Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Wednesday, November 27th, 2024
Create your own personalized (and unofficial) Netflix Unwrapped
Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Wednesday, November 27th, 2024:
PRODUCTION NOTES
It seems as if every newsletter I subscribe to is sending out a thank you note today and given my penchant for swimming against the current, I'm surprised I didn't do this yesterday. But I wanted to thank all of you for your support.
It's not an easy time to be a journalist. Especially if you're an independent journalist trying to build a readership and cut through the flood of much bigger competition. But it's been a good year and much of it is due to all of you.
I was in a high-profile documentary, broke some other big stories and this weekend I'm headed to L.A. because I'm the finalist in national journalism investigative award. Which I think is pretty good for a guy covering Hollywood and the media industry from Minnesota.
So thank you for for reading the newsletter, visiting my web site and sharing my work. And a special thank you to those of you who have upgraded to a paid subscription. You not only help keep the lights on, but have made it possible for me to do things such as go to L.A. this weekend.
I'll be back on Monday, December 2nd.
THERE IS FINALLY A 'NETFLIX UNWRAPPED'....SORT OF
For the last few years, I've argued that there should be a streaming platform version of Spotify's popular (and incredibly viral) year-end Spotify Unwrapped feature. There is just something weirdly horrifying about seeing what music you actually listened to during the previous year.
Hulu has tried a very rudimentary version of this, however it tends to be too general to be much fun. But if you've ever wanted to see what you've been watching on Netflix this year, there is an unofficial "Netflix Unwrapped" web site which creates a pretty close equivalent to Spotify Unwrapped.
First, sign into Netflix on a browser and go to the viewing activity page. Click the "download all" link at the bottom of the page, which downloads an csv. copy of your Netflix viewing list. Then go to the "Unofficial Netflix Unwrapped" page at www.kapwing.com/netflix-wrapped and upload the file. And let the fun begin.
The results look a lot like a Spotify Unwrapped experience, and seem pretty accurate. Other than one blurb which suggested I had somehow watched 23 movies on November 15th.
But it also uncovered some odd random viewing habits I hadn't noticed:
The site was created by a SF-based company named Kapwing, whose main business is selling a video editor that does look to be pretty useful.
But the big takeaway from this is why isn't Netflix doing this? It feels like such a simple hack and would provide so much free viral publicity.
TWEET OF THE DAY
WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A PODCAST?
I am frequently asked why I don't have a podcast. And part of the reason is that we are at the point where it just feels as if almost everyone has a podcast. But I also have experience in talk radio and my friends will tell you that I do love to hear the sound of my own voice. However, when people ask me the question, I tend to give the same answer. Which is both true and short. I just don't have the time to do it. I barely have time to do the things which might result in me getting paid. So unless some great deal comes along, I'm staying out of it.
I read this post in Garbage Day today and it did a much better job than I ever could about laying out the insane process involved of creating and selling a podcast:
I will be brutally honest. I had basically given up on podcasting. I spent most of 2022-2023 sitting through endless pitch meetings with different podcast “companies” — many of which seemed to just be LLCs built around a single sad Gen Xer parked at his kitchen table recording true crime shows hosted by former Office cast members. They’d demand I make them pilots for free, send me off on wild-goose-chase reporting projects that went nowhere (also for free), and always, without fail, end our months-long situationship with “maybe we can pick this up again next quarter.”
Based on what I can tell, every podcast company has a window of about nine days each year where they can greenlight a new show and they don’t seem to fully know when that nine-day window might appear on their calendar. I never hit it, I guess. And I could get into the larger systemic issues that turned professional podcasting into a dog food factory, but the short answer is America’s massive radio conglomerates learned how to make non-linear radio shows that live on your phone faster than podcasting pioneers could figure out how to become advertising monopolies. So it goes.
That being said, I am more than open to appearing on YOUR podcast. Drop me a line at rick@allyourscreens.com
ODDS AND SODS
* If you're looking for a great long read this weekend, check out the Jameela Jamil's delightful and hilarious story about her audition for The Good Place.
* One of the reasons why The Food Network is signing aggressively lucrative deals to keep the best-known stars in-house is that those recognizeable faces are the only thing that differentiates that network from the food programming available 100 other places. A great example of those "other places" is the content from Wishbone Kitchen, such as this Thanksgiving episode, which could easily be playing somewhere on cable.
* The Department of Justice has been supporting Fubo in its battle against Venu Sports. But will that status change under the Trump Administration?
WHAT'S NEW TONIGHT AND THIS WEEKEND
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH, 2024:
Asaf Series Premiere (Netflix)
Debbie Macomber's Joyful Mrs. Miracle (Hallmark)
I Heard The Bells (Great American Family)
Is It Cake? Holiday (Netflix)
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (NBC)
Mononoke The Movie: The Phantom In The Rain (Netflix)
Second Chance Stage Series Premiere (Max) - [first look video]
Suspicion (Prime Video)
Sweethearts (Max)
The Day Before Christmas (BET+)
The Madness Series Premiere (Netflix)
Unwrapping Christmas: Olivia's Reunion (Hallmark+) - [photo gallery]
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29TH:
A Cinderella Christmas Ball (Great American Family)
A 90s Christmas (Hallmark)
Beatles '64 (Disney+) - [first look video]
Blue Bloods: Celebrating A Family Legacy (CBS)
Children Ruin Everything Season Premiere (The CW)
Deck The Walls (Hallmark)
Don't Let Him Find You (LMN)
Hard North (Prime Video)
Love Never Lies: South Africa Series Premiere (Netflix) - [first look video]
Nutcrackers (Hulu)
Senna (Netflix) - [first look video]
The Agency (Paramount+ With Showtime)
The Later Daters Series Premiere (Netflix) - [first look video]
The Snow Sister (Netflix)
The Trunk (Netflix)
The World According To Kaleb (Prime Video)
Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary (Max)
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH, 2024:
BeBe Winans' We Three Kings (Lifetime)
Believe In Christmas (Hallmark)
Byron Allen Presents The Comedy And Music Superfest (Comedy.TV)
Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story (Hallmark)
I Heard The Bell (Great American Family)
We Three Kings (Lifetime)
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1ST:
A Bluegrass Christmas (UP tv)
Earth Abides Series Premiere (MGM+)
Home Sweet Christmas (Great American Family)
Make Or Break Christmas (Lifetime)
The Christmas Quest (Hallmark)
The Finnish Line (Hallmark)
The Wonderful World Of Disney: Holiday Spectacular (ABC)
MONDAY, DECEMBER 2ND:
Dagliesch (Acorn TV)
Kids Baking Championship: Frosting The Snowman (Food)
90 Day: The Last Resort (TLC)
The Creature Cases (Netflix)
SEE YOU ON MONDAY. HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY! (IF YOU'RE IN THE U.S.)