Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Thursday, February 16th, 2023

Readers weigh in on a possible writer's strike.

Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Thursday, February 16th, 2023.

A PROGRAMMING NOTE
My apologies for the lack of a newsletter yesterday. I had a doctor's appointment and some of the treatment knocked me down for the day. I'm fine today, just moving slow, which explains the slightly later newsletter. Ah, the joys of a one-man operation.

CONGRATULATIONS TO DAVID ZASLAV
Congratulations to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav who has been named the most overpaid CEO among S&P 500 companies by the non-profit shareholder advocacy group As You Sow.

In 2021, Zaslav’s total pay package was $246 million. Assuming a standard work year, everyone's favorite media mogul made $118,269 an hour, – or $1,971 every minute of his workday. 

READERS WEIGH IN: A NETFLIX EXEC UNOFFICIALLY WEIGHS IN ON RESIDUALS, MINI ROOMS
My piece in Tuesday's newsletter that highlighted a Netflix's thoughts on a possible WGA strike sparked a LOT of feedback from readers. Some of which is confidential, although that was also very helpful. 

But here are some other questions and comments I can pass along, albeit anonymously:

"One of the biggest problems is the current cost-plus formula used by streamers. That has the streamer paying the studio the full cost of a show from the start, plus a 30 to 40 percent premium. The theory is that the "plus" is supposed to replace money lost because of a lack of syndication money or residuals. But that approach has a lot of downsides and it costs the streamers as much as the talent. Because the "plus" is built on top of the final budget, it encourages a lot of budget bloat and trickery because that's the only way now to make extra money. And since the streamers (particularly Netflix) have structured deals in which the "plus" or other bonuses don't fully kick in until a certain metric is hit - often in seasons three and above - the streamer is encouraged to cancel shows prematurely because it saves them paying out the bonuses. 

It's the same reason why Netflix splits animated shows into short "chapters." They're contractually required to up everyone's money after each respective season and they get around that by ordering what is technically one season, then splitting that order into shorter chapters to spread out the episodes and save money."

"We're screwed. There is no way there won't be a strike and when there it is it will be brutal. I wish it wasn't the case, because I work on a broadcast show and we'll get hit harder than anyone."

"I think a lot of writers have the attitude that the 2008 strike was tough but we ended up getting a lot out of the pain. But things are so different now and it frankly scares the crap out of me. The bigger streamers can shift production outside the U.S. and survive okay. And unlike back then, we don't have someone independent like Nikki Finke who can push our point of view to the public. (editor’s note: clears throat) I don't trust the Penske-owned publications that depend on all of that studio money to survive. They're not going to lie for the studio, but the coverage will lean into the studio's direction."

"We are well past the point where we should be accepting less money for a show simply because it's streaming."

Have some thoughts you want to share? Reply directly to this newsletter or email me at rick@allyourscreens.com. I have more comments coming tomorrow.

VIAPLAY SET TO LAUNCH U.S. APP NEXT WEEK
The Nordic streamer Viaplay will be rolling out its standalone app in the US on February 22nd. Until now, it was only available in the U.S. on Comcast's Xfinity platform.

In the Nordics and parts of Europe, Viaplay most closely resembles Discovery+ - it's a mix of live sports, original programs and catalog titles. The version that rolls out here won't include any of the live sports and other live programming, but it will include a lot of Viaplay's originals - the company is saying the launch will feature more than 50 premium films and series for a monthly cost of $5.99.

I have a number of pieces set to post next Wednesday: interviews with Ulrich Thomsen (who stars in the Viaplay original Trom) and Furia stars Pål Sverre Hagen and Ine Marie Wilmann. I'll also have an interview with Vanda Rapti, Viaplay Group Chief Commercial Officer, North America & Viaplay Select. As a bit of reference, I spoke with Viaplay EVP Filippa Wallestam last year ahead of the Comcast launch.

ODDS AND SODS
* The NatGeo limited series A Small Light will premiere on Monday, May 1st. It  focuses on the inspiring, real-life story of Miep Gies, who played a critical role in hiding Anne Frank and her family during the Nazi occupation in Amsterdam.

*  CNBC announced Blood & Money, a new true crime docu-series from Dick Wolf, creator and executive producer of Law & Order, premieres Tuesday, March 7th. Of course, why it's premiering on CNBC instead of its sister true crime network Oxygen is an entirely different question.

* Series creator, writer, and producer Matt Nix (Burn Notice, The Gifted and upcoming series True Lies) has signed a broadcast direct deal with FOX Entertainment. As part of the agreement, Nix will develop and executive produce multiple projects for FOX Entertainment that will be wholly owned by FOX and produced by its in-house unit, FOX Entertainment Studios. 

* The seven-episode Max Original limited series Love & Death, starring Elizabeth Olsen and Jesse Plemons, debuts with three episodes on Thursday April 27th. Written by David E. Kelley, the series "tells the true story of Candy and Pat Montgomery and Betty and Allan Gore – two churchgoing couples enjoying their smalltown Texas life… until an extramarital affair leads somebody to pick up an axe."

* HBO Max has ordered the eight-episode drama Duster to series from J.J. Abrams, LaToya Morgan, and Warner Bros. Television. Rachel Hilson will star opposite Josh Holloway. The series logline: "In 1972, the first Black female FBI agent heads to the Southwest and recruits a gutsy getaway driver in a bold effort to take down a growing crime syndicate."

* The Apple TV+ series The Big Door Prize premieres on Wednesday, March 29th. The series logline: "Based on M.O. Walsh’s novel of the same name, “The Big Door Prize” tells the story of a small town that is forever changed when a mysterious machine appears in the general store, promising to reveal each resident’s true life potential. Dusty Hubbard (O’Dowd), a seemingly content, cheerful family man and high school teacher, watches everyone around him reevaluate their life choices and ambitions — based on the machine’s printouts — and is forced to question whether he is truly as happy as he once thought. While he remains skeptical of the machine, his wife, Cass (Dennis), indulges in the dream that there’s something bigger out there for her. Like many of Deerfield's residents, the couple has lived a relatively safe, uncomplicated life, until the arrival of the Morpho machine. However, all of that is about to change when the community is forced to reconcile with their unfulfilled achievements in pursuit of a better future."

* Season two of the Disney+ original series Doogie Kamealoha, M.D will premiere on March 31st.

* Speaking of Disney+, all four seasons of Doogie Howser, M.D. will be added to Disney+ on March 15th.

TWEET OF THE DAY

WHAT'S NEW FOR THURSDAY:

Aggretsuko (Netflix)
Animal Control Series Premiere (Fox)
Cirkus (Netflix)
CMT Storytellers: Kelsea Ballerini (CMT)
Dearest (Netflix)
Double Cross (ALLBLK)
Helsinki Syndrome Series Premiere (Topic)
Post Roe America (Vice)
Star Trek: Picard Season Three Premiere (Paramount+)
The Parent Test Season Finale (ABC)
The Upshaws Season Premiere (Netflix)
Who Killed Our Father? (LMN)

Click Here to see the list of all of the upcoming premiere dates for the next few months.

SEE YOU FRIDAY!

If you have any feedback, send it along to Rick@AllYourScreens.com and follow me on Twitter @aysrick.