Last week Netflix released a huge data dump detailing the viewership of all its programming for the first six months of 2023. The streaming giant is calling it a victory for transparency. While it’s a long way from the granular detail the industry has long sought, it does reveal that almost nobody watches 25% of the 18,000 on the serverice. We discuss other findings the metrics reveal and why Netflix is suddenly so open about releasing data.
Meanwhile, the guilds have started to weigh in with their picks for the top films of this year and providing us with a list of documentaries you should catch up on.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including why Mayim Bialik is out as host of “Jeapordy,” the 25 films added to this year’s National Film Registry and the (legal and professional) verdict on actor Jonathan Majors.
Me, The Manhattan Transfer, and My Broken Hip
https://kareem.substack.com/p/me-the-manhattan-transfer-and-my
‘Wonka’ Sweetens Pot To $150M+ Global Amid Expanded Rollout
https://deadline.com/2023/12/wonka-international-box-office-timothee-chalamet-songbirds-and-snakes-1235670777/
Timothee Chalamet’s ‘Wonka’ Charms With $39M U.S. Debut, Dances to $151.4M Globally
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/timothee-chalamet-wonka-box-office-previews-1235757669/
See You in 2025? Box Office May Take $2B Hit Next Year Amid Delays
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/box-office-forecast-2024-2025-movies-1235757052/
Mayim Bialik Will No Longer Host ‘Jeopardy!’ Show
https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2023/12/16/jeopardy-host-mayim-bialik/
‘Lord of the Rings’: Amazon and Tolkien Estate Win Copyright Lawsuit Over TV Show, Copycat Book
https://variety.com/2023/tv/global/lord-of-the-rings-amazon-tolkien-estate-copyright-lawsuit-1235843726/
What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report
https://about.netflix.com/en/news/what-we-watched-a-netflix-engagement-report
Netflix’s Big Data Dump Shows Just OK TV Is Here to Stay
https://www.wired.com/story/netflix-viewership-data-foretells-bland-streaming-future/
Streaming Giants Weigh Costs of Big Licensed TV and Movie Libraries
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/netflix-amazon-prime-libraries-1235757142/
Michael Blakemore, a Single-Season Double Tony Winner for Directing, Dies at 95
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/13/theater/michael-blakemore-dead.
