TV’s Streaming Model Is Broken. It’s Also Not Going Away.

The latest in pop-culture news, recaps, and reviews, plus close reads, profiles, interviews, and more from Vulture.com. [Brand Logo]( the industry [The Binge Purge]( TV’s streaming model is broken. It’s also not going away. For Hollywood, figuring that out will be a horror show. Illustration: by Jess Ebsworth It’s been a little more than a year since the Great Netflix Freak-out, when the streaming pioneer’s first-ever loss of subscribers and ensuing stock drop sparked overdramatic proclamations that TV as we’d come to know it was finished. In that time, it’s become clear that the business model dominating modern Hollywood is deeply broken but also that it probably isn’t going anywhere — at least not yet. Across the town, there’s despair and creative destruction and all sorts of countervailing indicators. Certain shows that were enthusiastically green-lit two years ago probably wouldn’t be made now. Yet there are still streamers burning mountains of cash to entertain audiences that already have too much to watch. Netflix has tightened the screws and recovered somewhat, but the inarguable consensus is that there is still a great deal of pain to come as the industry cuts back, consolidates, and fumbles toward a more functional economic framework. The high-stakes Writers Guild of America strike has focused attention on Hollywood’s labor unrest, but the really systemic issue is streaming’s busted math. There may be no problem more foundational than the way the system monetizes its biggest hits: It doesn’t. [read more]( Devour pop culture with us. [Subscribe now]( for unlimited access to Vulture and everything New York. The Latest TV Recaps • The Real Housewives of Atlanta: [The Door Is Closed]( • Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard: [From Jamaica to Germany]( • Below Deck Sailing Yacht: [Colin and Daisy Sitting in a Tree]( • Cruel Summer: [What Did Megan Do Last Summer?]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Stories We Think You’ll Like [Who’s Winning the Streaming Wars Now? Our panel of insiders get honest about which services are coming out on top, and which need to be “burnt to the ground.”]( [‘You’re Batting With Meme Steroids’ The creators behind four popular I Think You Should Leave meme accounts swap three seasons’ worth of stories.]( [Astrud Gilberto, Bossa Nova Icon, Dead at 83 Her version of “The Girl From Ipanema” brought the Brazilian music to the masses.]( By Justin Curto [The Best Podcasts of 2023 (So Far) If the rest of the year keeps up at this pace, podcasting will be in a good creative place.]( By Nicholas Quah [Natasha Lyonne and Ayo Edebiri Freestyled a Larry David Marvel-Movie Concept Let’s curb Kevin Feige’s enthusiasm.]( By Jason P. Frank [Cuba Gooding Jr. Settles Civil Rape Case The actor settled moments before jury selection.]( By Victoria Bekiempis [Nicki Minaj Does Something for the Barbz Announcing an upcoming album, out October 20.]( By Zoe Guy [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Today’s Crossword]( 19-Down, Four Letters: “___ It Away” (Chloe Bailey song). Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Getty Images [Into It With Sam Sanders]( Photo: Courtesy of Disney The CGI in [The Little Mermaid]( was criticized for having an uncanny and soulless look. [Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania]( was called out for lackluster visual effects. So much of what we see onscreen relies on computer-generated imagery, and it costs a lot of money to make. So why does it often look so bad? [On this episode of Into It](, Chris Lee explains there is [a long list of reasons](: a lack of qualified workers, directors with limited visual-effects experience, and studios such as Marvel overworking and underpaying. “It’s an unsustainable business model,” he tells Sam, “and I’m told over and over again by not knowing what they want, and by overworking these employees, it’s basically a race to the bottom. The films decline in quality, and the fans revolt.” [Read more from Vulture]( A newsletter of TV and movie recommendations. [Sign up]( to get it every week. [Get the Newsletter]( [logo]( [facebook logo]( [instagram logo]( [twitter logo]( [unsubscribe]( | [privacy notice]( | [update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up now]( to get this newsletter in your inbox. [View this email in your browser.]( You received this email because you have a subscription to New York. Reach the right online audience with us For advertising information on email newsletters, please contact AdOps@nymag.com Vox Media, LLC 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, 12th Floor Washington, DC 20036 Copyright © 2023, All rights reserved