Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Tuesday, October 15th, 2023

Is it time for a Hulu Live TV reboot?

Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Tuesday, October 15th, 2023:

IS IT TIME FOR A HULU UI REBOOT?
I have been a subscriber to Hulu since it launched and added on Hulu Live TV when it became available. And I've stuck with it despite price increases that feel more like gouging the suckers instead of responding to actual program cost increases. But given that my son is a huge sports fan, the mix of Hulu Live along with the Disney bundle provides our family with the best mix of live sports and other television.

But it's difficult for me to suggest other people sign up for Hulu Live TV right now, because it has a user interface that is clunky and difficult to navigate in a way that manages to make content discovery even more challenging than the industry's low standards. 

While there continue to be little tweaks along the edges, the problems are seemingly built into Hulu's current tech stack. Which means the service would have to be rebuilt from the ground up, an expensive and time-consuming process. And I suspect the streamer has put it off because Disney can't decide what to do with Hulu in the mid-to-long term. Does it stay independent? Does Disney spend the money to combine it with Disney+ (which would involve its own expensive revamp?). From what I can tell, no one has pulled the trigger on what direction to pursue. So Hulu limps along in a way that is predictably discouraging both current and hopeful subscribers. 

Hulu Live TV has a DVR problem that from what I can tell based on the support forums has been an issue for years. Shows that I randomly recorded years ago continue to be recorded, no matter how many times I un-select them. Yes, it's an unlimited DVR. But that doesn't mean I love having 10 random episodes of The Neighborhood record off of some cable network because I once recorded an original CBS airing.

But the biggest issue for me is just the insane level of non-functionality in the user interface. Unlike every other major streaming service, the top promotion carousel on the front page can just include one title. And that one feature seems to be tied somehow to whatever new title was just added. Even the lowly Max eventually learns my likes and dislikes, which is more than Hulu has ever managed.

The top navigation row is entitled "Live Now" and the choices tend to be networks I never watch. There is also a "Live TV Favorites" row buried about 15 rows down on the front page. That one seems to be oriented more towards live network affiliate feeds, although it includes multiple networks such as fyi and Pop, which I don't think I've ever watched live. And I suspect few other people have done so either.

Hulu regularly receives ABC News specials, ranging from interviews investigative docs and true crime docuseries. But they aren't highlighted anywhere on the front page navigation. Users have to somehow figure out they need to go to click the "Hubs" navigation button, drill down to the "news" row, then go into "ABS News" and THEN scroll down to the "Hulu Originals" row.

Hulu has a partnership with anime streamer Crunchyroll that provides a healthy supply of new anime. Although you wouldn't know that from looking at Hulu. The same for the steady stream of foreign titles, which primarily come from Hotstar and regional versions of Disney+.

And even Hulu's "Continue Watching" only seems to capture random examples of what I have recently been viewing. The fact that it only works half the time is more frustrating than if the row didn't exist at all.

I don't know what the answer for any of this, short of either rebuilding Hulu Live TV or scrapping it completely. But in an industry where user interfaces can be notoriously bad, Hulu Live TV is in a category by itself.

ANOTHER WEEK, ANOTHER PIECE OF BAD CONVENTIONAL WISDOM
It's almost like clockwork. Every time Netflix or some other streamer cancels a couple of higher profile shows after one season, it sparks another round of "streamers aren't willing to give shows a chance" think pieces. And what is even more infuriating, is that the pieces never consider the idea that maybe the reason why those particular shows were canceled was because they either didn't grab a big enough audience in the first place and/or not enough people who watched finished the entire season.

That certainly seems to be the case with the Netflix series Kaos, which was one of those shows that Jeff Goldblum fans appreciated a lot more than much of the audience. It's overall viewing numbers were weak - especially for such an expensive series - and according to people I've spoken with, the completion rate was fairly horrific.

And yet, I've seen at least a half dozen pieces this week that argue the problem is that Netflix won't support such shows. And the proof of their premise is that the show received high Rotten Tomato scores. Here is a sample of a recent piece from Ad Week:

For shows like Kaos and My Lady Jane, critics and audiences agreed they were fantastic, with Kaos receiving 76% and 83% Rotten Tomato critic and audience scores and My Lady Jane receiving 95% and 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively. This isn’t a decision of quality but rather of numbers, and virality, in a short amount of time. While movie releases are seen as flops or successes by whether they cross the billion-dollar mark, it seems streaming has adopted the same myopic view of success. If it doesn’t have blockbuster appeal, it isn’t worth saving and building up an audience.

Wow...you mean streamers pay attention to crass things such as how many watch a show? And to be clear, it's not that shows need to reach blockbuster status. It's that they have to bring enough value to the streamer to make additional seasons worthwhile. Rotten Tomatoes scores are generally crap indicators of viewership and content value. And are only slightly more helpful than tracking how many people review a title on IMDB.com. 

Sometimes a show will stick around longer than it should based on strictly financial metrics because an executive believes in the show or it comes from someone the network or streamer wants to support. But in nearly every situation, it all comes down to money. And arguing about the artistry of a TV show or film is fine. But that doesn't pay the bills.

ODDS AND SODS
* Max is rolling out across Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, and Hong Kong on November 19th.

* Although the video is 14 years old, "Yes, I will respect your embargo" is just as hilarious today as it has ever been.

* Without much notice, Netflix announced today that is releasing the animated short Sing Thriller, which is loosely based on the iconic Michael Jackson video. Here is the official logline: After staging a spectacular version of Thriller at the New Moon Theatre, Buster Moon and the cast of SING leave to celebrate at Clay Calloway’s Halloween party. But when our heroes arrive at the party they discover a mysterious, multi-colored ooze has transformed Clay and his guests into dancing freaks.

* I've written a lot in the past that Hollywood's biggest challenge is the amount of production that is shifting overseas. A new piece in The Ankler highlights Saudi Arabia and notes that country is building a massive production complex there instead of simply buying into some existing American studios. It's behind a paywall, but you can read the entire piece here.

* Prime Video is adding the opt-out advertising tier into India, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand and the Netherlands next year.

* The Keira Knightley action series Black Doves will premiere Thursday, December 5th on Netflix. I mentioned last week that Netflix is ordering what is essentially one longer season of some of its high-profile originals and then plans to split the episodes into two distinct seasons in order to lessen the time between seasons. That is the case with this series, with a season two already set to premiere in late 2025.

Here is the official logline: "Set against the backdrop of London at Christmas, Black Doves is a sharp, action-filled, and heartfelt story of friendship and sacrifice. It follows Helen Webb (Keira Knightley), a quick-witted, down-to-earth, dedicated wife and mother — and professional spy. For 10 years, she’s been passing on her politician husband’s secrets to the shadowy organization she works for: the Black Doves. When her secret lover Jason (Andrew Koji) is assassinated, her spymaster, the enigmatic Reed (Sarah Lancashire), calls in Helen’s old friend Sam (Ben Whishaw) to keep her safe. Together, Helen and Sam set off on a mission to investigate who killed Jason and why, leading them to uncover a vast, interconnected conspiracy linking the murky London underworld to a looming geopolitical crisis.

* Apple TV+ is picking up Slow Horses for a sixth season.

* Season three of Invincible is premiering Thursday, February 6th, 2025 on Prime Video.

* Disney Jr. has ordered preschool Iron Man series Marvel's Iron Man and his Awesome Friends and has scheduled a summer 2025 premiere on Disney Jr. and Disney+

* A new season of Christina In The Country premieres Tuesday, November 12th on HGTV. Although I'm not sure I consider suburban Tennessee to be "The Country."

WHAT'S NEW TONIGHT AND TOMORROW

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH, 2024:
American Horror Stories (Hulu)
Anatomy Of Lies (Peacock) 
Black Comedy In America Series Premiere (Vice)
Beyond Black Beauty Series Premiere (Prime Video)
Comedy Revenge Series Premiere (Netflix)
FBI Season Seven Premiere (CBS)
FBI International Season Four Premiere (CBS)
FBI Most Wanted Season Six Premiere (CBS)
FBI True Season Premiere (Paramount+)
I Am Not A Monster: The Lois Reiss Murders (HBO) 
Married At First Sight Season Premiere (Lifetime)
Married At First Sight Afterparty Season Premiere (Lifetime)
Northwoods Survival Series Premiere (NatGeo)
Rachel Bloom: Death, Let Me Do My Special (Netflix)
Return To Las Sabinas Series Premiere (Hulu)

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16TH, 2024:
Ancient Apocalypse Season Two Premiere (Netflix)
Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity? Series Premiere (Prime Video)
I Am A Killer Season Five Premiere (Netflix)
Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born Series Premiere (Hulu)
Justice (Netflix)
Nemesis Series Premiere (Hulu)
Shrinking Season Two Premiere (Apple TV+)
Sistas Season Premiere
Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare (Netflix)

SEE YOU ON WEDNESDAY!