When a loved one passes away and leaves us a possession from their life, it can be a mixed blessing. On the one hand, it connects us to someone important who is no longer with us, but on the other hand, it can be a constant reminder of the grief we feel in their absence. Such a predicament is currently plaguing Baltimore resident Karl Dessen, who just inherited his dead uncle’s “Top Picks For You” Netflix recommendations.
Absolutely haunting. This has got to stir up a lot of heavy emotions.
When Karl got home from his uncle Jake’s funeral, he turned on Netflix to watch The Great British Baking Show and was shocked to discover that his homepage was filled with the suggested shows that the streaming service had been recommending to Uncle Jake at the time of his passing. In place of the familiar shows that usually dotted Karl’s Netflix page, there was now a category labeled “Top Picks For Your Late Uncle Jake (Our Condolences).”
“It was just surreal to know that these were the same shows that Netflix was trying to get my uncle to watch while he was alive,” Karl said. “Even though Uncle Jake is gone, I’m still getting Netflix’s recommendations that he watch Ozark and Band of Brothers due to his interest in Breaking Bad and Dexter, and in some ways it’s like he’s still here with me.”
Truly powerful. It’s almost like having your uncle’s ghost watching Netflix right beside you.
Karl says that he doesn’t particularly like any of the shows that Netflix now suggests for him, but he understands that this is because his uncle liked boring shows while he was alive. “I get suggestions for things like Suits and basically every nature documentary, which I’m not really into. But I still get choked up every time I see Netflix say it thinks I’ll love 1917, because it feels like a piece of Uncle Jake is there with me watching mediocre movies and television,” he said.
Karl’s inheritance of his uncle’s “Top Picks For You” recommendations has also offered a glimpse into a side of his uncle that he never knew while he was alive. The app has been heavily recommending anime shows with an explanation that reads, “Because you loved Death Note.” Karl says his uncle never talked to him about this show, and he says it’s a fascinating new insight into who Uncle Jake was as a person.
Wow. This is one of those stories that is equal parts beautiful and devastating. We’re glad Karl is able to see this memento of his uncle’s viewing habits every time he watches Netflix, but we know it’s got to come with plenty of emotional baggage, too. Here’s hoping his uncle’s “Top Picks For You” suggestions help Karl cope with his loss and that he considers bequeathing these recommendations to his own kids some day!
