Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Tuesday, June 25th, 2024

Stop trying to convince me to cancel my Discovery+ subscription

Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Tuesday, June 25th, 2024:

STOP TRYING TO CONVINCE ME TO CANCEL MY DISCOVERY+ SUBSCRIPTION
As you might imagine, I have access to a staggering number of streaming platforms and TV shows. But the downside of being a TV critic is that it is difficult for me to completely lose myself in a show when I know I am going to have to write about it. So I am always looking for shows that are - as Glen Campbell used to say - gentle on my mind. Shows that I am likely not going to review, or at least not more than once a season. Programs that I can just lean back and let wash over me like the TV equivalent of a strong mixed drink.

My wife and I have been watching HGTV and The Food Network since their earliest years and more often than not, if we're going to watch something in the evenings, it's something from one of those networks. And I have a few Discovery shows that fit into my "lean back" schedule, so subscribing to the Discovery+ streaming service was a no brainer for us when it launched. We opted for the more expensive ad-free plan, which is important given the number of ads the service crams into its repurposed linear programs. And it's not uncommon for us to put on a show such as one of the 14 variations of House Hunters as background noise when we sleep.

But Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav *really* doesn't like Discovery+. Which is a bit weird, since the success of that programming was what made Discovery's merger with WarnerMedia possible in the first place. Even before the merger was completed, Zaslav said in interviews that he planned to combine HBO Max and Discovery+ into one super streamer, which would include so much content that subscribers would be happy to be part of it, ideally at a much higher price point.

However, things didn't work out that way. As it turns out, there were plenty of Discovery+ subscribers who were perfectly happy bingeing on Bobby Flay and Home Town without having access to HBO's prestige programming. So Zaslav backed away from the idea, although he continues to insist Discovery+ will go away at some point in the future.

In the meantime, WBD executives have apparently decided to approach the problem with a healthy dose of passive-aggressive changes to the service. The slate of original documentaries and other shows disappeared, as did the practice of frequently making linear shows available on the streamer before they had even premiered on their home linear network. In an increasing number of cases, the most popular shows don’t appear on Discovery+ until the entire season is over.

The overall size of the catalog has slowly been decreased and while I don't have a firm figure, based on what I've seen as a subscriber, somewhere around 25% of the shows have either been removed from Discovery+ and/or licensed exclusively elsewhere. The service also seems to be licensing a much smaller group of shows from rivals such as A&E Networks. 

This passive-aggressive approach even extends to WBD's linear networks, which often push viewers of networks such as HGTV or the Food Network to Max instead of Discovery+.

The company is also attempting to encourage a switch using the carrot-and-stick approach to pricing. Last winter, the price of the Discovery+ ad-free option increased from $6.99 to $8.99 per month, while the ad-supported tier remained $4.99 a month. I am sure it just a coincidence that the new price for Discovery+'s ad-free plan was the same cost as Max's ad-supported tier. At least, that was the case for two months until Max raised the cost of its ad-supported tier a dollar per month to $9.99.

I might be tempted to get rid of my Discovery+ subscription if Max's user experience wasn't so terrible. It's challenging to find what you're looking for and there is a better than even chance Max will forget what you watched the next time you log in. Max's user experience is so bad that I opted for an ad-free Discovery+ subscription as well as an ad-supported plan for Max. Because I would rather pay a bit more than struggle to find what I want to watch every time I log in.

So stop trying to convince me to drop Discovery+. Unless, of course, you're willing to spend the money in order to make Max a solid platform that is intuitive and easy to use.

ODDS AND SODS
* The Hallmark Channel has ordered the new, original movie, Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story. Production begins next month and it will film entirely in Kansas City, Missouri locations, including the iconic GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Here's the official logline:

"Alana Higman (Hunter King) is sure that her family’s lifelong history as Kansas City Chiefs super fans makes them a frontrunner to win the team’s “Fan of the Year" contest.  Derrick (Tyler Hynes), Director of Fan Engagement, is tasked with evaluating how Alana and her family stack up against the other two finalists.  As the pair spends time together, it’s clear there’s a spark between them but when her grandfathers (Ed Begley Jr.) vintage Chiefs, good luck winter hat goes missing, Alana begins to doubt everything she believed about fate, destiny and even questions her future with Derrick – unless, that is, a little Christmas magic can throw a Hail Mary."

* HBO has given an eight-episode, straight-to-series order for Lanterns, a new drama series based on the iconic DC Green Lantern title. Chris Mundy (True Detective: Night Country, Ozark) will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Damon Lindelof (Watchmen and “The Leftovers”) and Tom King (Mister Miracle, Supergirl) will co-write the new series with Mundy. Lindelof and King will also serve as executive producers. According to the network, the series "follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland."

* Here is a rundown of all the stuff coming to Max in July

* Here is a look at the most interesting global TV stories from Tuesday.

* The German scripted TV market is going through some changes. Netflix has ordered a second season of Crooks, but has decided to pull the plug on The Grimm Brothers.

WHAT'S NEW TONIGHT AND TOMORROW

TUESDAY, JUNE 25TH:
* Babylon Berlin Season Four Premiere (MHz Choice)
* CMA Fest (ABC)
* Diane von Furstenberg: Woman In Charge (Hulu)
* High Speed Chase Season Premiere (Investigation Discovery)
* I Am: Celine Dion (Prime Video)
* Kaulitz & Kaulitz Series Premiere (Netflix)
* Late Night Lockup Season Premiere (Investigation Discovery)
* One South: Portrait Of A Psych Unit (HBO)
* TikTok Star Murders (Peacock)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26TH:
* Acapulco Season Three Finale (Apple TV+)
* Fear Thy Neighbor Season Premiere (Investigation Discovery)
* Land Of Women Series Premiere (Apple TV+)
* Northern Lights (Britbox)
* The Real CSI: Miami Series Premiere (CBS)
* The Strongest Magician In The Demon Lord's Army Was A Human (Crunchyroll)
* Worst Roommate Ever Season Two Premiere (Netflix)

SEE YOU ON WEDNESDAY!