Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Netflix Gets Into The Original Content Game, Buys Upcoming Show For $100m

techcrunch.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 51 posts

Re: Netflix Gets Into The Original Content Game, Buys Upcoming Show For $100m

#31

Post by georgekv »

smokinn wrote: post #15
tomrod wrote: post #6

If anyone at Netflix is listening: BUY FIREFLY AND MAKE NEW EPISODES. I would gladly play an extra $4 a month (or more) on top of streaming just for access to new weekly/biweekly episodes of that.

That's probably an expansion path being considered. There are plenty of series that have had big cult success after their cancellation. Firefly is one of them but there's also Arrested Development and, more recently, Better Off Ted for example. Letting others take the risk and capitalizing after proven market viability (basically picking up half of what Fox cancels) could be interesting.

Stargate Universe & The Sarah Connor Chronicles come to mind for me. Both went under just as they were hitting their stride IMO.

Re: Netflix Gets Into The Original Content Game, Buys Upcoming Show For $100m

#32

Post by tomrod »

georgekv wrote: post #31
smokinn wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's probably an expansion path being considered. There are plenty of series that have had big cult success after their cancellation. Firefly is one of them but there's also Arrested Development and, more recently, Better Off Ted for example. Letting others take the risk and capitalizing after proven market viability (basically picking up half of what Fox cancels) could be interesting.

Stargate Universe & The Sarah Connor Chronicles come to mind for me. Both went under just as they were hitting their stride IMO.

I guess grad school really is a bubble. I had no idea they canceled SG:U. What's this Sarah Conner Chronicles I'm hearing about?

Re: Netflix Gets Into The Original Content Game, Buys Upcoming Show For $100m

#33

Post by tomrod »

robryan wrote: post #23
tomrod wrote: post #6

If anyone at Netflix is listening: BUY FIREFLY AND MAKE NEW EPISODES. I would gladly play an extra $4 a month (or more) on top of streaming just for access to new weekly/biweekly episodes of that.

While there at it buy Stargate Universe, say what you want about the show but some of the recent eps have been excellent, after the viewers have abandoned it due to some of the first season pacing. Add to that SyFy really losing favor with scifi fans and the move to digital as most of the core audience would be internet savvy.

I agree, Netflix should just buy SyFy from NBC and revamp it. But where would they show movies akin to Sharktopus?

Re: Netflix Gets Into The Original Content Game, Buys Upcoming Show For $100m

#34

Post by ojbyrne »

alexqgb wrote: post #13
ojbyrne wrote: post #4

I just don't see that working. It's a classic British show dominated by one impressive and charismatic actor and just won't translate to american audiences (it's all talking, no action, everything is implied rather than pushed in your face). "Edge of Darkness" which was a huge Mel Gibson bomb seems like the closest analog. I highly recommend the original BBC show.

By the same token, there's NO WAY a movie about nerds taking depositions for two hours would EVER go anywhere. Ever. ("Humm," says the studio, "is it shot in 3D?" "No, it's shot in brown.")

As a matter of fact, I thought of that movie as I was writing the comment. I could have added "however The Social Network might be the exception that proves the rule."

Re: Netflix Gets Into The Original Content Game, Buys Upcoming Show For $100m

#35

Post by bmelton »

chc wrote: post #14
tomrod wrote: post #6

If anyone at Netflix is listening: BUY FIREFLY AND MAKE NEW EPISODES. I would gladly play an extra $4 a month (or more) on top of streaming just for access to new weekly/biweekly episodes of that.

It would be brilliant, but it isn't realistic at the moment. I don't think anyone would want to watch Firefly without Mal and Jayne, and those actors are both under contract (to Castle and Chuck, respectively).

I've said before, and I'll say again -- those cast members are crucial to what we think of as Firefly, but in reality, it was Joss Whedon who put it all together.

I can't imagine how great it would be to get the original cast and crew back together to continue work on Firefly, but in reality, anything that Joss Whedon considers good enough is likely good enough for me, whether or not it's a spin-off, new series or what have you.

Re: Netflix Gets Into The Original Content Game, Buys Upcoming Show For $100m

#36

Post by bmelton »

This makes sense.

I remember a few years ago Mark Cuban had posted his idea for the 'new' content delivery model -- where he was going to produce original content and own the entire delivery chain from filming to DVD to rentals to theater distribution. His idea was that, in the age of 70+ inch televisions and the advent of the home theater system, many people don't get much bang for the buck in going to crowded, noisy theaters when they get an equal or better experience at home.

In support of that, he was going to film movies that one could, for example, watch at home (for an increased rental fee) on the same day it was being released in theaters.

I was just talking with my wife the other day that this idea has apparently fizzled out, as I haven't heard much about it since then, and that's a damn shame. Hopefully this gets us closer to that objective.

Re: Netflix Gets Into The Original Content Game, Buys Upcoming Show For $100m

#37

Post by asolove »

smokinn wrote: post #15
tomrod wrote: post #6

If anyone at Netflix is listening: BUY FIREFLY AND MAKE NEW EPISODES. I would gladly play an extra $4 a month (or more) on top of streaming just for access to new weekly/biweekly episodes of that.

That's probably an expansion path being considered. There are plenty of series that have had big cult success after their cancellation. Firefly is one of them but there's also Arrested Development and, more recently, Better Off Ted for example. Letting others take the risk and capitalizing after proven market viability (basically picking up half of what Fox cancels) could be interesting.

Clone High!

Re: Netflix Gets Into The Original Content Game, Buys Upcoming Show For $100m

#38

Post by farmer_ted »

bmelton wrote: post #35
chc wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would be brilliant, but it isn't realistic at the moment. I don't think anyone would want to watch Firefly without Mal and Jayne, and those actors are both under contract (to Castle and Chuck, respectively).

I've said before, and I'll say again -- those cast members are crucial to what we think of as Firefly, but in reality, it was Joss Whedon who put it all together. I can't imagine how great it would be to get the original cast and crew back together to continue work on Firefly, but in reality, anything that Joss Whedon considers good enough is likely good enough for me, whether or not it's a spin-off, new series or wh…

I assert that Firefly without Fillion or Baldwin would be a travesty of entertainment and not worth the attempt.

I'd buy two subscriptions to Netflix if it carried a new season of Firefly. Now I'm sad that Wash and Book are gone. Crap.

Re: Netflix Gets Into The Original Content Game, Buys Upcoming Show For $100m

#39

Post by bmelton »

farmer_ted wrote: post #38
bmelton wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've said before, and I'll say again -- those cast members are crucial to what we think of as Firefly, but in reality, it was Joss Whedon who put it all together. I can't imagine how great it would be to get the original cast and crew back together to continue work on Firefly, but in reality, anything that Joss Whedon considers good enough is likely good enough for me, whether or not it's a spin-off, new series or wh…

I assert that Firefly without Fillion or Baldwin would be a travesty of entertainment and not worth the attempt. I'd buy two subscriptions to Netflix if it carried a new season of Firefly. Now I'm sad that Wash and Book are gone. Crap.

I respectfully disagree. This isn't to say that I don't fully appreciate the brilliance exhibited by both of those actors (especially seeing how mediocre Baldwin is in almost everything else I've seen) in those roles, but Joss Whedon does two things really well -- write compelling dialog, and make exceptionally good cast choices.

I do consider Firefly to be Whedon's magnum opus, but you can keep the concept without those two actors, or without any of the original cast really, but there's nobody you could cut that wouldn't be sorely missed. The real question is whether or not it's still 'Firefly' or a spinoff. And, my take on that is to accept whatever Joss Whedon says. If he calls it Firefly, so will I.

Re: Netflix Gets Into The Original Content Game, Buys Upcoming Show For $100m

#40

Post by farmer_ted »

georgekv wrote: post #31
smokinn wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's probably an expansion path being considered. There are plenty of series that have had big cult success after their cancellation. Firefly is one of them but there's also Arrested Development and, more recently, Better Off Ted for example. Letting others take the risk and capitalizing after proven market viability (basically picking up half of what Fox cancels) could be interesting.

Stargate Universe & The Sarah Connor Chronicles come to mind for me. Both went under just as they were hitting their stride IMO.

Yeah, the last few episodes of Sarah Connor Chronicles were really exciting. The last episode is a twister, and you really want to know what happens next in the story.

Disclosure: I never saw Terminator 4, so my knowledge of the series is not complete. I'm told that I'm one of the lucky ones, though. :-)

Post reply on HN