
The Murky Definition of a Hit Show
As streamers remove series and unions fight over residuals, agreeing on metrics is near impossible
Summer 2023 marks Hollywood’s retreat from the Streaming Wars. And now, both strikes (real and threatened) and a brutal run of show removals highlight one of the era’s most significant casualties: transparent ratings data. Sean McNulty, Elaine Low and Richard Rushfield discuss the challenge of the guilds’ residuals demands and the impossibility of apples to Apple comparisons (global Netflix shows vs. a small streamer? Nope, can’t do it), as well as whether the idea of content living forever was just a streaming fantasy. Also: a fun history of Fourth of July weekend box office (17:15), including Richard’s role in Burbank teen mayhem during a showing of Independence Day.
Transcript here.
Listen here: Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts