Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021
Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021. I'm writing this from the Twin Cities suburbs, where AllYourScreens HQ is powered by black coffee and lots of random leftovers.
PARAMOUNT+ LAUNCH CAMPAIGN IS.....PERPLEXING
I think even the biggest supporter of ViacomCBS will admit that the upcoming rebranding/relaunch of CBS All-Access into Paramount+ is going to be challenging. The general interest streaming world is extremely competitive and even though CBSAA has carved out a small place in the mindspace of consumers, it's also a streaming service that puts forward a lot of mixed messages. It's partly a home for next-day CBS programs, although because some of the network's biggest shows are produced by other studios, CBSAA doesn't have stacking rights for all of their hit shows. And because ViacomCBS executives are big believers in maximizing their revenue stream by licensing everything that isn't nailed down, a number of their biggest titles are also available on competing streamers.
Paramount+ is being touted as the home for the entire universe of ViacomCBS programs, but with so many of the titles also available elsewhere, it remains a tough sell for me. I don't doubt that there is an audience for the service. I'm just not convinced that the upside for a streaming service that's mission statement is "we're the home for a lot of familiar stuff you can always stream elsewhere" is all that substantial.
That's why I was happy to see Ad Week's Kelsey Sutton do a deep dive on the media launch for Paramount+, which is set to kick off in earnest during Sunday's Super Bowl:
As part of a major promotional push for Paramount+—a rebranded and expanded version of the existing streaming service CBS All Access, slated for a March 4 debut in the U.S., Canada and Latin America—ViacomCBS is planning to pull out all the stops for Super Bowl Sunday.
Paramount+ will be featured prominently in promos during CBS’ Super Bowl 55 telecast (including pregame and postgame coverage), coupled with digital and social support, talent participation, paid efforts and even some in-game stunts and content teases to introduce its big subscription effort.
"We’re going to wrap the Super Bowl in surround sound," said Domenic DiMeglio, ViacomCBS Digital’s CMO. "We really want to make this a moment for Paramount+."
The campaign will culminate during the CBS broadcast of The Grammys and will include a series of spots that I just find perplexing. I know being able to feature the well-known names from the various ViacomCBS shows is fun. But is it really the kind of thing that will drive large numbers of new subscribers?:
The campaign’s first phase, featuring the mountain-climbing expedition, will make use of CBS’ promotional inventory throughout the Super Bowl broadcast to tell a sequential story of characters climbing to the peak of Mount Paramount—“the ultimate metaphor” that makes use of the iconic mountain that has opened Paramount movies for decades, said Josh Line, ViacomCBS’ chief brand officer.
The existing spots that have already run highlight the tone that the service is trying to strike: fun, lighthearted and a little silly. (“I’m too hungover for this,” Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi of MTV’s Jersey Shore Family Vacation declares while trudging up a mountain in one spot.)
“There’s a real self-awareness and accessibility to the tone that we just love,” Line said. “It feels very modern.”
I'm not sure that I would describe an ad that features Jersey Shore's Snooki as "very modern."
AN INTERESTING USE OF 'EXCLUSIVE' BY DISCOVERY+
While Discovery+'s limited rollout of a "channels" feature sparked lots of hot takes over the weekend, that's not a feature that is likely to have an impact on subscriber numbers in the U.S. in the near future. What is more important is how the service is quietly using its massive catalog of recent episodes from their linear networks as a way to drive subscriber interest. I recently noticed that several shows such as Property Brothers: Forever Home were being billed on Discovery+ as "exclusives. And what that means is that episodes from the show's current season are only available on Discovery+. Not on-demand and not in the various authenticated network apps. It's not something that is being widely promoted - I suspect because Discovery is purposely not wanting to annoy their linear partners. But as I've said before, it's clear that Discovery+ is positioning itself as the best place to find next-day programming from all of its networks.
TODAY'S PREMIERES
1) Awake Series Premiere (MHz Choice)
Dana Nasr wakes up from an 11-year coma with a pesky alter ego who helps her face the challenge of rejoining the world.
2) A Rodeo Film (HBO)
A black bull rider in rural California must choose between his brother and a woman he loves.
3) A Storybook Ending (HBO)
When a black man accidentally kills a white cop in self-defense, the cover-up sets off a chain reaction of deceit, blackmail, and murder.
4) Black Boy Joy (HBO)
Black Boy Joy is about two generations of black men struggling to juggle the demands of raising a young son with Autism while adapting to their new normal after the death of a loved one.
5) Dolapo Is Fine (HBO)
A story about a young black girl's relationship with her hair and name, and how it helps her understand who she really is.
6) Fake Famous (HBO)
First-time director and veteran journalist Nick Bilton, explores the industry of social media influencers through an innovative social experiment. The film’s journey into this world is driven by the casting of three people in Los Angeles who all have relatively small social followings and the attempt to grow them into famous influencers. By purchasing fake followers and an army of bots to “engage” with their social media, the newly made “influencers” discover both the wonders and costs of this unlikely, immersive lifestyle.
7) Just Like Home (MHz Choice)
A French and Turkish family’s cohabitation agreement goes on longer than either family had anticipated.
8) The Cipher (HBO)
With his reputation and record deal on the line, Khalil confronts his opponent Young Reap and defends his secret during a freestyle rap competition in Philadelphia.
9) Tiffany Hadish Presents: They Ready Season Two Premiere (Netflix)
Once again, Tiffany Haddish will introduce six of her favorite comedians to Netflix members around the world with a second season of the Emmy-nominated stand-up comedy series They Ready. Each comedian, all of whom were again personally chosen by Haddish, will perform a 15-20 minute set.
This newsletter is called "Too Much TV" because....well, it's hard to keep track of all the new television premiering everyday. To help you prioritize your viewing, click here to see our list of more than 400 upcoming television premieres, movies and finales. You'll find listings from more than 70 networks, as well as streaming services and web shows.
If you'd like to get this daily feature as an email, subscribe to our free daily "Too Much TV" newsletter here.
I'll be back with another one tomorrow. If you have any feedback, send it along to Rick@AllYourScreens.com and follow me on Twitter @aysrick.