Too Much TV: Substack Is Going To Give Me A Stroke

And I take a look at the new Paramount, circa 2029.

Here’s everything you need to know about the world of television for Tuesday, April 14th, 2026:

SUBSTACK IS GOING TO GIVE ME A STROKE
Of all the questions I receive, the most common one is why I have kept this newsletter on Substack. I have previously explained my rationale, which that I hate much of their business model and some of people they host on the platform. But as crass as this sounds, many of the biggest entertainment newsletters are also on Substack and recommended follows from those publications comprise perhaps 1/3 of my paid subscriptions. So leaving Substack will likely mean less money and more difficulty growing the subscriber base.

Also, while Substack takes ten percent of my subscription fee off-the-top, I can send as many free subscriber emails as I want. And given my list size, that’s not a small issue. I recently launched a Beehiiv version of TooMuchTV, but I haven’t turned on the paid subscriber option yet. I have been putting it off, because to move my entire newsletter subscriber base to Beehiiv would require paying an enterprise rate per month.

On the other hand, I won’t have Beehiiv trying to convince all of my readers to use its app or some little-used chat function.

For whatever reason, today’s news that Substack is hosting a “New Media Party” event at this weekend’s White House Correspondents Dinner that will include streamer and “looksmaxxing” influencer Clavicular was the final straw for me. Last year’s Substack party included Meghan McCain, Cindy McCain, Sean Spicer, Jim Acosta, Kara Swisher, Jessica Reed Kraus, Ryan Lizza and more. So for all of the talk of “New Media,” Substack seems to mostly care about old media starting their own Substack and random right wing social media types that will bring in an audience.

I might be late to the decision, but I’m cutting most of my ties with Substack. This group might be new media. But it’s not media I am comfortable being stuck in an elevator with, much less sharing a platform.

Beginning May 1st, I’m going to start moving subscribers over to Beehiiv in small batches. That appears to be the best way to both ensure it’s an easy process for you and that there aren’t the type of problems that might pop up on my end when trying to move thousands of people at one time. I’ll also turn on the paid subscriber option at Beehiiv, if you’ve been holding off on sending any money to Substack.

My understanding is that I should be able to move any of you with current paid subscriptions to Beehiiv without much of a problem. That is another reason to do this slowly.

The only problem will be those of you who have paid through Apple Pay. I try and convince subscribers not to use Apple Pay for any newsletter subscription, because Apple takes a 30% fee off the top. But just as importantly, Apple controls your subscription and I can’t change it.

This Substack version will remain active, I just won’t promote this version. There may be a time when Substack goes away, but for logistical and financial reasons, this needs to be a gentle process. And if for some reason you want to stay on Substack, let me know and I’ll keep you on this version.

Thank you for all of your patience and if you have any questions, email me at rick@allyourscreens.com

BEING A BILLIONAIRE TOADY IS NOT AS MUCH FUN AS YOU MIGHT THINK
I was asked earlier today to predict what this combined Paramount/Skydance/WBD would look like in a few years. This is my best guess:

Imagine it’s January, 2029. David Ellison’s Paramount/WBD merger was approved two years ago, but the company has undergone at least three major rounds of company “rightsizing,” while continuing to struggle to pay down its debt. The combined theatrical release slate of Paramount and Warner Brothers is expected to be around 15 titles, and describing some of them such Crocodile Dundee Jr.: Return To The Outback as a “major release” is being incredibly optimistic.

And now a new Democratic president is promising to target some of the deals that defined the Trump era. Including taking a deep look at the conversations that happened between Donald Trump and both Larry and David Ellison. There are possibilities of fines or even worse, a forced split-up of parts of the combined company in order to promote competition.

Then there is CNN, which is headed for its worst ratings quarter in history. Again. Combining CNN and CBS News turned out to be an awkward disaster and efforts to find the so-called “middle-ground” of viewers has only increased the loss of audience. Primetime Live With Scott Jennings lasted less than three months and that was about the same time that Bari Weiss declared she had “accomplished what she set out to do at CBS” and left the company to run a newly launched media company funded primarily by a UAE sovereign wealth fund.

Paramount is teetering on the brink of collapse, and given the reduced wealth of Larry Ellison thanks to decimation of much of the AI chip market, David Ellison doesn’t have anywhere to turn. Netflix is offering to purchase the Warners lot and there is a growing suspicion in Hollywood that the streamer might be circling Paramount, hoping to acquire what’s left of Warner Studio on the cheap.

So David Ellison finds himself near bankrupt, publicly associated with an administration and a political belief that hasn’t just been rejected by American voters. As was the case in Hungary, the new reform administration promises to investigate and punish anyone who broke the law. Which leaves a lot of things for this former billionaire to worry about late at night.

Hitching your future to Donald Trump and a vision of America that rewards wealth and power over right and wrong certainly seemed like a great bet in 2025 and 2026. In 2029? Not so much.

DAMON LINDELOF ON WHY HE SIGNED THAT OPEN LETTER
In yesterday’s newsletter, I wrote about the big online open letter signed by more than 1,000 Hollywood creatives. They came out forcefully against the proposed Paramount Skydance merger with Warner Bros. Discovery and I argued that the idea was weeks too late and felt primarily performative.

Not everyone agreed with my assessment and late yesterday Damon Lindelof stated his reasoning for signing onto the letter in a thoughtful Instagram post:

When I was asked to sign a letter that openly opposed the sale of Warner Brothers to Paramount/Skydance, I felt two things; the first was that yes, absolutely, of course I opposed it. The second was oh shit, I’m afraid to say so publicly.

Fear is embarrassing. No one wants to be the guy puking in the boat in Saving Private Ryan. They want to be the ones storming the beach. So why was I afraid?

Some implied retaliation? Being put on some list of rabble-rousers? Getting kicked off the beloved Warner Brothers backlot I have called home for the last fifteen years?

I actually sort of know my (potential ) new boss, David Ellison — We produced a few things together not too long ago and I found him to be bright, ambitious and passionate. He loved movies and trusted the people he made them with. But still…

Better not to risk it. Me opposing an inevitable merger would be pointless and signing a letter that will evaporate into the shitstorm of an unrelenting news cycle would be even more pointless.

But is it?

Pointless?

Because Hollywood, believe it or not, is a blue-collar town. It’s thousands and thousands of Grips and Gaffers. Drivers and Decorators. Builders and Boom operators. Camera teams and Caterers.

And they’re all about to get fucked.

Hollywood mergers mean fewer movies and fewer TV shows and that means fewer jobs. When two storied backlots are owned by the same company, the outcome is intuitive —one becomes a Ghost Town.

I’m scared. But I’m not a ghost. And a fight is already lost if it’s never fought.

So I signed. Proudly. I understand why many of my peers have not — trust me, I’m more of a puker than a stormer. But these boats are heading for the beach whether we like it or not…

The only thing we have any control over is what we do when we get there.

Fear is a real thing in Hollywood. People who work there tout the fact that it is a personal relationship business as if that’s a good thing. And it can be. But being overly concerned with your relationships with everyone in the business means that it’s easier for bad behavior to be overlooked. Because no one wants to be seen as a troublemaker.

Even for someone with Lindelof’s track record always worries about being on the outs for whatever reason. And so that fear permeates every aspect of Hollywood.

And generally, there has been a reluctance among creatives to become involved in the larger business side of the industry. Because even if you are right and you are making an important argument that has real-life consequences, what if it hurts your career?

Honestly, that is part of my rationale for doing this newsletter. I hope I can surface some of the stories that matter, without having to be concerned with my

ODDS AND SODS
* I wrote this morning about Philo’s new deal with streaming data and metadata platform Reelgood for Forbes. I spoke with the CEO of Reelgood this afternoon and I’ll be posting that complete conversation later, with an excerpt of the interview pointing to the full-length Q&A in tomorrow’s newsletter.

* Paramount+ has renewed The Madison for a third season ahead of the show’s season two premiere.

* Prime Video has ordered a second season of Young Sherlock.

* Netflix has signed a four-year deal for the Concacaf Nations League Finals and the Concacaf Gold Cup tournaments in Mexico.

AND IN THE CATEGORY OF ‘EVERYONE COULD SEE THIS COMING’
A small conservative legal group used direct access to the Federal Communications Commission chairman’s office last September to accelerate a complaint targeting Jimmy Kimmel and his employer, ABC, according to internal emails obtained by WIRED:

Records show that Daniel Suhr—president of CAR and former policy director to Wisconsin governor Scott Walker—had a direct line to Carr’s senior legal advisers and used it to route filings around consumer affairs staff. For months, emails show, CAR had fed the chairman’s office a steady supply of legal theories that could be used in attacks against major broadcast networks that drew the ire of the Trump administration.

Carr’s predecessor, Jessica Rosenworcel, had dismissed three earlier complaints from the group against ABC, CBS, and NBC stations, calling them “at odds with the First Amendment.” Carr reinstated those complaints shortly after taking office.

TWEET OF THE DAY (HONESTLY, I’M A BIT JEALOUS)

WHAT’S COMING TONIGHT AND TOMORROW

TUESDAY, APRIL 14TH:
* Crooks (Netflix)
* I Want To End This Love Game Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
* Reykjavík Fusion Series Premiere (MHz Choice)
* #Skyking (Hulu)
* The Dark Wizard (HBO)
* Untold: Jail Blazers (Netflix)
* World’s Bargain Dream Homes Series Premiere (HGTV)
* You Don’t Know Where I’m From, Dawg (Paramount+)

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15TH, 2026:
* American Detective With Lt. Joe Kenda Season Premiere (Investigation Discovery)
* Balls Up (Prime Video) - (first look video)
* Divorced Sistas (Paramount+)
* Fake Profile (Netflix)
* Love Island: Beyond The Villa (Netflix)
* Margo’s Got Money Problems Series Premiere (Apple TV)
* Made With Love (Netflix)
* Masterchef Season Sixteen Premiere (Fox)
* Million Dollar Secret Season Premiere (Netflix)
* Nova: Return To The Moon (PBS)
* One Day In My Body Series Premiere (TLC)
* On The Case With Paula Zahn Season Premiere (Investigation Discovery)
* Somebody Has To Know Series Premiere (Netflix)
* The Law According To Lidia Poët (Netflix)
* Toaster (Netflix)

SEE YOU WEDNESDAY!