The Spin-off
2016 Upfronts & the Economics of a TV Boom
The Spin-off crew reports back from this year's network upfront presentations and Joe Adalian shares his biggest takeaways after spending four months investigating the current state of television. Plus, a shake-up at HBO.
By Michael Schneider • • 48m ListenThe network television upfronts are an annual ritual in New York where the broadcast networks present new and upcoming shows to advertisers. Even though the TV landscape is changing, the broadcasts networks are still by far the biggest game in town, and this year's upfronts were predicted to do about $9 billion worth of business.
In this episode, we share what looks like the high and low points of the coming TV season and if networks giving up some of their cable envy and embracing being big and broad is a good thing.
Then, Spin-off host Joe Adalian recently published a long read that's a look inside the business of "Peak TV." The landscape is growing in a way we haven't seen in years, which means it's easier to find work, but harder to get really rich, since the money is being more spread around.
We also talk about Michael Lombardo's recent departure from HBO and what it means for the cable network that's been struggling in the drama department recently. But don't freak out -- the network still rules comedy and has overcome drama dry spells before.
End of show Downloads:
Daniel: It's rare that a show is able to come back from some weak plots in earlier seasons to be stronger and more compelling than ever, but that's exactly what's happened with the fourth season of Bates Motel on A&E.
Joe: In the craziness of election season, if you'd like some political coverage driven by data, Joe recommends two shows on MSNBC: Upwith Steve Kornacki and AM Joy with Joy Reid.
Mike: The new Netflix show Lady Dynamite is loosely based on the life of comedian Maria Bamford, who has struggled with mental health issues. The show is zany and delightful.
