Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Thursday, June 20th, 2024

The ever-evolving ways that streaming TV shows are funded

Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Thursday, June 20th, 2024:

PROGRAMMING NOTES
* I don't mention this enough - or even on a regular basis - but I am on the various social media platforms. My handle is @aysrick on Twitter/X and @allyourscreens on Bluesky and Threads. 

THE EVER EVOLVING WAYS THAT STREAMING TV SHOWS ARE FUNDED
I think most people who follow the television and streaming business know that - especially in the early years of streaming - streamers such as Netflix preferred to buy shows where they could acquire the global rights. And that meant that generally speaking, they often had to finance the production in order to get that. Especially in order to get access to some of the hottest material. 

But several things have evolved over the past few years. As budgets have tightened industry-wide, the streamers are looking for more cost-effective ways to finance shows. In some cases that means licensing a show for only specific territories. And in other situations, that means co-productions. And while competitors in the early years of the streaming industry were hesitant to co-produce a show with a streamer, those new digital outlets are now just seen as another industry outlet.

Which brings me to this new story in The Ankler, which discusses how Netflix came to pick-up and ultimately co-produce the comedy Geek Girl:

At Netflix, three different teams in the U.S. and U.K. passed on the show before Norton, through his work consulting for Canada’s Corus Entertainment, happened upon a specific team focused solely on co-productions.

Enter Netflix duo Edward Horasz, head of kids and tween live action and content licensing, and Amy Takahara, director of kids and family acquisitions and co-productions. The pair’s remit is to find strong projects that already have another party attached, and “they leapt at Geek Girl. They got it immediately,” says Norton.

“One of the things I learned through this process about Netflix is there's a series of teams that each have their own responsibilities and their own commissioning agendas,” he explains.

This process is described by The Ankler as an example Netflix "bureaucracy and quiet strategy shift." But I'd disagree in a couple of ways. I think it makes absolute sense to have different commissioning teams with different goals. Although based on this story, I'd also suggest the various Netflix teams should be talking to each other a bit more frequently.

I'll also disagree a bit about this being a "quiet strategy shift." It's certainly not common yet in U.S. productions, but all of the major streamers have been doing some variation of this multi-pronged production and acquisition strategy in other territories for a few years. This is really another example of how the American industry press tends to see everything through an American industry lens. And that's not always helpful.

THE CW ANNOUNCES ITS FALL PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
The CW has announced its fall 2024 primetime schedule and while there are still a couple of "to be announced spots" - as well as a lot of sports - you can start to get a real sense of where the network is headed. A mix of live sports, unscripted programming, Canadian productions and some co-produced procedurals that come from overseas.

Here is the schedule that was announced by the network today:

Sunday, September 1st:
The Chosen Season Four Premiere

Friday, September 6th:
Whose Line Is It Anyway? Season Thirteen Premiere

Wednesday, October 2nd:
Sullivan's Crossing Season Two Premiere 
Joan Series Premiere

Monday, October 7th:
Scrabble Series Premiere
Trivial Pursuit Series Premiere

Thursday, October 17th:
Superman & Lois Season Four Premiere

Thursday, October 24th:
The Librarians: The Next Chapter Series Premiere

Wednesday, November 13th:
Children Ruin Everything Season Four Premiere 

INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY ANNOUNCES THE REST OF ITS SUMMER SLATE
True crime linear channel and provider of some of Max's most-watched shows Investigation Discovery has announced the remainder of its summer schedule, including three new shows:

Monday, July 8th:
Bodies In The Water  
When a missing high school student is found shackled in chains off the shore of Cape May, investigators are baffled by what kind of monster could commit such a heinous murder. Their investigation leads them to uncover jealous boyfriends and turmoil within the victim’s foster family that sends shockwaves throughout the tightknit community.  

Monday, July 15th:
The Black Widower: The Six Wives Of Thomas Randolph  
Thomas Randolph has been married six times, and four of his wives are dead. Several died under mysterious circumstances, leading some to call the Nevada man a “Black Widower.” Now, ID presents this wild and weird story that explores whether Randolph is a calculated killer driven by greed, or, as he claims, just unlucky in love. Helping viewers decipher fact from fiction in this bizarre case is legal analyst, Beth Karas. 

Monday, July 22nd:
Fatal Affairs 
Sordid tales of love triangles turn into mysterious whodunits when one of three entwined winds up dead. From workplace flings, secrets between schoolteachers, and even Tinder-trysts, in this risky game of illicit love and secret sex, one lover ends up paying the ultimate price. Psychologist Dr. Michelle Callahan serves as a relationship expert through each story, leading viewers through each fatal affair.  And I suspect her advice is going to be variations of the warning, "No matter how mad you are, don't kill someone."

ODDS AND SODS
* The final episodes of Yellowstone will premiere November 11th. On a side note, not that Kevin Costner is asking, but if I were him I would cut a deal with Netflix to stream the first installment in his Horizon movie series. The recently released part one has struggled at the box office, but this is the rare situation where streaming can be used to reach the audience that didn't see the first installment and give them a reason to see part two in August. Plus, that carved-out window (he can limit the time it's on Netflix) will provide him with some much-needed funding for the other films.

* I spoke with someone today who shared a data point on background that I really want to nail down more firmly, because it is fascinating. According to this analyst, a recent study their firm did on FAST usage showed that nearly a third of the people polled reported they "frequently" watched FAST channels in bed or when they were trying to relax in order to go to sleep.

I'd really love to see a firm drill down on this. It's certainly the way I most watch FAST channels, and frequently have them on at night while sleeping. If my behavior is common, what does that say about the percentage of FAST channel viewer who don't even see many of the ads running in the overnight hours?

WHAT'S NEW TONIGHT AND TOMORROW

THURSDAY, JUNE 20TH:
* Alone Australia Season Two Premiere (History)
* America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders Series Premiere (Netflix)
* College Hill: Celebrity Edition (BET+)
* Federer: Twelve Final Days (Prime Video)
* Hart To Heart (Peacock)
* Koda Factory (Netflix)
* Masters Of Illusion Season Premiere (The CW)
* Megamind Rules! (Peacock)
* My Two Husbands (LMN)
* Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance Of Sherri Papini (Hulu)
* Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play. (HBO)
* The Accidental Twins (Netflix)
* World's Funniest Animals Season Premiere (The CW)

FRIDAY, JUNE 21ST:
* Gangs of Galicia Series Premiere (Netflix)
* Manhunt: The Phantom Cop Killer (Britbox)
* No Time To Spy: A Loud House Movie (Nickelodeon)
* Planterior With Hilton Carter (Magnolia)
* Shoresy Season Premiere (Hulu)
* The Victims Game (Netflix)
* Trigger Warning (Netflix)

SEE YOU ON FRIDAY!