4 ms·

I thought this was an interesting read regarding a number of different points/ideas. Netflix is like the upside down of TV is an interesting idea. Netflix tak

I thought this was an interesting read regarding a number of different points/ideas. Netflix is like the upside down of TV is an interesting idea. Netflix takes things people already like and doubles down on them, and that's the whole business model. So, then, the main question the author ends up with: "Can Netflix ever do anything truly original in the way HBO does?" TLDR: It’s hard to be groundbreaking when your whole purpose is to take people where they’ve already been.

empath75 9y ago
yeah I guess a Korean movie about a girl and her genetically engineered super pig is retrodding well worn ground.
- giobox 9y ago
  In fairness, Okja was similar to the kind of fable style tale with a near-future/modern/technology angle that Black Mirror had done for some time before (the first two seasons of Black Mirror were not Netflix productions). Almost everyone I know who watched it comments on this.
  - Godel_unicode 9y ago
    There are really only two stories: a stranger comes to town, and a man goes on a journey. -Tolstoy
- tootie 9y ago
  Did Netflix produce Okja? I think they just bought the rights.
  - DanBC 9y ago
    Netflix isn't listed as a production company for Okja. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3967856/companycredits?ref_=ttfc_ql_4 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3967856/companycredits?ref_=ttfc... They are for Bright. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5519340/companycredits?ref_=ttfc_ql_4 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5519340/companycredits?ref_=ttfc...
Feniks 9y ago
Netflix has to come up with hit shows that set them apart from the other VOD services. Especially now since they can't easily buy streaming rights to already existing shows.
- pizza 9y ago
  Worked pretty well for them in the past - originals like House of Cards, Master of None, Orange is the New Black, Narcos, Stranger Things, Bojack, Black Mirror, etc were vastly popular and certainly drew in more users
  - megablast 9y ago
    > Black Mirror That wasn't original, it was taken from Channel 4. The rest still stand though.
    - Godel_unicode 9y ago
      House of cards was a BBC show in the 90s. All of this has happened before, and will happen again. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Cards_(UK_TV_series) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Cards_(UK_TV_series...
surrealize 9y ago
I thought Bojack Horseman was pretty original.
- Noos 9y ago
  It's the same junk cartoon network has been peddling for years. Netflix has been spamming geek series nonstop, and it's all been crap. All of it. It's just popular crap at the moment, and they were lucky to catch the wave at the earliest rise. Iron Fist and Inhumans were what happens when they ride it too long.
InclinedPlane 9y ago
> "Netflix takes things people already like and doubles down on them, and that's the whole business model." There's a name for this, it's called "television". Netflix makes television, and they do a good job of it. They're getting better at it too despite having only started doing it for a few years. Compared to the quality standards of the '80s or '90s what netflix produces today is near solid gold. Some of it truly is great, most of it is merely good. Little of it is truly groundbreaking, but that's true of television (and video media) in general. The number of groundbreaking shows that get made every year is pretty close to zero. That's true even at places known for making groundbreaking shows, like HBO.

empath75 9y ago

yeah I guess a Korean movie about a girl and her genetically engineered super pig is retrodding well worn ground.

giobox 9y ago
In fairness, Okja was similar to the kind of fable style tale with a near-future/modern/technology angle that Black Mirror had done for some time before (the first two seasons of Black Mirror were not Netflix productions). Almost everyone I know who watched it comments on this.
- Godel_unicode 9y ago
  There are really only two stories: a stranger comes to town, and a man goes on a journey. -Tolstoy
tootie 9y ago
Did Netflix produce Okja? I think they just bought the rights.
- DanBC 9y ago
  Netflix isn't listed as a production company for Okja. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3967856/companycredits?ref_=ttfc_ql_4 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3967856/companycredits?ref_=ttfc... They are for Bright. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5519340/companycredits?ref_=ttfc_ql_4 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5519340/companycredits?ref_=ttfc...

Feniks 9y ago

Netflix has to come up with hit shows that set them apart from the other VOD services. Especially now since they can't easily buy streaming rights to already existing shows.

pizza 9y ago
Worked pretty well for them in the past - originals like House of Cards, Master of None, Orange is the New Black, Narcos, Stranger Things, Bojack, Black Mirror, etc were vastly popular and certainly drew in more users
- megablast 9y ago
  > Black Mirror That wasn't original, it was taken from Channel 4. The rest still stand though.
  - Godel_unicode 9y ago
    House of cards was a BBC show in the 90s. All of this has happened before, and will happen again. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Cards_(UK_TV_series) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Cards_(UK_TV_series...

surrealize 9y ago

I thought Bojack Horseman was pretty original.

Noos 9y ago
It's the same junk cartoon network has been peddling for years. Netflix has been spamming geek series nonstop, and it's all been crap. All of it. It's just popular crap at the moment, and they were lucky to catch the wave at the earliest rise. Iron Fist and Inhumans were what happens when they ride it too long.

InclinedPlane 9y ago

> "Netflix takes things people already like and doubles down on them, and that's the whole business model." There's a name for this, it's called "television". Netflix makes television, and they do a good job of it. They're getting better at it too despite having only started doing it for a few years. Compared to the quality standards of the '80s or '90s what netflix produces today is near solid gold. Some of it truly is great, most of it is merely good. Little of it is truly groundbreaking, but that's true of television (and video media) in general. The number of groundbreaking shows that get made every year is pretty close to zero. That's true even at places known for making groundbreaking shows, like HBO.