as I am that physical media is making a comeback. However, in order for it to make a comeback, it needs to have gone away in the first place. At least one of the reasons physical media became significantly less popular over a decade ago has to do with the fact that consumers experienced the convenience of streaming and temporarily decided it was the superior option.

It appears consumer attitudes may be shifting back after the weaknesses of streaming and digital downloads have made themselves apparent. We should nevertheless remember that we got so excited about streaming because some of its strengths are very real. Instead of abandoning streaming altogether, I’m consciously deciding which platforms offer benefits I can comfortably spend money on. These are just a few examples worth keeping in mind.