Still a happy subscriber, just a little less so.
Netflix used to want to give people the "perfect movie for them", expecting that eventually they would run out of perfect movies, and move onto just "pretty well-fit movies", and then run out of those too, and probably unsubscribe at that point.
Nowadays, Netflix seem to want to keep people subscribing by making them feel like they have a chance of finding the "perfect movie for them", but only after Netflix has recommended a bunch of those "pretty well-fit" and even some "not-so-well-fit" movies. This is "better" (from Netflix's perspective) for two reasons:
1. it gives people the impression that Netflix's library still has plenty of "perfect" movies to offer them (by stretching them out);
2. it gives variable-scheduled rewards, rather than constant rewards, making people more addicted.
I'm betting the new algorithm works much better at keeping people subscribed, despite seeming to work worse. Netflix is a very data-driven company, and wouldn't have switched to an algorithm that could be observed to hurt.
Netflix basically wants to be a black box where people enter and are entertained for two hours a day forever. mind-expanding or emotionally affecting movies don’t really do that.
Alt right people were giving Amy Schumer's standup 1 star. I remember watching it thinking it was good, not amazing, but certainly not 1 start standup compared to most of the filth out there.
Now, that rating only makes sense given the clustered group of people with similar taste. It's also adds complexity of the clustering said group.
Furthermore, I think people generally are not always the best critic. I totally can picture people being precise in their rating getting the most of the the recommendation engine, and the sloppy getting poor recommendations.
In that case, I can't blame Netflix for wanting to trim down the complexity for making it easier for the audience and themselves.
A show can still have a lower match for all people (similar to having fewer stars). But I think I still like the (assumed) transparency of stars better.