Streaming Services: Power Rankings Summer 2023, and What's Up With Paramount+

[Parmandur]

Seems like a lot of money to spend to get an edge in the book market...

An insurmountable edge, mind. And that's the point.

 

[Parmandur]

A lot of the show's problems aren't necessarily ones that require money to solve.

Put the cameras in different spots.

Replace the idiot nephews on the staff with someone better at their job at the same salary.

Don't iron and wash everyone's costumes and looking like they just came off the rack at Fantasy Old Navy.

The show shouldn't look worse and have clunkier scripts than Xena did 25 years ago. It can still run lean and mean and probably should.

Now, I disliked the Wheel of Time show, like a lot, even moreso right now as I am finishing up The Gathering Storm and seeing how absurd a live action adaptation of this series ever was as a proposition.

But I could see all the money that they spent on the screen: the sets, the costumes, the SFX...they were big and expensive, even if the overall effect was underwhelming and the script malformed. But even the script was clearly ghe fruit if a lot of work, and writers gotta eat. So it makes sense to me that it cost so much, even if it was ill-conceived and landed flat.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Now, I disliked the Wheel of Time show, like a lot, even moreso right now as I am finishing up The Gathering Storm and seeing how absurd a live action adaptation of this series ever was as a proposition.

But I could see all the money that they spent on the screen: the sets, the costumes, the SFX...they were big and expensive, even if the overall effect was underwhelming and the script malformed. But even the script was clearly ghe fruit if a lot of work, and writers gotta eat. So it makes sense to me that it cost so much, even if it was ill-conceived and landed flat.

I think there is a big difference between spending money wisely and setting piles of money on fire.

No one would ever rave about the special effects, costumes or locations in either the X-Files or Supernatural, for instance, where all the monsters in the world ran around what appears to be Vancouver, especially Vancouver with some very unusual motel room layouts. And they weren't paying Kurt Vonnegut or Stephen King to write for them. But they consistently turned out better scripts, shot better and more effectively than Wheel of Time did.

I don't think anyone at Amazon would be upset about shows being expensive if they got good value for their money. But amateurishly shooting poorly written scripts featuring costumes that one could seriously see that someone had ironed seams onto (what sort of nomad is ironing their clothes?!) is not a good use of Amazon's money.

They could cut expenses in half and still produce a much better show by spending the money more wisely. Honestly, I think most of their budget went up someone's nose.

 

[Parmandur]

I think there is a big difference between spending money wisely and setting piles of money on fire.

No one would ever rave about the special effects, costumes or locations in either the X-Files or Supernatural, for instance, where all the monsters in the world ran around what appears to be Vancouver, especially Vancouver with some very unusual motel room layouts. And they weren't paying Kurt Vonnegut or Stephen King to write for them. But they consistently turned out better scripts, shot better and more effectively than Wheel of Time did.

I don't think anyone at Amazon would be upset about shows being expensive if they got good value for their money. But amateurishly shooting poorly written scripts featuring costumes that one could seriously see that someone had ironed seams onto (what sort of nomad is ironing their clothes?!) is not a good use of Amazon's money.

They could cut expenses in half and still produce a much better show by spending the money more wisely. Honestly, I think most of their budget went up someone's nose.

Oh, yeah, I agree that Wheel of Time is a solid example of big budget not equaling quality, juat as, say, Stargate SG-1 to me would be an example of low budget not equaling a lack of quality.

But the monetary value was there, just not at coherent service of a story.

 

[payn]

An insurmountable edge, mind. And that's the point.

If buying every cow in Texas for a 50 acre range seems reasonable.

 

[Parmandur]

If buying every cow in Texas for a 50 acre range seems reasonable.

Not a great analogy. The book industry is about the same size as streaming TV by dollar value (~$78 billion for books, ~$80 billion for streaming), and Amazon is the global king in books and number two in streaming. Using one to reinforce the other is smart, and keeping Middle Earth off I'd Max and Netflix may have been worth the cost alone.

 

[payn]

Not a great analogy. The book industry is about the same size as streaming TV by dollar value (~$78 billion for books, ~$80 billion for streaming), and Amazon is the global king in books and number two in streaming. Using one to reinforce the other is smart, and keeping Middle Earth off I'd Max and Netflix may have been worth the cost alone.

Yeah.....ok....

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah.....ok....

I wouldn't want to start a nee competitor in the book space. even in the TV streaming space, none of the established players have been able to natch up to even Amazon (forget abour Netflix), and if they haven't by now I doubt even Disney will catch up.

 

[Zardnaar]

No big surprise if ones been paying attention.

Disney pulling back on making Marvel, Star Wars content, Iger says

Disney CEO Bob Iger said Thursday on CNBC that the company will cut back on its content creation for major franchises Marvel and Star Wars.

www.cnbc.com

 

[TheSword]

I was trying to work out why Witcher landed so much better than Wheel of Time cinematically. Both big budgets, talented actors etc. I don’t think it comes down to ironed clothing. That seems a trivial reason not to like something. Particularly hard when I so wanted to love the show.

The main reason I can think of is how The Witcher indulgently revels in every moment of the books. slowly exploring characters and themes adding details and expanding the world as it seems appropriate.

Whereas Wheel of Time feels like it’s rushing to get where it’s going. Trying to get through the books as quickly as possible. It’s not a surprise for me that my favorite episode in the series was largely about something not detailed in the books (the stilling of Logain).

I’m hoping that with Season 2 and that headlong run out of the way the series can slow down and try and enjoy things some more.