3 ms·

I had hoped Netflix would usher in another golden age of film: throwing small budgets at innovative content creators (like Binging with Babish), up-and-coming a

I had hoped Netflix would usher in another golden age of film: throwing small budgets at innovative content creators (like Binging with Babish), up-and-coming auteurs (think like early 80s David Lynch). That didn’t happen. The data driven approach regresses content to the mean and I worry stifles creativity. Netflix doesn’t seem to get that I’m not going to invest my time in a show that likely won’t get a second season, and if it doe almost certainly never a third. I find it mildly heartbreaking when I get invested in characters just enough and then I never get to see their archs finished. I’m still so sad they canceled The OA.

wutbrodo 7y ago
> Netflix doesn’t seem to get that I’m not going to invest my time in a show that likely won’t get a second season, and if it doe almost certainly never a third. Do you think that they don't get this, or that it's not true for most of their audience and thus not relevant? Ie, they don't need to cater to your specific individual preference unless it's shared relatively widely, and I'm not convinced that it is. A lot of people just watch TV to have something "good enough" on while they vegetate. Netflix has always fit that niche a lot more than it's fit the "deep connection with prestige show" niche.
- bryanrasmussen 7y ago
  Ok well I went through a period of intense depression a while back and then I guess I wanted things to vegetate in front of, but normally if I have had a hard day at work I want something that I can still think about and something that won't be renewed seems like something that thinking about isn't worth the time.
dorfsmay 7y ago
I'm the opposit. What can be so detailed that it needs more than a 90 mins film? Some super complicated thing where every detail count and that lasted several decades in real life? Ok, make it one season, and let say 5 or 6 episodes max. What in the world could be so intersting that it needs to be several season? By the time you're done you could have done a PhD and know absolutely everything about a particular subject!
- usrusr 7y ago
  The problem is not shows designed for, say, six episodes only being six episodes long, that's perfectly fine, just like 90 minutes is perfectly fine. The "limited series" format is a very good match for flatrate streaming and there are lots of very good examples, mostly from the UK. The problem is shows designed for >30 episodes being cut short. Do that too often and you'll see massive reluctance to start watching any new show that isn't a limited series. When was the last time you considered using the Google chat system du jour?
- basch 7y ago
  Fargo is a perfect example. Lots of interconnected chaos, that lasts one season. Then a new story, with new characters in the same universe. I look forward to more creative storytelling that is both familiar and fresh (fresh in that each season has some tonal shifts despite commonalities.) It's also not a documentary, despite saying it is, so Im not "learning." That said, something like the history of the Ottoman Empire probably takes more than 5 episodes to cover.
robryan 7y ago
I liked the OA but it doesn’t surprise me at all that they had a hard time finding a large enough audience. While not strictly a Netflix show (international distribution only I think) it is unfortunate that Travelers got canceled which I think should have been able to find a decent sized audience.

wutbrodo 7y ago

> Netflix doesn’t seem to get that I’m not going to invest my time in a show that likely won’t get a second season, and if it doe almost certainly never a third. Do you think that they don't get this, or that it's not true for most of their audience and thus not relevant? Ie, they don't need to cater to your specific individual preference unless it's shared relatively widely, and I'm not convinced that it is. A lot of people just watch TV to have something "good enough" on while they vegetate. Netflix has always fit that niche a lot more than it's fit the "deep connection with prestige show" niche.

bryanrasmussen 7y ago
Ok well I went through a period of intense depression a while back and then I guess I wanted things to vegetate in front of, but normally if I have had a hard day at work I want something that I can still think about and something that won't be renewed seems like something that thinking about isn't worth the time.

dorfsmay 7y ago

I'm the opposit. What can be so detailed that it needs more than a 90 mins film? Some super complicated thing where every detail count and that lasted several decades in real life? Ok, make it one season, and let say 5 or 6 episodes max. What in the world could be so intersting that it needs to be several season? By the time you're done you could have done a PhD and know absolutely everything about a particular subject!

usrusr 7y ago
The problem is not shows designed for, say, six episodes only being six episodes long, that's perfectly fine, just like 90 minutes is perfectly fine. The "limited series" format is a very good match for flatrate streaming and there are lots of very good examples, mostly from the UK. The problem is shows designed for >30 episodes being cut short. Do that too often and you'll see massive reluctance to start watching any new show that isn't a limited series. When was the last time you considered using the Google chat system du jour?
basch 7y ago
Fargo is a perfect example. Lots of interconnected chaos, that lasts one season. Then a new story, with new characters in the same universe. I look forward to more creative storytelling that is both familiar and fresh (fresh in that each season has some tonal shifts despite commonalities.) It's also not a documentary, despite saying it is, so Im not "learning." That said, something like the history of the Ottoman Empire probably takes more than 5 episodes to cover.

robryan 7y ago

I liked the OA but it doesn’t surprise me at all that they had a hard time finding a large enough audience. While not strictly a Netflix show (international distribution only I think) it is unfortunate that Travelers got canceled which I think should have been able to find a decent sized audience.