Apple TV+, Britbox and the long-awaited Disney+ are circling, but one streaming giant continues to reign supreme…Last year was transitional for the streaming scene, at least in the UK: the promised avalanche of major new outlets to dent Netflix’s dominance rumbled in the background, but showed itself only in snowy fits and starts.
![Streaming: all eyes on the Netflix crown](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/07d60ccf73bd44710bc1c7bbc049ee16a5d738e1/221_0_1807_1084/master/1807.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdG8tZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=54840771a6f0ffe72e34d2dc4179e3b0)
The long-threatened juggernaut of Disney+ was delayed on these shores, with a launch date unconfirmed for much of the year.
Apple TV+ landed in November with less of a bang than expected: there was more confusion over technical matters of access than there should have been from a tech corporation of this magnitude, and its initial bouquet of programming underwhelmed. Only all-star drama series The Morning Show, despite mixed reviews, punched through into public consciousness, while Apple’s plans to take on
Netflix in the prestige film stakes got off to a rocky start. A day before its premiere, potential Oscar contender The Banker was dropped from the schedule after sexual abuse allegations were levelled against one of its producers.