Sunday, October 25, 2020

Netflix, you still don't get it

I found myself watching less and less Netflix shows until I decided it was time to cancel my account. I read that the company is invested 17 billion dollars in new content during 2020, 2 billion more than 2019. What is that money worth if the shows they invest on are cancelled?


If a show becomes too expensive after the third season, plan ahead and do a 3 season arc that has a conclusion. I have no interest in watching a show that I know it got cancelled without conclusion, and this trend has made me cautious and watch shows until they are complete. What would be the point of start watching a movie if we knew there was no ending to it? same thing here, but tv shows require more time from the audience.


Ratings do not work as it used to during primetime days, people is not waiting for next week to watch the next episode, there's no more water cooler talk about tv shows (specially during 2020). We now binge watch, sometimes we wait until the season is over and sometimes they wait for a couple seasons. And the more cancellations we get, the more we are going to wait until we are sure it is safe to watch.


Why should I start an account in Netflix? What used to be their big hooks: Marvel shows, got cancelled midway. The OA, a show that was different and promised a lot got cancelled after 2 seasons. I never started to watch The Society or any other shows because there's a high risk of them getting cancelled, and I can't go spending money and time for something that will let me hanging in the end. What's the point?


So, Netflix (and any streamer in the game), next time you make plans for a new show consider some additional budget as buffer to produce a movie that closes storylines in case the work does not perform as expected. Stop wasting money, because if you thought those investments you are doing today will bring new customers tomorrow, you are wrong. No one will subscribe for a cancelled show.


Thanks a lot, it was a good couple years together, but I understand now that we can no longer work together.