Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Wednesday, September 18th, 2024

Can Hollywood's creative class be saved?

Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Wednesday, September 18th, 2024:

PRODUCTION NOTES
I wanted to give you the heads-up that there won't be a newsletter tomorrow. I don't take many days off, but tomorrow I'm taking a rare date night and enjoying dinner and a show with my wife. I probably could do a newsletter late in the evening when we get home. But I think that probably ruins the concept of "date night." I'll see you Friday.

CHART OF THE DAY
According to a new report from S&P Analysis, the global growth of smart media devices is declining, as the U.S. and other mature markets hit their sales ceiling. Neil Barbour, Research Analyst at S&P said that there is opportunity in APAC, where smart TVs have not yet penetrated as deeply as they have in North America or Western Europe, but there unlikely to be enough uptake to push the overall market back into positive territory.

CAN HOLLYWOOD'S CREATIVE CLASS BE SAVED?
Ever since the dual Hollywood strikes ended last year, many of the writers and other creatives I know in Hollywood have been waiting for the big turn-around. That moment when production increases to a level that somewhat approaches where the industry was at three years ago. And while production levels in Southern California have continued to tick up a bit in recent months, I'm beginning to hear from more and more people - some of them longtime veterans - who are starting to consider moving away or exploring another career.

And I get it. There are few things more gutting to the soul than to realize the job you feel you were meant to do - the one you do very well - is slipping away from you. And there is little that you do other than to sit at your kitchen table late at night trying to decide which of the terrible options before you is the least painful.

I've received quite a few messages from people in recent weeks asking me when I think things might turn around. 2025? Maybe early 2026? I get the impression that most of them know the answer, but are hoping that somehow I will have some insight that provides a bit of optimism about the future.

And to be honest, I don't know that I am all that optimistic. Yes, the strikes were disruptive and content spend is down at both the linear networks and most streamers. But Hollywood has problems that run deeper than that and I certainly am not a smart enough person to develop a solution.

There is competition from non-television and movie entertainment choices. Increasingly aggressive rebates and other funding is draining production to other states as well as other countries. And production is just more expensive in L.A. than in most places. It's not just the cast and crew costs, it's the price of every component in the production process. And while the broadcast networks can shift things around to keep productions somewhat viable, when presented with the cost difference between shooting in Hollywood versus Serbia or Australia or Hungary, executives elsewhere often opt for the cheapest option.

This is not to say that Hollywood's talent isn't the best in the world. The problem is that there are an increasing number of places in the world where you can find talent that is good enough and at a price that makes the difference in talent level less of an issue. Particularly if you hire some American top-line talent and just rely on the locals for everything else. Sadly, most viewers don't notice (or care) where their favorite TV series or movie is produced. Just as long as it looks close enough to not break the magic of the moment.

I've had a couple of times in my life when I had to reinvent myself because my former profession had faded away. It's scary and depressing in a way that you have to experience yourself to understand. Hearing other people's stories in recent weeks has almost given my PTSD. I wish I had some words of comfort or could say that things are going to get better. But honestly, I'm not sure that is going to happen. 

TWEET OF THE DAY

ODDS AND SODS
* AMC has cancelled Orphan Black: Echoes after one season. Which honestly isn't a surprise. It didn't seem to connect with audiences and it felt to me like an interesting idea that ultimately didn't connect.

* Mini vMVPD Frndly TV has just added ION Plus and CraftsyTV to its lineup of live channels.

* I had no idea that there were still any Roy Rogers Restaurants open anywhere. Much less one that opened less than two years ago.

* Season 23 of Life Below Zero will premiere Tuesday, October 8th on NatGeo. This season, the show is adding Johnny Rolfe and The Roach Family from Life Below Zero: Next Generation and Gage and Avery Hoffman from Life Below Zero: First Alaskans.

* The true-crime documentary Family Secrets: The Disappearance Of Alissa Turney premieres on Sunday, October 13th on Oxygen.  An extended version of the doc will premiere Tuesday, October 22nd on Peacock.

* The nine-episode series Self-Portrait As A Coffee-Pot premieres Friday, October 18th on Mubi.

WHAT'S NEW TONIGHT AND TOMORROW

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH:
* Agatha All Along Series Premiere (Disney+)
* Big Cats 24/7 (PBS)
* Envious (Netflix)
* Jersey Shore Family Vacation Season Seven B Premiere (MTV)
* I Am Georgina (Netflix)
* Survivor Season Forty-Seven Premiere (CBS)
* The Bay (BritBox)
* The Golden Bachelorette (ABC)
* The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City Season Premiere (Bravo)
* What's Next? The Future with Bill Gates Series Premiere (Netflix)

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH:
* A Very Royal Scandal (Prime Video)
* Frasier Season Two Premiere (Paramount+)
* Haus Of Vicious Season Premiere (BET+)
* Love On The Danube: Royal Getaway (Hallmark+)
* Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story (Netflix)
* Pedro el Escamoso: Más Escamoso Que Nunca Series Premiere (Hulu)
* The Jane Mysteries: Murder At Moseby (Hallmark+)
* The Penguin Series Premiere (HBO)
* The Queen Of Villains Series Premiere (Netflix)
* The Truth With Shane Smith Series Premiere (Vice)
* Twilight Of The Gods Series Premiere (Netflix)


SEE YOU ON FRIDAY!