Binge Release vs. Weekly: Who's Winning Now
What 2024 so far tells us about Netflix, Prime, AppleTV+ and Peacock, and which approach is best for whom
Ed note: Today’s Entertainment Strategy Guy dispatch is an edited and condensed version of his most recent “Streaming Ratings Report.” A subscription to the Entertainment Strategy Guy standalone unlocks access to all of his weekly streaming ratings reports, detailed charts, and more.
In my Streaming Ratings Report covering the week of January 8th, instead of handing out passing or failing grades to Ted, True Detective or Echo, I gave them “TBDs.” I wanted to wait a few weeks to see if these shows soared or sank. I’m glad I did, because with two weeks worth of data, we can revisit my old favorite topic:
Binge releases versus weekly!
I’m being semi-sarcastic describing this as my favorite topic, because it’s one of the most divisive arguments in the Streaming Wars. You’re in one camp or another, and no amount of data will change anyone’s mind. This especially applies to Netflix, but possibly to me, too, because I’m firmly in the “more shows should come out weekly” camp, and the last two weeks show why.
In this issue, we’ll look at:
The potential motivations for Disney+’s Echo binge release
Max’s True Detective: Night Country weekly drops
Prime’s Reacher versus Netflix’s The Crown
Ted versus The Traitors on Peacock
Netflix’s Griselda versus AppleTV+’s Masters of the Air
So let’s dig in.1