Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Tuesday, January 10th, 2023

The issues of cost-cutting, cancellations hang over the Winter TCAs.

Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Tuesday, January 10th, 2023.

PROGRAMMING NOTE:
Just a reminder that I am on the West Coast this week, so the newsletter is a few hours later than normal.

DAY TWO OF THE TCAs
It's the second day of the Winter TCA sessions and today's presenters were AMC Networks and MGM+ (formerly Epix).

Here are links to some of the news announced during the sessions:

* AMC Networks announces its spring premieres

* MGM+ announces renewals, development slate

THE ISSUES OF COST-CUTTING, CANCELLATIONS HANG OVER TCA PRESENTATIONS
The past few weeks have brought a flurry of unexpected streaming show cancellations, renewal reversals and even the shelving of several completed shows before they even air.

Not surprising, these issues were at the top of the minds of executives and producers today and it was fascinating to see how it was handed.

Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios, admitted at AMC’s TCA press conference that the cost-cutting has been a "difficult but important process."

As human behavior continues to evolve, our industry is experiencing an unrivaled period of reflection and correction...factors including rising inflation, challenging ad market, too many shows, and an over-reliance on streaming metrics that don’t necessarily deliver profitability, have caused most content companies, including ourselves, to take stock and recalibrate their forward path....At AMC, we’ve taken critical steps so that going forward, we’re optimally positioned as a lean, progressive, forward-facing organization, poised to take advantage of the myriad opportunities in the marketplace. We will continue to do what we do best, work with immensely talented creatives to make shows and build franchises that fans love and make a focal point of their lives.

Granted, he isn't offering up any specifics, but that's the nature of the job. Regular readers will remember that I am skeptical of the "too many shows" argument, that when people say that, they usually mean there are too many shows to market effectively and that content discovery in the industry is so terrible that a lot of great shows get lost.

It's less clear to me what he means by "an over-reliance on streaming metrics that don’t necessarily deliver profitability." I suspect he is making the same argument that we hear a lot from executives at Warner Bros. Discovery, who contend that chasing subscriber numbers at the expense of revenue is a huge problem. Although I'm not under the impression that was generally the case with AMC Networks. 

Hopefully at some point I'll be able to speak with him and get a bit more clarity.

As for MGM+, Michael Wright, head of the newly-renamed service, showed the level of optimism you should hear from someone who's launching a new brand:

It’s a new beginning for our service, as we introduce MGM+ and its distinctive brand promise to viewers on January 15. MGM+ will deliver on its iconic and beloved studio legacy, with cinematic, sophisticated, and transportive storytelling that audiences love. We are growing our rich library of content, comprised of original television series and blockbuster films that celebrate the MGM brand.

While it's a bit off-topic, I will note that the new branding spot for MGM+ that was unveiled today is incredibly effective. It draws heavily on MGM's long history in a way that Warner Bros. Discovery hasn't managed with the Warner Brothers brand.

But Wright also rolled out a lot of renewals and new originals, which bodes well for the service. At least in the short-term. Because MGM is now owned by Amazon, the service has access to money and resources it didn't previously have as an independent. And while a lot of MGM's most-recognized catalog titles are still tied up in licensing deals with other streamers, Amazon and MGM seem committed to MGM+.

The topic of an early and/or unexpected cancellation did come up during the TCA panel for From, a mythology-driven series that is coming back with a second season later in the spring. A question came up about the challenges of convincing an audience to watch an open-ended series with a mystery that might not be answered if there is an unexpected cancellation. Wright answered that while anything is possible, in the case of From, it is extremely popular with Epix (now MGM+) subscribers. But he also admitted that it is always a concern and that he and other executives work to keep the show's producers in the loop and his plan is the series will provide an satisfying endpoint no matter when the show might end.

TWEET OF THE DAY

'THE LAST OF US' TOPS WHIP MEDIA'S 'MOST ANTICIPATED NEW SHOW' LIST
The new drama The Last Of Us premieres Sunday on HBO and according to data analytics firm Whip Media, it could be one of HBO’s biggest new shows in years.

Here are a few data points that were passed along to me this afternoon:

- The Last of Us is poised to have the second strongest opening for an HBO series in more than two years, trailing only The House of the Dragon, according to Whip Media’s anticipation data.

- The Last of Us is the most anticipated new TV series of 2023, according to Whip Media data. (That includes all shows with a set release date this year.) That finding is based on users of Whip Media’s TV Time app, a TV and movie tracking app with more than 24 million global users, "following" the series ahead of its January 15th premiere. 

- How The Last of Us compares to non-HBO content: fan anticipation for The Last of Us surpasses other well-known 2023 releases, including Secret Invasion on Disney+, as well as Ahsoka and Ironheart. The Last of Us is also tracking ahead of Arcane and Halo at the same point in time before their release dates.

- Heading into its premiere, The Last of Us is tracking ahead of other well-known shows based on video game IP.

ODDS AND SODS
* Here are some red-carpet photos from tonight's Golden Globe Awards.

* Although it hasn't been officially announced, the Apple TV+ series Acapulco has been renewed and production on season three of the show begins in March.

* C-SPAN is requesting ongoing access to the House of Representatives chambers.

* Bob Iger tells Disney employees they must return to the office four days a week.

MOST-WATCHED MOVIES ON PHILO
I enjoy odd, almost out-of-context data points as much as anyone. 

So with that in mind, here are the most watched movies last week on the entertainment-centric vMVPD Philo:

The Dog Lover’s Guide to Dating (Hallmark Channel)
Madea’s Witness Protection (VH1)
Imperfect High (Lifetime)
Death by Friendship (Lifetime)
Groundswell (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
He’s Not Worth Dying For (Lifetime)
The Original Kings of Comedy (BET)
What Happened to My Sister? (LMN)
The Price of Perfection (Lifetime)
True to the Game 3 (BET)

THIS IS WHAT HBO MAX IS DOING WITH SOME OF THOSE GLOBAL ORIGINALS IT REMOVED 
While the fact that HBO Max has been removing a number of U.S.-produced original programmings has made a lot of news, it's important to remember that is making some of the same moves globally.

Now 21 of HBO Max's European originals have been licensed in Europe to SkyShowtime, which is currently available in 12 markets. The service will launch in another 12 European markets in 2023, including Albania, Andorra, Czechia, Hungary, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Spain.

The deal spans 168 episodes, or more than 150 hours, of locally produced original scripted content, including the world premieres of three previously unreleased series.

The titles include Sweden’s Beartown, Norway’s Beforeigners and Denmark’s Kamikaze.

WHAT'S NEW FOR TUESDAY:
Andrew Santino: Cheeseburger (Netflix)
Campfire Cooking in Another World With My Absurd Skill (Crunchyroll)
80th Golden Globe Awards (NBC)
Here We Go (Britbox)
Inspector Rex Season Two Premiere (MHz Choice)
Le Code Series Premiere (MHz Choice)
Ningen Fushin: Adventurers Who Don't Believe In Humanity Will Save The World (Crunchyroll)
The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker (Netflix)

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

SEE YOU WEDNESDAY!

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