Mixtapes have long been a cherished way to share our favorite music, capturing personal stories through song pairings. Yet, surprisingly few people curate similar compilations for movies and TV shows. As a streaming enthusiast with years of experience exploring Netflix's ecosystem, I've always wondered why—perhaps due to the technical hurdles of physical media or the relative novelty of home video.
Netflix is changing that with FlixTape, an innovative tool launched to tap into the untapped potential of movie and TV playlists. Until now, there was no native feature for this; users had to resort to blogs or social posts. FlixTape makes sharing your Netflix favorites effortless and fun.
Curious how it works? What benefits does it offer viewers? And what other social tools enhance Netflix? I've tested it extensively—read on for a detailed breakdown based on hands-on use.
Building a FlixTape is straightforward, taking just a few steps. Start at the FlixTape website. Name your tape starting with "Los" and ending with "FlixTape"—I chose "The Political Comedy of FlixTape."
Netflix suggests titles based on your name, but as someone who's critiqued their algorithm before, I found them hit-or-miss. Searching for political comedies yielded Shooter, House of Cards, and Homeland—thrillers, not laughs.
Easy fixes: Hover to remove or replace titles, view details for unknowns, and drag-and-drop to reorder. Search by genre, title, or partial matches to add your picks.
Customize with a cover image hinting at the theme.
Finally, share via Facebook, Twitter, or a direct link. Note: Netflix libraries vary by country (e.g., UK has far less US content), so recipients abroad may miss some titles.
Netflix offers ready-made FlixTapes with playful names like "The Besties or Frenemies FlixTape" and "Mom and Pop FlixTape," featuring originals such as House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black. Some mixes puzzled me—like "Mom and Pop" pairing family fare with RED and House of Cards.
Others shone: "La Croix University FlixTape" packed educational gems like Beasts of No Nation with Idris Elba and Cooked by Michael Pollan.
Netflix shines for solo or cozy couch sessions, like binging Orange Is the New Black, but lacks built-in social features to avoid distractions. Third-party apps fill the gap—here are my favorites from real-world testing.
Teleparty (formerly Netflix Party), a free Chrome extension, syncs watching with remote friends. Install, open a title, click the icon for a shareable link—controls stay in perfect sync.
rabb.it (now evolved platforms) adds video chat like Appear.in, plus a shared browser for Netflix, Hulu, or YouTube. Bonus: Access richer US libraries via virtual US servers, bypassing VPN blocks.
FlixTape adds a fresh social layer to Netflix, though it may not rival classic mixtapes' cultural impact. It's worth experimenting with, alongside tools like Teleparty. What's in your FlixTape? Share your social Netflix hacks in the comments!
