Cordkillers 330 - His Name is John Cena, Not John Cena
Why does Netflix cancel shows after 2 seasons? Plus, new Rokus, a Utopia remake, and watch parties on Sling! All this and more on Cordkillers! With special guests Lamarr Wilson & Iyaz Akhtar.
CordKillers: 330 - His Name is John Cena, Not John Cena
Recorded: September 28 2020
Guest: Lamarr Wilson & Iyaz Akhtar
Intro Video
Vampires vs The Bronx
Primary Target
Why Netflix Keeps Canceling Shows After Just 2 Seasons
- Wired UK's Alex Lee has an article called "Why Netflix Keeps Canceling Shows after just two seasons" citing Altered Carbon, Sense8 and the OA as examples. Apparently Ampere Analysis has data that estimates the average Netflix Original gets two seasons. Supposedly Netflix decides to order more seasons of a show based on "viewership-versus-cost-of-renewal "
- In 2018 Netflix’s vice president of original programming Cindy Holland told Television Critics The biggest thing that we look at is, are we getting enough viewership to justify the cost of the series?”
- In the past we used to assume that Netflix ordered a wide variety of shows because they just needed to be good enough to keep their audiences subscribed. But it looks like Netflix wants shows that they large majority of subscribers watch, not just a dedicated fan base.
- Netflix told the House of Lords Communications and Digital Select Committee that it also considers three other metrics. One is "starters" the number of people that watch just one episode. The second is completes, the number who finish the entire season. It checks those for the 7 and 28 days after release. The third metric is Watchers, the total number of people who watched a show.
- Netflix pays more than most outlets because it commissions whole seasons at once and pays the cost of production plus 30% to keep it exclusive to Netflix, rather than paying less and letting the production get international and syndication revenue. There is also bonuses and pay bumps as a series continues. The third season supposedly sees a significant bump hence the two-year lifespan of so many how's.
How to Watch
The new Roku Ultra has Dolby Vision and improved Wi-Fi performance
Roku introduces a new Ultra player, a 2-in-1 ‘Streambar,’ and a new OS with support for AirPlay 2
- Roku annocuned the new Roku Ultra which now supports Dolby Vision HDR, the first standalone Roku device to do so. It also adds the increasingly common AV1 codec and Bluetooth support. It claims 50% greater WiFi range but there's still an ethernet port. The price stays at $100.
- Roku OS also got some updates including support for Apple Airplay 2 and Homekit. So you Roku fans with an iOS device can airplay HBO Max to the Roku. A live TV tile comes to the home screen with a live guide to 115 channels provided free from Roku. The update comes to supported Roku devices this month.
- The Roku Channel is also getting its own standalone app for Android and iOS.
Roku’s new $129 soundbar offers Dolby Audio and 4K streaming
- The Roku Streambar combines 4K HDR with premium sound. Video wise it's equivalent to the Roku Streaming Stick+ with Amazon and Google voice support. The speaker has two forward-facing speakers for center channel sound sand two-side-angled for virtual surround. It's compatible with Roku's wireless speakers and subwoofer for later expansion. It sells for $129
Amazon announces new Fire TV devices and a brand-new home screen that makes it easier to find stuff to watch
- Amazon's new Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite, offer HD streaming with HDR support and a resigned interface, including profiles and Favorites shortcut bar. The Fire TV Stick Lite has a slower processor and a remote that doesn't include volume controls. The standard TV stick is $39.99, the Lite is $29.99, both shipping September 30th.
Amazon Unveils Echo Show 10 With Netflix, Luna Cloud Gaming Service
Google’s new Chromecast demonstrated a week early
- A reddit user called fuzztub07 shared photos of what looks like the yet unreleased Chromecast with Google TV. A video showed the Google TV interface which appears to be based on Android 10. It supports 4K/HDR, multiple accounts and bluetooth headphones. The remote has a YouTube and a Netflix button. The Redditor bought the device from a Walmart outside Pittsburghfor $50. The Verge was able to buy one from a Home Depot.
- Chromecast With Google TV is expected to be announced at Google's Pixel event Wednesday, September 30
The Home Depot is selling a new Google Chromecast that hasn’t been announced
What to Watch
Gillian Flynn’s ‘Utopia’ Brings All Too Familiar Sheen to a Conspiracy Thriller: TV Review
- A lot of folks on social media are very excited to talk about Utopia on Amazon Prime Video. This is a series from Gillian Flynn. It tells the story of a comic called Dystopia that predicted several pandemics and then the appearance of a comic series called Utopia that promises to predict the future. If this sounds familiar its because yes, its a reboot of the Dennis Kelley series made for Channel 4 in 2013 and 2014.
Zack Snyder to shoot new Justice League movie footage in October
- Zack Snyder plans to shoot new footage in October for the Snyder Cut of the Justice League. The Hollywood reporter says the shoots will take about a week and involve Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot and Ray Fisher (cyborg). No word on Ezra Miller or Jason Momoa. The Snyder Cut arrives as a four episode miniseries on HBO Max in May.
Disney delays Black Widow to 2021 as Marvel films get reshuffled
- The Black Widow movies has been moved again to a release date of May 7, 2021. The film is important to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as it kicks off Phase 4. It was originally scheduled for May 1 this year then November 6. Following on from the Black Widow delay, the Eternals is moved to November 5, 2021 and Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is now on July 9, 2021. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse fo Madness is still on for March 25, 2022. For now. Thor: Love and Thunder is set for Feb. 11, 2022.
‘The Boys’ Spinoff in Development at Amazon Following Massive Season 2 Launch
- Variety says Amazon is fast-tracking a spinoff series of the Boys. The spinoff will be set in a college for young adult superheroes run by Vought International.
- Amazon says season 2 of The Boys had the most-watched global launch of any Amazon original series.
‘The Suicide Squad’ TV Spinoff ‘Peacemaker’ Starring John Cena From James Gunn Ordered By HBO Max
- HBO max has ordered an eight-episode series called Peacemaker starring John Cena, a spinoff of the upcoming James Gunn-directed Suicide Squad movie. Gunn and The Suicide Squad producer Peter Safran will serve as executive producers of the series, with Cena as co-executive producer.
‘Family Guy’ & ‘Bob’s Burgers’ Get Two-Season Renewals At Fox
Patricia Arquette, Ben Stiller will team up in an Apple Series 'High Desert'
Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller, Jurnee Smollett Starring in Netflix’s ‘Spiderhead’
- Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller, Jurnee Smollett will star in Spiderhead, a Netflix movie adaptation of a George Saunders short storyabout two convicts who are housed in a facility run by a doctor who experiments on inmates
Netflix will release ‘The Life Ahead’ November 13. It's Sophia Loren’s First Movie In A Decade.
David Letterman’s ‘My Next Guest Needs No Introduction’ Sets Season 3 Premiere Date of Oct. 21. The new slate of guests is Kim Kardashian West, Robert Downey Jr., Dave Chappelle and Lizzo.
Eyes On
Lamarr: Lost in Space Season 2 - Completed
Tom: Enola Holmes
Iyaz: Blue Exorcist
On the Lookout: The Simpsons
Front Lines
Sling TV launches its own watch party feature for live TV
- Sling TV launched Sling Watch Party in beta, letting up to four people watch synced content together through a desktop Chrome browser tab. The feature works with live programming, and includes a text chat. Watch Party hosts control pausing and rewindng controls.
Paramount Network To Rebrand As Paramount Movie Network; Focus On Television Movies, Cancels Non-Scripted Series
- With CBS All Access set to become Paramount Plus next year, ViacomCBS has decided to rename the existing Paramount Network to avoid confusion. Since the Paramount network shows mostly movies it will be called the Paramount Movie Network. It also has canceled several non-scripted titles or moved them to other ViacomCBS networks. It will air 52 original movies a year along with one mini-series or scripted series per quarter.
WarnerMedia, Major League Baseball Reach 7-Year Rights Extension At Reported $3.75B; Will HBO Max Benefit?
- Warner Media reached a deal for a seven-year extension on its Major League Baseball broadcast contract. TBS, in general, shows some MLB games during the season and in the playoffs. The new deal adds a regular Tuesday night TBS game and broadcasts on "additional WarnerMedia platforms" which means HBO Max. An add-supported tier of HBO Max will launch in May with live sports and news.
Dispatches from the Front
We got a lot of responses from you all about what value you see in Peacock, NBC's new streaming video service.
Dan said he didn't love Peacock, but enjoyed the 8 live Premier League soccer matches and is looking forward to the Saved By The Bell Reboot.
Chris and Scott were both fans of the Dale Earnheardt Jr series Lost Speedways about abandoned racetracks.
Beelissa was glad to see Peacock on Roku because of its free tier (with a single ad break) and for acecss to Downton Abbey.
Neil is excited for The Amber Ruffin Show after enjoying her on Seth Meyers. He also liked the new Larry Wilmore talk show that premiered last week as well as AP Bio and a documentary about Harry Belafonte. There you go, some love for Peacock!
Thanks for all your emails to cordkillers@gmail.com
Links
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