So many pieces here. First, why do we need another HBO streaming service? To me, this is like having a MacBook and a MacBook Air. Confusing branding for the customer.
And consider the name HBO Max. WarnerMedia owns HBO which owns Cinemax and Cinemax is frequently shortened to Max in branding and on cable. Is this completely coincidental? I have yet to see mention of Cinemax in the marketing materials.
And the biggest piece? The new service will poach Friends from Netflix. Yet another monthly tentpole service. Want Friends? That’s going to cost you another $10 a month.
Other tentpole services include Star Trek shows from CBS Online, Star Wars/Pixar from Disney+, and The Office from NBC’s coming streaming service. Waiting for a new Seinfeld service to emerge. Not kidding.
Just merge HBO with HBO Max.
All of this snowballing service fatigue, coupled with screen time and eye strain, is about to have a major #spf50 backlash (and I couldn’t be happier)
Yes, Seinfeld does deserve its own service.
“why do we need another HBO streaming service?” Indeed.
Give it another 5 or so years and most of these will be gone. VERY few people are going to sub for a service because of one show and if they do it will be for that show’s season (or to binge it). I love Star Trek but haven’t bothered with the CBS service and if I did, I’d only sub to binge the existing shows and maybe, if I liked those, a month or so a year to catch up.
The streaming services that survive will have content that a bunch of different audiences want over time. AS for completed series like The Office, I really wonder how high the demand is (at some point The Office will seem quaint and something the older generation did or you’ll have seen it all). If someone really does love a series enough to rewatch it a lot over the years… buy the series.