Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Friday, August 21st, 2020

Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Friday, August 21st, 2020. I'm writing this from the Twin Cities suburbs, where AllYourScreens HQ is powered by apple juice and a leftover Twix bar.

THE CASE FOR STICKING WITH WHAT YOU KNOW
Streaming media executives make the case that they are succeeding against traditional media competitors in part because they are breaking the well-accepted rules of doing business. In particular, Netflix executives tout their aggressive company culture that rewards innovation and success while more-or-less gently winnowing out the also-ran employees.

While they make some good points about the upsides of thinking outside the traditional business norms, there are some lessons that have remained remarkably constant over the decades. When you look back over the last 75 years of the entertainment industry, the one overriding lesson is to know your core business. Know what the company does well and only expand the scope of your business when the market and/or the future of your company demands it. Blockbuster was foolish to not buy Netflix when they had the chance. But they misjudged the future of the industry and their long-term success. On the flipside, it was foolish of Target and Walmart to launch streaming services. It wasn't compatible with their core business and didn't add anything to their overall strategy. They made the move because executives felt pressure to get into the streaming business and they knew it would look good (at least in the short term) to investors.

A lot of media business mistakes fall into that latter category. Let's call it "if X jumps off a bridge, would you do it too?" theory of doing business. It's easy to look at a successful niche and think "we should get into that. There's money to be made." The truth is, the money is likely to be made by the people selling you whatever assets you'll need to put together that train wreck of an idea.

I've been thinking a lot about this concept after getting into a Twitter discussion a couple of days ago with The Entertainment Strategy Guy. He's a smart guy, with streaming industry experience and he made the argument that Netflix should invest in one of the free, ad-supported streaming services as a way to get them into the sports and news category spaces:

Think that if you're telling the "where did Netflix's valuation go?" story in 2030, not owning a device, bundler or sports/news would be that.

And there is a certain logic in that argument. It's the "everyone else is doing it" theory and in some cases, that makes long-term sense. But when you start parsing out the consequences and challenges of making it happen, I think the idea falls apart pretty quickly.

First is just the cost. Critics of Netflix already complain that their current debt-driven spend on content is unsustainable. I happen to disagree with that premise, but it's a valid concern. So asking Netflix to spend billions to acquire a service that would provide news and sports content is somewhat of a mixed message from critics of the company.

The next challenge is integration. Netflix has no in-house experience with advertising, other than some product integration. Jumping into an advertising-centric space, which is very competitive and revenue fickle, is no small task. It would require Netflix to build out an entire new division of people to do it. And then there's the content for this service, which is another challenge given the current escalation in the cost of quality programming in general and sports specifically. In fact, I'd argue the increases in the cost of sports are not sustainable in the mid-term. Particularly for sports that aren't the big three leagues.

And let's not forget Netflix's supremely simple interface and product offering. They're not selling different level of content on different programming tiers. They don't have to integrate live and video-on-demand content. Everyone gets the same content. The only difference is how many simultaneous streams you can have or the quality of the stream. Netflix is polar opposite of HBO Max, which struggles to promote a mix of tiers and apps that seem to have been designed by a drunken DMV employee.

This idea also takes Netflix off-mission. They face new, aggressive and well-funded streaming competitors and I think it's fair to say that right now they remain the dominant player in the industry. Any time they spend on a new business deflects attention from their core mission. One that is only going to become more challenging in the upcoming years. Netflix can't afford a distraction.

Finally, Netflix doesn't need live sports or news content. In fact, both types of content play against the core strength of Netflix. As much as possible, they want to be global and create original content that can play in Pittsburgh or Paris. Both news and sports content are generally very region-specific. And in the case of sports, you're paying top dollar for content that you don't own, has very little shelf life and plays to a regional audience.

Netflix doesn't need live sports or news content to thrive. It needs to continue to focus on the qualities that got it this far.

Here is a rundown of the new television programs premiering today:

1) Alien TV (Netflix)
Mixing computer animation and live action, this silly kids series follows aliens who come to Earth to investigate human life.

2) Backyard Takeover Series Premiere (HGTV)
Seasoned landscape designer Jamie Durie, best known from the network’s popular show The Outdoor Room With Jamie Durie, helps clients transform their neglected and out-of-control outdoor spaces

3) Chemical Hearts (Amazon)
A high school senior falls in love with a new transfer student who hides a heartbreaking secret.

4) Class Of '83 (Netflix)
A demoted cop trains five students as assassins to punish the corrupt bureaucracy and its criminal allies.

5) Clifford (Amazon)
Another season of the reboot of the classic animated kids show Clifford, The Big Red Dog.

6) Dark Forces (Fuego negro) (Netflix)
A criminal on the run finds refuge in a mysterious hotel and soon discovers that the guests of the hotel are not human.

7)Find Me In Paris (Hulu)
As a student of the Paris Opera School in the 21st century, Lena Grisky is a young ballet dancer with a secret: she has time travelled from the past.

8) Hoops Series Premiere (Netflix)
A foul-mouthed high school basketball coach is sure he'll hit the big leagues if he can only turn his terrible team around. Hey, good luck with that.

9) Live Rescue Season Premiere (A&E)
Join host Matt Iseman, and analysts Dan Flynn and Garon Mosby, to follow EMTs, Paramedics, and fire fighters from across the country, LIVE. Witness them bravely put their lives on the line responding to emergency rescue calls – from land, sky, and water!

10) Lucifer Season Five Premiere (Netflix)
Lucifer, bored and unhappy as the Lord of Hell, resigns his throne and abandons his kingdom for the gorgeous, shimmering insanity of Los Angeles, where he gets his kicks helping the LAPD…and the savvy detective Chloe Decker in particular.

11) 100 Days Wild Series Premiere (Discovery)
The series spotlights a new generation who leave their homes and every creature comfort behind as they set out to take on a vast expanse of Alaska. They must work together to establish a self-sustaining colony where they make their own rules all before winter arrives.

12) Psycho Yoga Instructor (LMN)
Justine Grace is desperate to sort out her life, her marriage to her husband Tom, and herself. When Domenic, a handsome yoga teacher, takes an interest in her, it seems like he might be the one to finally bring happiness to her life. However, he has ideas that go beyond yoga. Justine must find the strength within herself to save her marriage, save her life, and survive a sociopath as he tries to seduce her into the perfect pose

13) Rust Valley Restorers Season Three Premiere (Netflix)
Mike keeps buying cars quicker than he can restore him, Avery and Connor visit the Motor City, and Cassidy gets cranking on a personal project.

14) The One And Only Ivan (Disney+)
Based on the award-winning book by Katherine Applegate, “The One and Only Ivan” tells the story of Ivan, a silverback gorilla who learns that life isn’t defined by place and circumstance but by the power of friendship and the courage to make change happen. 

15) The Sleepover (Netflix)
Two siblings discover their mom is a former thief in witness protection and they must team up to rescue her after she is kidnapped and forced to pull one last job.

TOO MUCH TV REALLY IS A THING
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.

I'll be back with another one Monday. If you have any feedback, send it along to Rick@AllYourScreens.com and follow me on Twitter @aysrick.