Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Wednesday, August 11th, 2021

Honestly, I would watch "Good Will Hunting 2"

Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Wednesday, August 11th, 2021. I'm writing this from the Twin Cities suburbs, where AllYourScreens HQ is powered by coffee and a platter of cheese and salami.

A24 STREAMING 'THE GREEN KNIGHT' FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY
The combined impact of COVID-19 and a changing movie audience has forced studios to innovate and experiment with ideas that might have sounded a bit crazy two years ago. Along those lines, A24 has decided to offer its critically-acclaimed film The Green Knight via PVOD for one night only.

The adventure drama fantasy co-starring Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander and Joel Edgerton has grossed more than $12 million at the box office since it premiered July 30th. 

A24's online screening room will offer the movie for $19.99 on August 18th at 8:00 pm CST. Purchasers will have a four-hour window to watch the two-hour movie after starting. Pre-sale tickets are now available.

I think you're going to see more of these experiments from the smaller studios and distribution companies, as they try and maximize revenue at a time when the traditional theatrical business is still under recovery. One upside for producers such as A24 is that in the case of most output deals, the price that streamers pay for titles such as this one are dependent on box office and PVOD revenues. Aside from the money A24 makes on August 18th, this revenue boost will make the movie more valuable down the road. Which I suspect is one of the reasons the movie will only be available for one evening. 

A REALLY FUNNY NETFLIX SPOOF
Parody is tough to pull off successfully, but the new site site Nestflix is pretty damn funny.

Aside from the name, the UX of the web site has a very Netflix-influenced feel, right down to the way in which users click into titles.

As for premise of the site itself, Nestflix is a wiki dressed up as a streaming platform that catalogs fictional films and tv shows inside real movies and tv shows. Here is the criteria for what is included, according to the site:

Here’s the criteria for what gets added:

• Must be fictional (not characters watching a real film, not a recreation of a real film)

• Must show actual footage (not just mentioned in dialogue or seen in a poster)

• Not a news or morning show (for now, this might change)

Designer Lynne Fisher did a great job with Nestflix and it's a fun way to kill a few minutes.

WHY DOESN'T DISCOVERY+ HAVE A REMOTE WORK SERIES
As I've mentioned a few time, I am a big fan of Discovery+'s original programming. I think the streamer is doing a really solid job of creating shows which are on brand for linear HGTV and Food Network viewers, while also pursuing some content niches that aren't broad enough for a traditional television audience.

Given all of that, I am surprised that Discovery+ hasn't rolled out a designer-oriented series that focuses on creating better spaces for people who are now regularly working at home. Obviously, carving out a good work-at-home space is key, but as anyone who works from home can tell you, other parts of the home often need to be tweaked to make working from home the least disruptive for everyone in the household. 

Honestly, this idea feels like a slam dunk for the Discovery+ demo. But maybe this is why I'm not programming a network.

THE CHALLENGES OF GLOBALIZATION
The Associated Press is reporting that the Polish parliament has passed a bill that would force Discovery to sell a Polish TV network that included an all-news station that has been critical of the country's right-wing government. The move is seen as a blow to media freedom.

TVN’s all-news station TVN24 is a key source of news for many Poles but it is also a thorn in the government’s side. It is often critical and exposes wrongdoing by officials. The government’s supporters consider it biased and unfairly critical.

Government critics have long feared that Poland was following a path set by Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban has gained near-total control over the media as private outlets have either folded or come under the control of the leader’s allies.

TVN represents the largest ever U.S. investment in Poland. The company was bought for $2 billion by another U.S. company, Scripps Networks Interactive, which was later acquired by Discovery.

BBC MAY SELL ITS ELSTREE CENTRE PRODUCTION CENTER
Broadcast is reporting that as part of its "Across The UK" initiative, the BBC is considering a sale of its landmark Elstree Centre studio site in Hertfordshire:

Medical drama Holby City, which is filmed in one of the smaller studios, is to be axed imminently and replaced with a continuing drama produced in northern England and another in either Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

The annual Children in Need and Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day events are to move to Salford shortly, leaving EastEnders as the only regular programme produced from Elstree.

The likes of Strictly Come Dancing are also produced at Elstree but on sites owned by Hertsmere Borough Council, which are leased to commercial post-production outfit BBC Studioworks.

The out-of-London moves form part of DG Tim Davie’s Across the UK plan, under which the BBC will up its out-of-London production quota from 50% to 60%. Other shows being relocated include Top Gear from Surrey to Bristol.

ODDS & SODS
* Shudder has acquired the period horror film The Last Thing Mary Saw ahead of world premiere at Fantasia Festival

* Viewership from the Music City Grand Prix IndyCar race beat NBC Sports' previous record from 2016, making it the most-watched race on the channel in 23 years.

* Former NFL wide receiver and current CBS Sports football analyst Nate Burleson is joining CBS This Morning, a move which reportedly will mark the end of Anthony Mason's time at the anchor desk of the morning show. 

* Vulture's Joe Adalian reports that the Freemantle-owned game show network Buzzr is bringing back episodes of the short-lived CBS game show Whew! which aired for one season 40 years ago.

* HBO Max has picked up a second season of Wahl Street.

* The Information is reporting that AT&T is in talks to sell WarnerMedia’s TMZ celebrity gossip brand to Fox. A number of Fox-owned TV stations already air TMZ On TV, a TV series that includes half-hour weekday shows and an hour-long weekend version.

SEE YOU TOMORROW

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