Netflix Changes Its Review System; Some Think Amy Schumer's Special Played A Role

Entertainment Weekly reported Thursday that Netflix, Inc. NFLX will no longer let users rank content on a scale of one to five stars. Instead, the platform will now let users rate content with either a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" rating system.

Some internet commentators, such as Steven Crowder, think the sudden change in the rating system is no coincidence. Comedian Amy Schumer's Netflix original recently went live on the platform and garnered lots of one-star reviews.

Schumer blamed the plethora of one-stars to "right-alt organized trolls." But TV critics also trashed her show, including left-leaning publications such as the LA Times, which said her comedy show is "mostly full of unapologetic raunch" and the majority of her jokes most certainly can't be mentioned in the review.

"'The Leather Special' not only relies on many of those familiar and explicit themes, but kicks it all up a notch so there's more of it — with more frequency and extremities. And as it turns out, that's not a good thing," the LA Times' Lorraine Ali wrote. "I'd put an example here, but a series of bleeped out words probably won't be helpful."

To Netflix's credit, the EW report did note it has been testing the new rating system last year to encouraging results. Users volunteered 200 percent more ratings when presented with an option of a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" rating.

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Image: Anna Hanks, Flickr