Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Wednesday, December 9th, 2020
Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Wednesday, December 9th, 2020. I'm writing this from the Twin Cities suburbs, where AllYourScreens HQ is powered by Ginger Ale and some Manwich.
THE FINE LINE BETWEEN GENIUS AND MADNESS
I was a financial reporter for a SF Bay-area start-up during the tech boom and I can tell you that it is often difficult to tell the difference between someone making a decision that will leapfrog the competition and one that will destroy a company. At the time, most industry folks thought the Time Warner/AOL merger was forward-thinking. Although it was clear to any of us in the tech sector that the deal was a shotgun marriage with no real plan of what to do after the wedding.
But I also remember interviewing Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings in maybe 1999. At the time, Netflix was the equivalent of an online Blockbuster and the company seemed like a great idea that was likely to be scooped up some large video chain. What amazed me about the interview was that Hastings talked more about the future than what the company was up to at the moment. And he spun this future where movies would be delivered online directly to consumers. He didn't have all of the details worked out and this discussion was taking place at a time when maybe 80% of Netflix's customers still connected with the Internet via a dial-up connection. But he and the other Netflix executives were willing to bet their company on a future that they knew was out there, even if they couldn't clearly see the details.
Like most media reporters, I've been covering the fallout from WarnerMedia's decision last week to move its entire 2021 movie slate to a simultaneous release schedule in movie theaters and on its streaming service HBO Max. As you might expect, it hasn't been a popular move in the movie industry, even though the decision only applies to the U.S. market. Theater chains already struggling stay afloat are worried this will lead other studios to make similar decisions and the stars, profit participants and other people connected to the various movies involved in the decision have been screaming about the impact it will have on the industry. There are threats of lawsuits and arguments that this move will poison the studio's relationship with the creative community.
I think the general consensus in Hollywood is that this is an insanely destructive decision that will likely also be costly to both WarnerMedia and the various participating parties. But what if it's also the best decision for the long-term success of the company?
Owning a studio is a financial high-wire act in the best of times. The history of the industry is littered with once-thriving studios that collapsed after one or two very bad decisions. Everyone loves to talk about the movies that can bring a billion-dollar global box office. But those unicorns are extremely difficult to create and at a time when there are fewer mainstream movies being made and they're increasingly expensive...well, even the most theatrical-loving movie executive might be looking a long-term lifeline.
It's clear that streaming is an increasingly large component of the American movie industry. And while it's true that streaming can't generate the same revenue as a traditional box-office hit, in an era when any studio just has a handful of those each year, is there a way to thread the needle between large box offices and massive write-offs?
Putting myself into the mind of WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar, this would seem like the perfect moment to roll the dice a bit. To take a leap and force the move towards streaming that is coming whether studios want it to or not. By announcing this move now, it does a couple of things. It forces other studios to respond and also gives warning to the creative community that change is coming. The company will take a beating in the short-term and it will be an expensive process. But if things work out just right, WarnerMedia will end up with a simultaneous release for its mid-range titles and can have a flexible theatrical window for its biggest releases.
The move will also give a boost to HBO Max while also giving WarnerMedia an out for later in 2021. For instance, ultimately deciding to retain the traditional theatrical release for late 2021's "Matrix" and "Dune" will allow the company to reap the increased revenue from a holiday theatrical release after using the possibility of a simultaneous release to build momentum for its streaming business.
There are certainly a lot of downsides. It's likely to poison its relationship with some big name talent and it might miss out on some potential unicorn projects. But if it ends up with a successful streaming service, a more reliable pipeline for small and mid-level films and a less unpredictable revenue stream, then it's worth it. And if the simultaneous release window works in the U.S., WarnerMedia can roll it out in other territories as HBO Max continues its global rollout.
Kilar isn't going to share his thoughts with me about any of this. But assuming that he is committed to the wholesale restructuring of his business, then this might be the start of a generational change that be painful but ultimately will leave WarnerMedia in a better position for the inevitable hybrid theatrical/streaming future that the industry is painfully headed towards.
HULU'S HOLIDAY PLAYLIST
One of the most popular features in both Spotify and Apple Music are the curated playlists. It's how a large number of subscribers are pointed to new music and the collection of genre and time-themed playlists offer an easy entry for subscribers who want to listen to a certain type of music, but don't feel like spending the time assembling their own playlist.
I have been surprised that this feature hasn't been more aggressively utilized by SVODs. Sure there are some automated lists of new titles or content arranged by themes. But there is no real thought behind the curation, it's more driven by data that suggests which titles should be included. In this case, data is fine, but most people like some sense of curation with playlists. They don't mind the decisions being data-driven, but they don't want it to be obvious or clumsy.
Hulu is doing a nice job with their special curated holiday section, which includes holiday-themed movies and television shows arranged in various themes. But what really makes the section fun are the quirky original videos that are included alongside the more traditional choices. There is video of a roast cooking in the oven, a Kitten-themed holiday party and my personal favorite, a 45-minute "Thermostat Wars" video that is nothing but footage of an old-school home thermostat on a wall. And every few minutes, a hand comes in to adjust the temperature up or down.
Maybe they'll create a video for New Year's Eve, which would just be an hour-long countdown video that shows a table full of snacks slowly being consumed as the timer ticks down to midnight.
WHAT'S ON TODAY:
Here is a rundown of the new television programs premiering today:
1) Alabama Snake (HBO)
This documentary explores the story of October 4, 1991, when a violent crime was reported in the sleepy town of Scottsboro, Alabama.
2) Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love Christmas Special (Netflix)
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… until Ashley has visions of a not-so-festive future dancing in her head on Christmas Eve.
3) Dr. Seuss' The Grinch Musical (NBC)
Matthew Morrison (“Glee”) stars as the curmudgeonly Grinch. He is joined by Denis O’Hare (“Big Little Lies”) as old Max, Booboo Stewart (“Descendants 3”) as young Max and talented young newcomer Amelia Minto (“The Lost Girls”) as Cindy-Lou Who. Producers have also assembled an ensemble of top musical theater actors from London’s West End to complete the cast.
4) Rose Island (L'Incredibile storia dell'Isola Delle Rose) (Netflix)
An idealistic engineer builds his own island off the coast of Italy and declares it a nation, drawing the attention of the world — and the government.
5) The Big Show Show Christmas Special (Netflix)
Ho, ho, nooo! After an injury forces the Big Show to cease all Santa duties, Cassy steps up as Mrs. Claus to keep the Christmas spirit alive.
6) The Challenge: Double Agents Season Premiere (MTV)
This is the thirty-sixth season of the series The Challenge and it features contestants from The Real World, Road Rules, The Challenge, Are You the One?, Big Brother, Celebrity Big Brother, Celebrity Big Brother UK, The Amazing Race, Survivor, Geordie Shore, Ex on the Beach (U.S.), Shipwrecked, America's Got Talent, WWE NXT, and Ultimate Beastmaster competing for a $1 million prize.
7) The Great Christmas Light Fight Season Premiere (ABC)
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas as season eight of the holiday classic begins. Four festive families face off in the season premiere with the Reynolds family showcasing their vibrant and whimsical handcrafted garden display in La Verkin, Utah; the Fiore family building a stunning Christmas town surrounding their home with facades completely encased in brilliant lights in Wilmington, Massachusetts; the Trevisano family building a cozy Teddy Bear Christmas Land with twinkling lights filled with over 100 stuffed teddy bears in St. Louis, Missouri; and the Barbieri family, putting on the Lights on Liberty display, featuring pyrotechnics, hand-built animatronics and a giant storybook, for its 40th year in Deer Park, New York. Tune in to watch judge Taniya Nayak choose the winner of the $50,000 and the coveted Light Fight Trophy.
8) The Surgeon's Cut Series Premiere (Netflix)
The Surgeon’s Cut profiles four ground-breaking surgeons from around the world, each with a visionary approach to their craft. Viewers will follow along as they perform innovative operations and procedures, and reveal personal insight into their journey into medicine, providing a unique window into the world of surgery. Through the individual stories of these experts, the series explores how our understanding of the human body is constantly being reinvented by new discoveries and techniques. Specialty areas featured include fetal medicine, neurosurgery, transplant surgery and cardiology.
9) The Trial Of Christine Keller (HBO Max)
This BBC series retells the story of the Profumo affair, a '60s controversy that helped end the Conservative Party government of U.K. prime minister Harold Macmillan.
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 tomorrow. If you have any feedback, send it along to Rick@AllYourScreens.com and follow me on Twitter @aysrick.