Cordkillers 620: Bundle Trouble
DirecTV adds Netflix to the bundle pile, leaving viewers to untangle which combination actually saves money. Plus, Disney raises streaming prices, Netflix brings back Gene Wilder’s voice with AI, and a new Star Wars trilogy may have found its director.
This week on The FULL Experience: Battlestar Galactica: Ultimate (110 - “The Living Legend”)
Next week: Battlestar Galactica: Lowest (109 - “The Young Lords”)
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Supply Run
DirecTV is adding another layer to the streaming bundle. Qualifying new customers who take a Genre Pack with a Gemini device get 12 months of Netflix Standard with Ads; keeping the offer requires the paid device and service. With services already tucked inside other subscriptions, Tom and Brian ask how viewers can compare the real cost without paying for the same thing twice.
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The bundle-shopping tool needs an upgrade. Tom and Brian look at Suppose.tv and MyBundle, then imagine a comparison tool that can account for both live channels and the streaming services hidden inside each package.
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Search Party
Jon Watts is reportedly lined up to direct the first film in Simon Kinberg’s new Star Wars trilogy. Reports differ over its connection to the Skywalker saga, and Lucasfilm has not confirmed the project’s details.
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John Goodman, Ian Alexander, and Laura Bailey join The Last of Us Season 3. Alexander and Bailey, who played Lev and Abby in the game, take different roles in the series; Bailey plays Seraphite leader Elizabeth.
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Variety: The Last of Us casting
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Coachella’s livestream is staying on YouTube through 2030. The renewed exclusive global partnership covers both festival weekends, extending a relationship that began in 2011.
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YouTube: partnership announcement
Pluto TV is refreshing its viewing experience, expanding its on-demand library, and promoting the service with an “Escape to Pluto TV” campaign. Its pitch remains simple: free television as paid streaming gets more expensive.
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Pluto TV: product announcement
Paramount is preparing for its Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition, but the closing date remains uncertain. Merger-related warrant dates and plans to change stock exchanges should not be mistaken for confirmation that the deal has closed.
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Evil Dead Burn begins streaming on HBO Max on Oct 2, 2026.
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Deadline: Evil Dead Burn streaming
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Buried Treasure
Brian strongly recommends the new Resident Evil film and Widow’s Bay Season 1, and praises Lanterns episode 5. Forgotten Island gets a pass; he says it was not for his family.
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Tom is three episodes into Skeleton Crew and enthusiastically recommends it. The surprises, sense of adventure, and glimpse of Star Wars suburbia have won him over.
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Scanning the Horizon
Wonka’s The Golden Ticket uses an AI recreation of Gene Wilder’s voice, made with ElevenLabs and approved by his estate. Tom and Brian debate whether permission from an estate settles the question of an actor’s own consent; the show debuted with a reported 4.6 million views.
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Disney is raising U.S. prices for standalone Disney+ and Hulu plans and several bundles. The standalone ad-free plans rise by $2.50 a month and the ad-supported plans by 50 cents, while the ad-supported Disney+/Hulu bundle stays unchanged.
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Deadline: Disney price increases
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Apple says it had its biggest viewing week ever following the Emmys, with viewing up 67% year over year. Mayday, Ted Lasso, and Emmy winners including Widow’s Bay helped drive the increase; Apple did not release absolute viewing totals.
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Deadline: Apple viewing record
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The VMAs drew 8.43 million viewers across CBS, MTV, and an MTV encore, up 51% from last year and the show’s largest audience since 2015. Tom and Brian consider how wider availability and Madonna’s appearance may have helped.
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Chatter
Cordkillers is working with Patreon to move from per-creation to monthly billing, with a consistent monthly charge even if an episode is missed. No dollar amount or effective date is announced. Listener feedback also prompts a comparison of reactions to the original Battlestar Galactica and its reboot.
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