Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Friday, June 28th, 2024

SVOD library growths and declines, plus more about THR

Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Friday, June 28th, 2024:

PRODUCTION NOTES
The next Television Critics Association gathering begins on Wednesday, July 10th, and runs through the 17th. I'll be flying in the day before and meeting with executives from one of the streamers and given how many people stopped me at the last TCAs to talk about the newsletter, I wanted to encourage all of you to reach out if you'd like to meet up that week. Or if you have someone you think I should be talking to. 

Too Much TV continues to grow and I'm up past 90,000 free subscribers. So between this newsletter and AllYourScreens, this is a trustworthy, independent platform to get the word out on whatever project you're working on right now.

MARTIN MULL HAS DIED
Martin Mull died Thursday at age 80.

His daughter, Maggie Mull, shared the news to Instagram on Friday, writing, “I am heartbroken to share that my father passed away at home on June 27th, after a valiant fight against a long illness.”

“He was known for excelling at every creative discipline imaginable and also for doing Red Roof Inn commercials. He would find that joke funny. He was never not funny.”

SVOD LIBRARY GROWTH/DECLINES
I think the perception in Hollywood is that the libraries of the major streamers have substantially decreased over the past few years. Part of that has to do with the regular cullings of titles from services such as Max.

I recently asked the folks at Parrot Analytics if they could provide some data on the comparative changes in library size at the top eight subscription-based video services and the results are fascinating. Here is what they reported, although for technical reasons they were unable to provide data right now for Paramount+. The changes cover the period from Q1 2022 through Q1 2024 and include only the libraries in the U.S. versions of the various services:

Netflix

• Film (-2%)

• TV (+ 18%)

Amazon Prime Video

• Film (+ 34%)

• TV (+ 28%)

Disney+

• Film (+ 14%)

• TV (+ 34%)

Hulu

• Film (-8%)

• TV (+ 10%)

Max (Q2 2023-Q1 2024)*

• Film (+ 4%)

• TV (+ 25%)

Peacock

• Film (+ 74%)

• TV (+ 45%)

Apple TV+

• Film (+ 138%)

• TV (+ 166%)

A lot of these shifts make sense once you think about it. Apple TV+'s movie library expanded so much because it has begun licensing outside movie titles, albeit on very short-term deals. Likewise, adding content from Hulu onto Disney+ likely had a big impact on the latter's overall library numbers.

One thing pure numbers don't tell you is the types of library titles. While Max's TV library continues to grow, I suspect that a deep-dive of the specific titles would find that the regular addition of reality shows from WBD linear networks helps to mask an overall drop in scripted programming. 

As a reminder, I previously reported that the library of Discovery+ has dropped 18 percent in the same period, according to Parrot Analytics.

ONE MORE THING ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
I have been writing over the past couple of days about the ongoing changes at The Hollywood Reporter and my original intention was to post a full-length updated story today. But in full disclosure, that's a bit delayed due to a couple of things. I wanted to make sure that I allowed the company an opportunity to directly address some questions I had asked. But I also have continued to hear from former and current THR and Penske employees. And I want to fully integrate their comments into my reporting.

However, I do have a couple of additional thoughts about the situation. First is this comment from someone I corresponded with today, who said something that will sound familiar to nearly everyone who has ever worked in the digital media world:

"I could never figure out what the hell we were supposed to be doing. I'm assuming Roshan (Maer Roshan, co-editor at THR) had some grand plan of where we going. It certainly seemed to me that he wasn't happy with what we were doing. But it always felt like he was better at blowing things up than communicating to the staff in a way that was productive."

There is also the larger question about corporate strategy and whether it aligns with what is happening in digital media in 2024. I've been told by several people that there was a lot of pressure from the Penske corporate people to hit challenging traffic numbers as well as pushing to maximize the number of daily posts. The problem is the approach - combined with a more aggressive digital ad strategy - is out of touch with what is happening in the marketplace right now. 

It reminds me of these comments I just read from GQ‘s European director of audience development, analytics and social, Neha-Tamara Patel:

“It was apparent to me that we were doing a lot of what I call ‘feeding the algorithm content’: lots of short-form news, a lot of quick fashion news, all of which was still within GQ’s world but from an audience perspective wasn’t really serving us long term.”

“It meant that we had a lot of churn, a lot of people coming in for that quickfire content and then leaving again without really accessing the broader spectrum of what we do as a brand.”

“So we really made a conscious decision to slow things down, not necessarily feed the news cycle. We are a lifestyle magazine brand at the end of the day, not business of fashion or anything like that. So we obviously do touch on fashion news, but we try and think about where we can add to the conversation rather than it being like pure reportage. We’re not just about headlines. It’s like, how are we moving the story on and what else are we bringing to the table?”

As always, if you have anything you think I should about this story, you can reach out on background or off-the-record at rick@allyourscreens.com. I can also be reached on Signal or WhatsApp at 612-207-2018.

A CONVERSATION WITH JEANINE MASON
The new animated series WondLa premiered today on Apple TV+, and it is an inventive show with a very distinctive worldview. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Jeanine Mason, who plays the lead character "Eva" in the show:

It's also an interesting acting challenge because you're playing a character who doesn't have any experience with other humans. Or really without anyone, other than a robot. And you have to find that space that makes sense, without veering too far one way or the other. Either being too extremely giddy and goofy and awkward. Did it take you a while to get to the point where you felt that you had it dialed in and were where you needed to be with Eva?

Yeah, of course. They would be so loving. We would start the session and they would say "We're just going to play this piece from our last session and see if you hear what's going on in this one little line here." (laughs).  It was to help me match what we were starting to settle on. And it was so helpful to be that honest about what a 16-year-old would sound like in that situation.

And it is a journey and throughout the season she just matures so much. I wanted her to feel close to me in terms of tone. In some of the previous animation work I've done, I've geeked out about it and really disguised my voice. But this felt like it was the opportunity to bring myself to it. And I am really glad I made that choice, because man, we had such a journey ahead for her. 

So she ends up sounding a lot closer to where my natural register lies. 

Most of the conversation ended up being about her acting approach to voice work, which was enlightening. 

THINKING LIKE AN OLD SCHOOL TV PROGRAMMER
VidCon, the annual creator convention held in Anaheim, CA. just wrapped up and the creator-oriented Publish Press has some good coverage of the highlights. This comment about how creators can adapt to the rise of YouTube TV is something I think even traditional TV producers with a YouTube channel should keep in mind:

Thinking like an old school TV programmer has its advantages,” Danyel Mendoza, director of content planning for Disney and National Geographic’s YouTube channels, said. “Consider seasonality, scheduling, and live content so there is always something going on when someone visits your channel.”

ODDS AND SODS
* Apple TV+ has canceled The Big Door Prize after two seasons. Which is a drag, since season two ended on a bit of a cliffhanger.

* Reality Blurred's Andy Dehnart writes that the problem with the Top Chef finale is a problem common across reality television.

* The ad-supported FAST Channel Ion Plus will also roll out as a linear diginet beginning July 1st. Its programming includes reruns of MacGyver, Scorpion, Murdoch Mysteries, Leverage, Hudson & Rex, and Private Eyes.

* According to Digital TV Research, Netflix's global subscription numbers will 313 Million by 2029.

* Here are some photos from the special Tokyo screening of the upcoming Apple TV+ drama Sunny.

TWEET OF THE DAY

WHAT'S NEW TONIGHT AND THIS WEEKEND

FRIDAY, JUNE 28TH:
* A Family Affair (Netflix)
* Beach Cottage Chronicles Series Premiere (Magnolia)
* Family Empire: Houston Series Premiere (OWN)
* Fancy Dance (Apple TV+)
* Guy's All-American Road Trip Season Finale (Food)
* Marvel's Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur: Moon Girl's Lab (Disney+)
* Òlòtūré: The Journey Series Premiere (Netflix)
* Owning Manhattan Series Premiere (Netflix)
* The Devil's Bath (Shudder)
* The Mole Season Two Premiere (Netflix)
* The Proof Is Out There: Alien Edition Series Premiere (History)
* WondLa Series Premiere (Apple TV+)
* Zombies: The Re-Animated Series Series Premiere (Disney)

SATURDAY, JUNE 29TH:
* Falling Like Snowflakes (Hallmark)
* Net Of Lies Season Premiere (Investigation Discovery)
* The Killer Inside: The Ruth Finley Story (Lifetime)

SUNDAY, JUNE 30TH:
* Anne Rice's Interview With The Vampire Season Two Finale (AMC)
* Biography: Sammy Hagar (A&E)
* Biography: Sebastian Bach (A&E)
* Little Girl In The Window (Lifetime)
* 100 Day Dream Home Season Premiere (HGTV)
* Shark Beach With Anthony Mackie: Gulf Coast (NatGeo)
* Shark Vs. Ross Edgeley (NatGeo)
* The Great Food Truck Race: Games On The Gulf (Food Network)
* 2024 BET Awards (BET)
* Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen 15th Anniversary Special (Bravo)

MONDAY, JULY 1ST:
* Basketball Wives Season Premiere (VH1)
* 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way (PBS)
* Outrageous Love With NeNe Leakes Series Premiere (Lifetime)
* Parents Gone Wild Series Premiere (Lifetime)
* POV: Hummingbirds (PBS)
* Sharks Gone Viral (NatGeo)
* Shy (Crunchyroll)
* Star Trek: Prodigy Season Premiere (Netflix)
* Supersized Sharks (NatGeo)
* The Ossan Newbie Adventurer, Trained To Death By The Most Powerful Party, Became Invincible Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
* The Wall Season Premiere (NBC)
* 30 For 30: No Scope: The Story Of FaZe Clan (ESPN)

SEE YOU ON MONDAY!