Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Friday, June 23rd, 2023

An Apple TV+ executive talks streaming, the strike (Part Two)

Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Friday, June 23rd, 2023.

EXCLUSIVE: AN APPLE TV+ EXECUTIVE TALKS STREAMING, THE STRIKE (PART TWO)
In February, I posted some thoughts from an anonymous Netflix executive, who discussed mini-rooms and other issues that were likely to part of the upcoming negotiations with the WGA.

Earlier this month, I spoke with an executive at Apple TV+, who also agreed to talk as long as their anonymity was preserved (for obvious reasons). 

It was a wide-ranging conversation and while it took a few days for the interview to hit people's radar in Hollywood, it sparked a lot of conversations about overseas production and the overall cost-cutting trends in the industry.

That overseas production discussion sparked this piece about the hidden costs of non-union global productions, which I posted earlier this week.

And today it's round two with our Apple TV+ executive, who I have been trading messages and emails with regularly since the first piece was posted. The quotes included here have only been slightly edited for clarity and to protect the identity of the executive.

You mentioned that there were things you wanted to follow up on or flesh out more after you've seen the reaction to the original interview. What do you make of the writers' reaction to your interview? Or have you paid attention?

Oh, I've noticed it.  I understand their anger and I agree with a lot of their points. It's not that I don't value their work. But I don't enough people are out there telling WGA members, "Look, it doesn't matter about history or offering the opportunity for gaining experience on the set. That stuff only matters on the margins, if at all. All of this - the size of the writers rooms, residuals, the growth of non-union productions...even AI. It's all about the money. 

I'm not part of the negotiations, but I can tell you that everyone is obsessed with costs right now. It's easy to look at Apple and say "They have ten of billions in the bank, the costs of settling this means nothing to them." But that isn't true. Scrooge McDuck didn't give his employees extra money because he had a vault full of gold. You can't think that way.

I think what writers have to get a handle on is their best financial counterargument. "Yes, this will cost you slightly more money. But you'll save money this way because of it or this will make X more efficient." 

I want to get this settled. I genuinely like the people I work alongside and want to get back to making stuff. But I am like a lot of people in the industry who just want to shake the negotiators on both sides and scream "This isn't 2008. The industry is different, the issues are different, and we're an entirely new business. I'm sorry, we're not going back to 22 episode seasons. Move on." I just.....(sighs)

Click here to read the entire interview.

RAGE AGAINST THE REMOVALS
While it's becoming more common for the streamers to announce that certain titles are being removed from their service (and possibly headed to a rival streaming service), today's announcement by Paramount+ that it is removing four original series next week is notable because it includes Star Trek Prodigy, an animated series set in the Star Trek universe that has a second, unaired season ready to go this fall. Along with the Grease spin-off series Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies, which wrapped up its lone season on June 1st. I'm told The Game and Queen Of The Universe are also exiting next week, with about a dozen or so less-known titles set to leave in the next several weeks. 

I've been working on a story about streaming content amortization and write-downs and hearing this news reminded me of something I was told earlier this week by an executive at a streamer which had recently removed some higher-profile titles:

"Since the earliest days of streaming video, services have been selectively removing original content. Sometimes to license somewhere else, sometimes because they've realized that no one cares about the show. What's different now is that you're seeing it with newer titles and the streamers are frequently highlighting the fact the shows are being removed.

Which might seem counter-intuitive. Why publicly announce you're removing potentially valuable content from your service? One reason is it makes for good optics financially. Removing some high-value, low-interest programs - especially if you're going to license them - shows investors you are serious about cutting out any fat in the system. Cutting programs can make Wall Street happy, which is a primary goal for most TV executives.
 
ODDS AND SODS
* The CW is pulling the Australian series Barons after four episodes. The entire eight-episode season one of the show will be available on The CW app and CWTV.com. The timeslot will be temporarily filled with reruns of Nancy Drew.

* NBC has decided not to pick up Magnum P.I. for another season. CBS canceled the show in April of last year, but NBC picked up the series for a new season. It sounds as if the options on the cast were expiring on June 10th and given that a new 10-episode season for the fall had already been produced, the network decided to not gamble the writers would be settled anytime soon. I thought this paragraph says a lot about the state of the television industry right now:

* Warner Bros. Discovery is shutting down TCM Movies UK after 25 years.

WHAT'S NEW THIS WEEKEND:
FRIDAY, JUNE 23RD:
* An Unforgettable Year - Spring (Um Ano Inesquecível - Primavera) (Prime Video)
* At Home With Genevieve Series Premiere (Crackle)
* Carpool Karaoke: The Series (Apple TV+)
* Catching Killers Season Premiere (Netflix)
* Gold Rush: Mine Rescue With Freddy And Juan Season Premiere (Discovery)
* I'm A Virgo Series Premiere (Prime Video)
* iNumber Number: Jozi Gold (Netflix)
* King Of Clones (Netflix)
* Make Me Believe (Netflix)
* Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series (Netflix)
* Quicksand (Shudder)
* Swagger Season Two Premiere (Apple TV+)
* Tempting Fortune Series Premiere (The Roku Channel)
* The Last Drive-in With Joe Bob Briggs Season Premiere (Shudder)
* The Perfect Find (Netflix)
* Through My Window: Across The Sea (Netflix)
* World's Best (Disney+)

SATURDAY, JUNE 24TH:
* 45th Annual Houston Pride Parade (Hulu)
* Keyshia Cole: This is My Story (Lifetime)
* Love & Marriage: Detroit Series Premiere (OWN)
* Make Me A Match (Hallmark)
* Shakespeare & Hathaway Series Premiere (Ovation)

SUNDAY, JUNE 25TH:
* Journey: A Voice Lost....And Found (Reelz)
* Mini Reni (Discovery+/Magnolia/Max)
* The Freak Brothers Season Premiere (Tubi)
* The Gold (Paramount+)
* 2023 BET Awards (BET)

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

SEE YOU MONDAY!

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