Netflix gets an unofficial ‘Random’ button

I’ve wasted several hours debating with my girlfriend what we should watch next on Netflix. Scanning through categories only compounds the problem, so we frequently end up watching reruns of Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

That’s actually not so bad – but if you’re looking for an easier way to find something new on Netflix, you’ll want to try out this handy Chrome extension.

The imaginatively named Random Button for Netflix adds a link to the top of your screen that instantly opens a random movie, show or documentary when clicked. You can adjust its settings to filter between any of the aformentioned types of content if necessary, and that’s really all there is to it.

My only gripe is that I couldn’t get the extension to work with my Netflix subscription in India, so it’s likely that it only works in certain countries. It worked just fine when I used it with my US-based VPN, though. Give it a go and let us know what you discover with it in the comments.

Update: The extension has now been updated with support for Netflix’s India library. The latest version works in the following countries: Austria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Finland, France, India, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Sweden, the UK and the US.

The extension works by pinging the AllFlicks database, which is plugged into Netflix’s API for sourcing content data. Finnish developer Ville Salminen, who works on AllFlicks and its Random button, told TNW that adding more countries to the list is a priority. Hopefully he’ll find time to do so in between running and writing for Cordcutting, as well as working on his upcoming book on ditching cable services.

Via Lifehacker