Tuesday, May 31, 2016
European Regulation
Leonid Bershidsky argues that Europe hasn't produced a big, successful company like Google or Netflix due to over-regulation of the digital market.
TV Unraveling
Alex Taussig thinks the TV industry will unravel even more quickly than most expect, David Lazurus insists a la carte pay TV is on its way, and Clay Travis notes that ESPN is draining subscribers as cord cutting increases. Meanwhile, Jeff Baumgartner reports that streaming growth is still up but may soon plane off.
Making American Ninja Warrior
Jason Gay says legacy sports could learn a lot about retaining young viewers from American Ninja Warrior.
Fan Debates
Devin Faraci has written an essay about troubling aspects of fan entitlement, which stirred up so much attention that he added a followup. Ceilidh takes issue with Faraci's false equivalences, while Gavia Baker-Whitlaw says the problem in geek culture is harassment. Mark Stewart offers thoughts.
Fight for Viacom
Brian Stelter updates the fight for control of Viacom's future. And there's news of a departure, as Viacom's head of ad sales is leaving for Snapchat...or maybe he isn't.
Equal Airtime Struggle
Michael M. Grnybaum notes that networks are struggling to provide equal airtime balance for the presidential candidates as Donald Trump draws so much attention.
New In Media Res
Topic: Donald Trump
- Monday, May 30, 2016 - Aaron Sachs (St. Mary’s College of California) presents: The Curious Case of Donald Trump’s Doctor: Metonymy in the Age of Memetic News
- Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - Chuck Tyron (Fayettville University) presents: Manufacturing Trumpiness
- Wednesday, June 1, 2016 - Elisabeth Glassco (Rutgers University) presents: The Trumpster and the Statesman: Civility/Incivility and the Limits of Good Government
- Thursday, June 2, 2016 - Robert Spicer (Millersville University) presents: Trump audiences: Fired up! Ready to rumble!
- Friday, June 3, 2016 - Andrew Salvati (Rutgers University) presents: Making America Great Again: Nostalgia, Hucksterism, and the Empty Signifier
Monday Ratings
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and O'Connell.
Roots started with 5.3 million viewers across its three channels, while Game 7 of Thunder vs. Warriors set a record for the NBA on cable.
Analysis from Spotted and O'Connell.
Roots started with 5.3 million viewers across its three channels, while Game 7 of Thunder vs. Warriors set a record for the NBA on cable.
Good TVeets
Men should be forced to watch #TheBachelorette to see what a dumpster fire dating is for women.— Erin Ruberry (@erinruberry) May 31, 2016
literally can hear constance zimmer's voice yelling THERE'S MY VILLAIN every time Chad speaks— laura wade (@laurawadee) May 31, 2016
Jojo: "...Chad." Producers (remove gun pressed to small of Jojo's back). #TheBachelorette— Jennifer Weiner (@jenniferweiner) May 31, 2016
Monday, May 30, 2016
Good TVeets
Next on HBO, made-up shows about— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) May 30, 2016
- a land overrun by tyranny
- tech geeks vs thin-skinned billionaires
- someone who shouldn’t be president
Another shitty, dismissive father? Has anyone seen Whedon and Martin in the same room? #GameofThrones— Oriana Schwindt (@Schwindter) May 30, 2016
If they kill Arya I'm gone. [For seven days...Ima be back on Sunday for next week's episode, but that's neither here nor there] #ThronesYall— Carmen Sandiego (@OhYouFancyHumm) May 30, 2016
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Making The Carmichael Show
Todd VanDerWerff praises The Carmichael Show and shares insights from its multi-cam set. Kate Stanhope also delves into the series.
Women at Comedy Cetral
Craig D. Lindsay looks at how women like Amy Schumer and Broad City's Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson have helped reshape Comedy Central.
Connecticut Wants More TV & Digital Media
Susan Haigh reports on Connecticut's efforts to court more television and digital media production.
Nashville Wants More Nashville
Emily Yahr covers the city of Nashville's desire to keep the show Nashville going.
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Spectrum Changes
Harry A. Jessell speculates on what could be ahead for broadcasting after the spectrum auction and repack.
TV Set Photos
David Rosenberg highlights a photography series on the images of mundane rooms reflected in TV set screens.
Spoilers Help
Jennifer Ouellette reports on a new study finding that people enjoy stories when they are spoiled more than when they are unspoiled.
CEO Pay
Les Moonves was the second-highest paid CEO in the U.S. last year, followed by Phillipe Dauman.
Hodor & Disability
Spencer Kornhaber talked with a professor about portrayals of disability in Game of Thrones, especially with Hodor.
Australian Drama Financing & Revenue
Sandy George and Bernadette Rheinberger have a deep dive into the financing and sales of Australian prime-time TV dramas in the international marketplace.
Highest-Rated Shows
Daniel Holloway has a list of the top 50 highest-rated network shows in the 18-49 demo for 2015-16.
Roots Coverage
Arizona State University professor Matt Delmont has written a book about the original Roots and covers the aftermath of the series in a NYT op-ed. Bethonie Butler explores what the aftermath of the remake might be. The History channel has announced it is in the process of digitizing post-slavery documents to help families trace their ancestors. The remake is receiving mostly strong reviews, such as these from Alan Sepinwall, Daniel Fienberg, and James Poniewozik. Eric Deggans covers the remake.
Chelsea Exit
The showrunner of Chelsea Handler's Netflix talk show is leaving only a few weeks in and won't be replaced.
Good TVeets
ME: I think your sign is missing a comma— Aidan Coughlan (@AidanCoughlan) May 26, 2016
HANNIBAL LECTER: No it isn't. pic.twitter.com/ZMIT4L7OVy
We have seen the last of True Detective, but they'll never take this away from us. pic.twitter.com/msPhfVYS36— Anthony Crupi (@crupicrupicrupi) May 25, 2016
In other news, Olivia Colman fucking OWNED #TheNightManager, and she did it looking like this: pic.twitter.com/FaTMhzBSo6— Mere Smith (@EvilGalProds) May 25, 2016
Friday, May 27, 2016
Loss of TV Talk
Josh Kurp laments the loss of water cooler TV talk as audiences fragment and figures Game of Thrones is the only show left to generate small talk around.
Pregnancy & Postpartum Revolution
Joanna Robinson highlights Olivia Colman's role in The Night Manager as part of a trend of Hollywood representing pregnant women, while Libby Hill appreciates how Nashville and Jane the Virgin have represented postpartum depression.
Nashville's Open Ending
Nashville ended on a cliffhanger that Lionsgate reportedly wanted to make the series a more attractive pickup for another outlet.
SVOD Impact
Will Richmond and Colin Dixon's podcast this week covers the SVOD reinvention of the TV business.
Roots' Importance & Success
Josef Adalian details the huge ratings success of Roots in 1977, and Matt Zoller Seitz explains why it was the most important scripted series ever aired in the U.S.
The Bundle Business
Michael Wolff covers competing services and philosophies tied to skinny and fat bundles.
Limited Series Benefits
Matt Zoller Seitz explores why limited-run series have made for particularly good shows lately.
HBO's Fall Slate
HBO has announced its new original programming slate for fall, including Westworld and Issa Rae's Insecure.
Superheroines
Bitch Flicks has had a theme week on superheroines, featuring posts on Supergirl, Supergirl and feminism, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Daisy Johnson in Agents of S.H.I.E.LD., Elektra in Daredevil, Arrow, and superheroines of color.
Apple Eyeing Netflix?
Apple reportedly considered buying Time Warner last year and may now be considering Netflix.
Trailer Editing
Tony Zhou analyzes how editing and framing decisions alter comedic effects in two Ghostbuster trailers.
Rise & Fall of Person of Interest
Kate Aurthur talked with Person of Interest writers about the show's creative and network trajectory.
New Variety Show
Brian Steinberg covers NBC's attempt to revive the variety show genre via Maya & Marty.
A+E Interview
Nellie Andreeva talked to A+E Networks' CEO Nancy Dubuc about programming on the company's various channels.
Wednesday & Thursday Ratings
Wednesday network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and O'Connell.
Thursday network numbers from TV By the Numbers.
Analysis from Spotted and O'Connell.
Analysis from Spotted and O'Connell.
Thursday network numbers from TV By the Numbers.
Analysis from Spotted and O'Connell.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Subaru & Lesbians
Alex Mayysai explains how Subaru's popularity among lesbians grew from an orchestrated marketing campaign.
The Viacom Legal Battle
Erik Eckholm covers the legal battle over Sumner Redstone's competency and Viacom's leadership.
Shooting Chef's Table
J. Travis Smith talked with Chef's Table cinematographers about how they shoot the distinctive food documentary series.
Summer Season
Alan Wolk notes that summer has now become a competitive season of network TV programming.
Viewing Habits
A new study finds Internet use while watching TV rising further, and another finds simlar media usage patterns between Boomers and Millennials.
European Streaming Quotas
New European Commission rules would require streaming service catalogues to contain at least 20% European content.
More Respect Deserved
Bob Sassone praises The Middle as a great, underrated sitcom, while Jeannette Catsoulis says Call the Midwife deserves more respect as a daring drama.
Morning Battles
Brian Steinberg covers the morning show ratings battle, as rivals advance upon Today and Good Morning America.
Remaking Roots
Marisa Guthrie delves into how producers have remade Roots for the Black Lives Matter era.
Insiders on Casey Bloys
Lacey Rose gets the insiders' take on new HBO Programming president Casey Bloys.
Asian-American Visibility
Amanda Hess talks with a group of actors who are advocating for Asian-American visibility. The actors and others gathered on Capital Hill yesterday for a discussion of the issue.
Political Preferences
Tim Baysinger reports on a survey of Trump and Clinton backers about their TV favorites, which found only The Mysteries of Laura repeated on both lists.
Spanish-Language Upfronts
Media Life identifies trends at the upfronts for the Spanish-language networks.
Empire Tops Season
Empire has claimed the title of highest-rated entertainment series in the 18-49 demo for the 2015-16 network season. Only Sunday Night Football surpassed it overall.
The Americans Renewed
In announcing a renewal for The Americans, FX said the series will end after two more seasons.
Pressure at 10
Adam Buckman covers the pressure networks are feeling from affiliates as shows struggle in the 10pm time slot.
Layoffs & Buyouts
Numerous 21st Century Fox employees are leaving the company via buyouts, and Claire Atkinson notes that cable operator employees can expect a wave of labor cuts due to recent mergers. Also, some employees at USA Network and Syfy are being laid off due to NBCU cable restructuring.
Starz Schedule Change
Starting in July, Starz will shift its original programming to Sunday nights, leaving Saturday nights behind, which CEO Chris Albrecht believes will put their shows in more prestige drama conversations.
Viacom's Upfronts
Jason Lynch says Viacom's public battles over its future shouldn't affect its upfront deals thanks to a steady point person overseeing the negotiations.
Old Media Ownership of New Media
Rani Molla and Shira Ovide analyze old media company investment in and ownership of new media companies, complete with a cool chart.
CBS's Post-Split Success
Brian Lowry notes how well CBS has done since the Viacom split and how it's even thriving now while Viacom is mired in turmoil.
CBS is #1
CBS will be the 18-49 victor for the 2015-16 season, with NBC slipping to #2, followed by Fox, ABC, and The CW. The only difference in the total viewers ranking is ABC and Fox are flipped.
Tuesday Ratings
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and O'Connell.
Analysis from Spotted and O'Connell.
Good TVeets
In today's top news,— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) May 25, 2016
[spins wheel] Peter Thiel is suspected of working with
[rolls dice] Hulk Hogan to take down [throws dart] Gawker
The moment he got cursed pic.twitter.com/c9ffWOvYOc— Becca (@SoAnxious_mp3) May 25, 2016
Last night my sister texted me asking if she should let my 4 year old nephew watch Game of Thrones. pic.twitter.com/94PNXWDuZu— Lauren Reeves (@laurenreeves) May 23, 2016
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
HBO's Future
As expected, Casey Bloys has been named Michael Lombardo's successor as HBO Programming president. Alyssa Rosenberg offers suggestions for what HBO can do when Game of Thrones is over, and Todd VanDerWerff says HBO really needs is a compelling family drama.
Monday Ratings
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and O'Connell.
Analysis from Spotted and O'Connell.
Good TVeets
Every girl’s dream is to have 25 blackout drunk men hitting on them at once. #TheBachelorette— Elise Foley (@elisefoley) May 24, 2016
Daniel, will you accept this rose? How about a spot on celebrity rehab, while we're giving out free shit? #TheBachelorette— Dana Weiss (@Possessionista) May 24, 2016
Another fun drinking game to play this season is "Who's Going To Get Murdered by Chad?" #TheBachelorette— Michelle Collins (@michcoll) May 24, 2016
Monday, May 23, 2016
Black Time Travel
Charles Pulliam-Moore appreciates that a few upcoming shows are exploring the complexities raised by Black people appearing in time travel scenarios.
Netflix & Movies
Josh Rottenberg interviews Ted Sarandon about Netflix's aggressive moves into the movie business.
Ads Per Hour
Wayne Friedman reports that Fox and Fox News top the list of most commercials per hour on broadcast and cable outlets, while Viacom owns four of the top five cable outlets on the list. ESPN, AMC, and FX are on the opposite end of the list.
More on Upfronts
Jason Lynch names the buzziest trends of this year's upfronts, and Louisa Ada Seltzer also pinpoints trends. Toni Fitzgerald says the networks are expecting better upfronts ad buys than last year, while Anthony Crupi warns that we won't know for sure until checks actually clear.
Peabody Awards Ceremony
Hilary Lewis covers the Peabody Awards ceremony, which took place on Saturday.
Episodes Out of Order
Myles McNutt discusses the circumstance of sitcoms airing episodes out of production order, as happened with The Real O'Neals, Happy Endings, and Enlisted.
Lombardo & HBO
Matthew Belloni talked to Michael Lombardo on his departure from HBO and what's next.
CW-Tribune Affiliations
The CW and Tribune have come to affiliate agreements with one exception; The CW will switch its Chicago affiliation to Fox-owned WPWR, leaving WGN as an independent station.
Viacom Turmoil Continues
The crisis continues to unfold at Viacom, as Sumner Redstone's competency is in question, a statement from Redstone insists he is competent to oust Phillipe Dauman, and Dauman has now filed suit. Joe Flint has a summary of what's going on.
Good TVeets
We need more tweets if we're gonna stop Trump. Do your part.— Jon Lovett (@jonlovett) May 23, 2016
C'mon Game of Thrones. Do people really choose their leader by who can make the most outrageous, undeliverable promises of aggression— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) May 23, 2016
This is the greatest screenshot in the history of the world. #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/hx6c9PBB3b— Courtney Williamson (@CourtneyWRocket) May 23, 2016
Warning: Game of Thrones spoilers in here (on the remote chance you haven't been spoiled already).
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Good TVeets
i am *also* demanding to get paid as much as Kevin Spacey!— Jen Statsky (@jenstatsky) May 20, 2016
Ladies if you have a unthinkably horrible thought, don't sell it for $50. Save it, process it, and make it into a cable show like boys do— Emily Yoshida (@emilyyoshida) May 20, 2016
I wish there was an Instagram filter that lit you the way Kirk was on the original Star Trek series. pic.twitter.com/ZD836Ca3HK— Gary Whitta (@garywhitta) May 20, 2016
Saturday, May 21, 2016
The Popularity of Game of Thrones
Molly Driscoll explores what the popularity of Game of Thrones says about TV viewers and TV viewing today.
Live TV on Xfinity
Jeff Baumgartner reports that Comcast's Xfinity app will offer live viewing of NBC and ABC in O&O markets.
National Geographic Makeover
Felix Gillette look at how James and Lachlan Murdoch are making over National Geographic Channel using HBO as their model.
SNL's Strategies
Brian Steinberg looks at how Saturday Night Live is adapting its sketch programming strategies to new viewing behaviors, while Mark Lieberman laments the overwhelming whiteness of SNL's hosts.
Cable's Summer
Daniel Holloway previews what's coming and what's at stake at a few cable channels this summer.
New CST Posts
Check out new Critical Studies in Television posts:
- The Good Wife: What Would Alicia Do? by Rona Murray
- Beyoncé’s Lemonade and the Transmedia Swirl by Jennifer O'Meara
- Hulu's 11.22.63: Better Time-Traveling Through Television by Douglas L. Howard
- BBC to Struggle On by John Ellis
Fox Schedule Change
Fox has already made a post-upfronts schedule change, moving Pitch to fall and Bones to midseason.
Network Sponsors
Stuart Elliott looks back on the era of program sponsorship in the 1950s and wonders if it could return.
Upfronts Wrapups
Bill Cromwell breaks down the broadcast upfronts by numbers. Rick Kissell sees the networks playing it safe in the fall, Jeanine Poggi saw stability being touted at upfronts, and Michael Schneider says the networks are acting like networks again, rather than trying to be cable. Jason Lynch names the ten most memorable moments from the upfronts, Elizabeth Wagmeister names best, worst, and weirdest moments, and Jeanine Poggi has a word cloud from the upfronts pitches. Nellie Andreeva says in-season stacking and program ownership were key themes, and Tim Baysinger noted the networks' attempts to battle against digital companies' PR. Harry Jessell says NBC was a network downer at the upfronts. The Masked Scheduler praises the networks for their upfronts efforts. Eight studio heads offer their upfronts reactions.
Peabody at 75
The Peabody Awards has reached its 75th anniversary, and Neil Turitz explains why the awards still matter.
Viacom Turmoil
Sumner Redstone has had Phillipe Dauman ousted from a trust that will eventually have voting control of Viacom. Viacom representatives are calling out Shari Redstone for dirty tactics, and Dauman says the moves are illegal. Shari Redstone insists the decisions are coming from her father.
HBO Shakeup
Longtime HBO Programming president Michael Lombardo is exiting his position. A successor is expected to be announced next week.
Thursday & Friday Ratings
Thursday network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and O'Connell.
Friday network numbers from TV By the Numbers.
Analysis from Spotted.
Analysis from Spotted and O'Connell.
Friday network numbers from TV By the Numbers.
Analysis from Spotted.
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Charter Wants To Integrate Netflix
Ben Munson reports that Charter is seeking to integrate OTT services like Netflix and Hulu into its channel guides.
Gendered IMDb Reviews
Walt Hickey looks at IMDb review data and finds men regularly giving harsher ratings to women-targeted programming than to programming targeted more toward men.
Crying at Jane the Virgin
Kathryn VanArendonk sees the tears that a Jane the Virgin finale scene evoked as revolutionary.
AT&T's Digital Bundle
Mike Farrell covers AT&T's strategy to bundle mobile and premium content to position itself for the future.
Grey's Praise
Rakesh Satyal says Grey's Anatomy deserves more respect for its sustained creative success.
Time Warner Cable Coverage
Shalini Ramachandran looks at how Time Warner Cable's CEO got the company into position for its Charter takeover. The CEO will now depart with an enormous severance package. And Will Richmond says while TWC's name may change, it will be harder to change its reputation.
Turner's Edge
Toni Fitzgerald covers upcoming programming on Turner channels, which are trying to move into edgier territory. Leon Lazaroff notes Time Warner is putting a lot of money into Turner's overhaul.
Shocker Overload
Brian Lowry says Empire's season finale shows the dangers of over-reliance on shocking plot twists.
Monitoring Network TV
Tim Goodman reflects on the state of broadcast network television and the importance of covering it.
Frontline's Success
Laura Hazard Owen looks at how Frontline is adapting to the digital video era while maintaining its high bar for reporting.
High Castle Departure
Amazon's The Man in the High Castle has lost its showrunner over a production disagreement.
5-Second Ads
Brian Steinberg covers five-second ads Pepsi placed in Empire pods and featuring Empire character emojis.
TV & Digital Viewership
Mike Shields covers yet another TV and digital viewing comparison -- Pretty Little Liars versus a Fullscreen web series -- and concludes that measuring viewership is an imperfect science.
Set-Top Box Concerns
Republicans have expressed concerns with the FCC's push for new set-top box rules.
Outlander's Sex Scenes
Maureen Ryan talks to Outlander showrunner Ronald D. Moore about the show's innovative sex scenes.
Moving & Cord Cutting
A media analyst says a major catalyst for cord cutting is people moving to a new address.
The New Roots
Melena Ryzik delves into the production of the Roots remake, which LeVar Burton insists is must-watch.
State of Telenovelas
Chris Ariens tracks the development of US telenovelas, as Univision plans to make more and Telemundo less.
White Feminist TV, Black Woman Viewer
Zeba Blay discusses what it's like to watch White Feminist TV as a woman of color.
Value of Spec Scripts
Alex Freedman argues that even with increased preference for original pilots, aspiring writers should still write spec scripts.
ESPN's Reach
At ESPN's upfront, it announced the addition of out-of-home viewing to its ratings metrics, and in an earnings call, Bob Iger expressed confidence about the outlet. Ashley Rodriguez suggests ESPN should stay focused on US sports and not expand global sports coverage.
HBO-China Deal
HBO Asia has made a deal with a Chinese movie channel to develop Chinese-language TV movies.
Identifying Millennial Tastes
Sarah Lyall covers the challenge of figuring out what Millennials will watch on TV.
Diversity Challenges
Todd VanDerWerff says advertising realities work against Univision's pitch that it reaches more diverse demos than the major networks.
Drew & Development
Myles McNutt discusses how expanded coverage of development has helped shape reactions to the failure of the Nancy Drew pilot.
Kelly's Trump Interview
Critics have lambasted Megyn Kelly's toothless interview of Donald Trump. Kelly especially didn't appreciate Trevor Noah's criticism. Maureen Ryan connects Kelly's interview to Morley Safer's death and what the news business is losing. Gabriel Sherman considers why Kelly's boss Rupert Murdoch has decided to support Trump.
Upfronts Overviews
Tony Maglio lists each network schedule for fall 2016. Lesley Goldberg and Lacey Rose offer their upfronts takeaways. Robert Bianco identifies what looks good and what doesn't. Jeanine Poggi predicts hits and misses. Brian Steinberg covers the upfronts theme of networks execs telling advertisers that TV is a better option than digital. Matt Roush describes his week at upfronts.
The CW Upfront & Schedule
The CW has released its fall schedule, which will be superhero heavy, and it offered the final network upfront today. CW president Mark Pedowitz talked about his network. Spotted had his questions answered. Daniel Fienberg ranks the CW's three new trailers. Josef Adalian is impressed by The CW's success.
CBS Schedule & Upfront
Melissa Maerz judges CBS's 2016-17 schedule. Todd VanDerWerff says CBS is good at what it does, but finds that dispiriting. Spotted answers his CBS questions. Jason Lynch covers where CBS stands. Critics are on CBS for a lack of diversity, but Les Moonves defends his network. CBS also touted the value of TV dollars over digital dollars in its upfront presentation. Jeainine Poggi notes that comedy is getting renewed focus at CBS. It was confirmed that the Good Wife is getting a CBS All Access spinoff. Daniel Fienberg ranks CBS's new show trailers, and there's also a new teaser for All Access's Star Trek.
Wednesday Ratings
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Kissell.
Analysis from Spotted and Kissell.
Good TVeets
If Mark the Chicken flew into the fire that'd be a good metaphor for what's happened to this season during the #SurvivorFinale.— Andy Dehnart (@realityblurred) May 19, 2016
This election is a bad season of "The Real World": I want it to stop being real and start getting polite.— Louis Virtel (@louisvirtel) May 18, 2016
Very excited for the new network shows this fall! Congrats, everyone! pic.twitter.com/EGZjfqaE46— Raphael Bob-Waksberg (@RaphaelBW) May 19, 2016
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Prime-Time's Revitalization
Daniel Holloway discusses how shorter episode-runs are revitalizing network prime time.
Everybody Loves Netflix
A new survey finds Netflix at the top of TV viewing preferences, by a significant margin, for all demographics. And Netflix's CEO says he's not worried about increased competition from Amazon and other streamers.
Chelsea's Technology
Janko Roettgers looks at the encoding technology and translation processes needed to send Chelsea rapidly around Netflix's global network.
Too Much TV Business
Josef Adalian and Maria Elena Fernandez delve into the challenge of producing TV in a time of unprecedented competition. You can also hear a podcast episode on this.
Farewell, TWC
Time Warner Cable will henceforth be called Charter, and its service branded as Spectrum, as Charter formally takes control of TWC and Bright House today.
Survivor's First Alliance
Noel Murray revisits the first time an alliance was formed on Survivor and thereby changed reality TV.
Carmichael Show Negotiations
Mark Harris outlines the complex negotiation process that ended in NBC renewing The Carmichael Show.
Turner Innovations
Turner is offering its upfront presentation right now; Jason Lynch highlights the innovations it will be touting.
Good TVeets
It's not fair to say Megyn Kelly threw Trump softballs. That would imply her Qs were substantive, but soft. All she threw was airballs.— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) May 18, 2016
We used to be worried that alien races might judge us by what we watched on Television, so we invented social media to ensure they'd kill us— C. Robert Cargill (@Massawyrm) May 17, 2016
ABC has Kiefer Sutherland as the ENTIRE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT and Dog With a Vlog. Bar raised, CBS. Bar raised. #Upfronts2016— Todd VanDerWerff (@tvoti) May 17, 2016
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Narcos on Univision
Univision will air Narcos' first season in advance of Netflix exclusively airing its second season later this year. Also, UniMás will air the series Narcos is based on plus an El Chapo series that will subsequently stream on Netflix.
Super-Producer Dominance
Nellie Andreeva notes that ABC, NBC, and the CW will each have five dramas from one exec producer on the air next season.
ABC Coverage
ABC had its upfront presentation today, and Channing Dungey had a press call before it. Josef Adalian says ABC's 2016-17 schedule is one of cautious change, Jason Lynch sees some major changes, and Joe Flint notes the reliance on comedies. Lynch also reports on an ABC study about how TV advertising is superior to digital advertising. Daniel Fienberg assesses ABC's new show trailers, and as usual, Jimmy Kimmel had jokes at the upfront presentation, and he also got a new three-year deal.
Toni Fitzgerald gives ABC's schedule a B. Todd VanDerWerff wonders if ABC can turn its fortunes around. The NYT reviews ABC's upfront presentation.
Toni Fitzgerald gives ABC's schedule a B. Todd VanDerWerff wonders if ABC can turn its fortunes around. The NYT reviews ABC's upfront presentation.
ABC's Strategies
ABC has its upfront later today. In advance of that, Michael Schneider queried new president Channing Dungey about ABC's needs and goals, and Tony Maglio looks at Dungey's challenges ahead, while Jeanine Poggi covered the widened role of ShondaLand at ABC.
Finale Assessments
Daniel Fienberg was not a fan of how Castle went out, while Myles McNutt offers his take on the implications of Jane the Virgin's non-shocking season finale.
Family Sitcoms
T.L. Stanley notes that the family sitcom is thriving again, while Matthew Gilbert laments how formulaic Modern Family has gotten.
NBC & Fox Analysis
More analysis from yesterday's upfronts: Todd VanDerWerff assesses NBC's fall schedule as well as Fox's schedule, Michael Malone covers Fox's upfront, and Brian Lowry says NBC and Fox both show reliance on spinoffs and stability. Emily Steel assesses both NBC and Fox.
Monday Ratings
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Kissell.
Analysis from Spotted and Kissell.
Good TVeets
Said with love and respect: I’m not sure I can tolerate anybody who thinks that was a good way to end a TV series. #Castle— Daniel Fienberg (@TheFienPrint) May 17, 2016
WHY would you get ICE for THE DAMN CHAMPAgne*stomps around in the back of my room hitting things* #JaneTheVirgin— Kathryn VanArendonk (@kvanaren) May 17, 2016
Idris out here just ruining lives and spawning countless X-rated fanfics... pic.twitter.com/bbXXTlzoOO— Dora Milaje (@FilmFatale_NYC) May 17, 2016
Monday, May 16, 2016
Watching Vanderpump Rules
Emily Nussbaum shares her experience of binge-watching Vanderpump Rules on her phone.
Advertising Strategies
Jim Rutenberg looks at changing TV advertising strategies as viewing habits change.
Netflix Strategies
Nicole LaPorte talks to Netflix's VP for original content about how she identifies potential hits, and Elizabeth Segran covers Netflix's experiments with the allure of program images to make us click. Andrew Wallenstein sees in Chelsea Handler's new talk show a new direction for Netflix.
Steve Harvey Profile
Jason Lynch profiles the prolific Steve Harvey and how he works on so many successful shows at once.
Drag Race & Acceptance
Jenna Wortham looks at RuPaul's Drag Race through the lens of the LGBTQ acceptance movement.
BBC Netflix Rival
Patrick Foster reports that the BBC is planning to launch a Netflix rival called Britflix.
Dick Wolf & NBC's Comeback
John Koblin looks at Dick Wolf's key role in NBC's attempt to right the network ship.
CBS Decisions
CBS made some final programming announcements as its upfront approaches: Rush Hour is done, while The Odd Couple, Code Black, and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders will be back. Myles McNutt assesses the "too female" claim about Drew's dismissal
Fox Schedule & Upfront
Fox released its 2016-17 schedule, which is filled with reboots, and had its upfront presentation, which stressed the programming of fewer reruns. THR has the new show trailers. Spotted looks at how Fox answered his questions. Toni Fitzgerald gives Fox's schedule a C+.
NBCU Upfront
NBCU had its upfronts presentation this morning; Brian Steinberg and Jason Lynch have coverage. THR has new show trailers. Josef Adalian is impressed by how well NBC's planned schedule works.
Good TVeets
Daenerys Targaryen, author of "How to Destroy the Patriarchy in 5 Minutes or Less" #itslit #GameofThrones— Hollis Cuffie (@PresidentCuffie) May 16, 2016
Nancy Drew & the Poorly-Fitted Bra— Emily Blake (@TheEmilyBlake) May 15, 2016
Nancy Drew & the Search for a Free Tampon
Nancy Drew & the 21% Smaller Paycheck#TooFemale
Levels of friendship— Justin Halpern (@justin_halpern) May 16, 2016
4. Take you to the airport
3. Not snitch if you murdered somebody
2. Murder someone for you
1. Read your script
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Analysis
Michael Z. Newman assesses Crazy Ex-Girlfriend as "its own world of feminist song-and-dance carnivalesque."
Pretty Dead Blondes
Constance Grady highlights the dismaying TV trope of the pretty dead blonde girl.
Nat Geo Ad Loads
Jason Lynch reports that National Geographic Channel is the latest cable outlet to go with reduced ad loads for some series and specials.
OTT Landscape
Colin Dixon and Will Richmond discuss the over-the-top landscape in their weekly podcast.
Top Pay TV Operators
FierceCable has charts of recent market share, subscriber growth, and penetration among pay TV operators.
Marvel's Big-Screen TV
Todd VanDerWerff says Marvel films like Civil War are narratively like TV shows.
NewFronts Coverage
Alan Wolk offers takeaways from this year's NewFronts, and Oriana Schwindt says this year's presentations deviated from the traditions established by TV.
Race, Film, and TV
Liz Shannon Miller and Chris O'Falt look at the increasing migration from film to TV of minority filmmakers who have struggled to find funding for features.
Showrunner Roundtable
THR has a comedy and drama showrunner roundtable particularly focused on diversity issues.
Underground's Challenge
James Poniewozik praises Underground for its ability to tackle weighty subject matter in an entertaining way.
Successful Sex
Sonia Saraiya praises The Americans and The Path for the quality of their sex scenes.
Cop Rock
Cop Rock will be released on DVD Tuesday, and Neil Genzlinger looks back on the much-maligned series.
Vine's Decline
Steven Perlberg and Mike Shields note an exodus of stars from Vine spells trouble for the platform.
Huang Profile
Susan Cheng talks with Eddie Huang about his Fresh Off the Boat thoughts and his new Viceland series.
Cancellations
Freeform has cancelled Recovery Road, and MTV is ending Faking It. Agent Carter fans want Netflix to pick up the cancelled series. Myles McNutt analyzes what it would mean for the network if CBS cancels Limitless.
Upfronts Coverage
Michael O'Connell offers an overview of where each network stands going into upfronts week. Brian Steinberg fills us in on the ad scene going into the week, as well as looks at the hot children's TV ad market. Oriana Schwindt explains what upfronts week is all about. Brian Lowry notes that the DVR era has changed how upfronts presentations work.
Sleepy Hollow Renewed
Sleepy Hollow will be back for a fourth season, but perhaps without some third-season viewers.
Nancy Drew Rejected
Nellie Andreeva reports that CBS declined to pick up the Nancy Drew series because the pilot tested "too female."
NBC's Fall Schedule
NBC has released its schedule for next fall. Analysis from Josef Adalian and Jason Lynch, and Spotted now has answers for his NBC questions. Lacey Rose talks to NBC execs about the new schedule, Michael Schneider talked to entertainment president Jennifer Salke, and Cynthia Littleton talked to Robert Greenblatt. The Carmichael Show has been renewed for 13 episodes.
Good TVeets
I should explain #Eurovision. Lately, instead of wars, Europeans battle our worst musicians and then vote on how scared of Russia we are.— Alice Kelly (@AliceAvizandum) May 14, 2016
"12 points go to Russia please don't cut off the gas." #Eurovision— Chris Addison (@mrchrisaddison) May 14, 2016
Timberlake performed and Ukraine won? *BRAIN CRUMBLES WITH CRIMEA RIVER OPPORTUNITIES* #Eurovision— Wolf (@wolfmvc) May 14, 2016
"Australia is a big part of Europe and should definitely be in the Eurovision Song Contest." pic.twitter.com/HJG6LnbYUw— David Whitley (@mrdavidwhitley) May 14, 2016
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Good TVeets
In life, we all make mistakes. We are all CBS’ “MacGyver,” in constant need of retooling.— Daniel Fienberg (@TheFienPrint) May 13, 2016
im not "living" so much as im waiting for lemonade and the hamilton soundtracks to be available at karaoke— Tracy Clayton (@brokeymcpoverty) May 13, 2016
Clint Eastwood talks to John Miller at the convention. pic.twitter.com/oyNYFF1zLC
— Mike Caulfield (@holden) May 14, 2016
Friday, May 13, 2016
Friday Fun
Hey, it's Friday Fun once again, thanks to Gillian Anderson posting an acne medicine commercial she once did.
Cancellations, Renewals, Orders
Network upfronts are next week, so the annual info dump of cancellations, renewals, and series orders has begun. You can catch up on all the news via network scorecards from Kate Aurthur and Michael Schneider. Lesley Goldberg names the biggest surprises so far, and most of the Good TVeets reaction was around Agent Carter's cancellation and Marvel's Most Wanted not moving forward, Nashville's cancellation, American Crime's renewal, Castle's cancellation, the Good Wife's possible CBS All Access spinoff, Galavant's cancellation, The Grinder and Grandfathered's cancellations, and The Muppets' cancellation. Alan Sepinwall covers the bloody day of cancellations, and Nellie Andreeva points to in-season stacking rights as part of the renewal/order/cancellation battleground.
Good TVeets
I'm pretty sure that ABC has just cancelled all TV. It's back to books and radio for everyone.— Book-Cracker Buffy (@Peacelovechai) May 13, 2016
They cancelled that show you heard was good but never watched.— John August (@johnaugust) May 13, 2016
George Clooney was in a lot of tv shows that got cancelled too— Natalie Morales (@nataliemorales) May 13, 2016
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Olympics Counter-Programming
Jessica Toonkel notes that numerous TV outlets have scheduled new programming to air against the Summer Olympics.
Charter-TWC Order
Details on the FCC's decision and dissension in the Charter-Time Warner Cable merger ruling are available.
Disney Infinity Done
Disney has cancelled its Infinity console games franchise, and Erik Kane is disappointed because he saw potential in it.
NBCU's New Ways
Brian Steinberg describes NBCU's new strategy for its upfront presentation, which will be unveiled on Monday.
Adult Swim Expansion
Jason Lynch has news from Adult Swim's upfront, including expanded daytime streaming.
Comedy Central Conversation
THR offers a conversation about the state of Comedy Central with three channel execs, including the outgoing and incoming presidents, and a Viacom exec.
BBC White Paper
A government document dictating the future direction of the BBC has been released. John Plunkett highlights the key details from the white paper. Robert Peston says these are not trivial changes, and Peter Kosminsky believes they will threaten the BBC's independence. John Ellis says the BBC will have to continue to fight.
NFL YouTube Expansion
The NFL and YouTube are expanding their partnership, which means more archival footage and in-game highlights online.
The Future of Skinny Bundles
Daniel Holloway assesses the future chances of skinny bundles in the pay TV world.
TruTV's Strategies
Tim Baysinger looks at TruTV's strategy for luring younger audiences with comedy programming and reduced original series ad loads.
The Americans & The Emmys
Tim Goodman calls on Television Academy members to nominate The Americans for Emmys.
Renewals & Cancellations
Jason Lynch has an updated roundup of renewals and cancellations, which now includes CSI: Cyber -- and thus the CSI franchise -- coming to an end, while Life in Pieces will get a second season.
Wednesday Ratings
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and O'Connell.
Analysis from Spotted and O'Connell.