Hosted by Jason Snell.
Jason Snell and a rotating group of experts break down the present and future of television.
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Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment!Latest Episodes
#45: I Wasn't Surprised
June 1st, 2023 · 52 minutes
The Max launch and prioritizing tech stacks; Netflix's ad viewers and the future of ad-free streaming; and in Sports Corner the regional sports network collapse has begun. Also, we announce our own plus--Downstream+!
#44: Max Headroom Made a Fortune
May 19th, 2023 · 72 minutes
Julia's back at last, so we blast through discussing HBO Max becoming Max, Hulu going inside the Disney+ app, the WGA's "streaming strike", the NFL's Peacock playoff game, and ESPN plotting its inevitable over-the-top service.
#43: The Two-Episode Test
May 2nd, 2023 · 46 minutes
Jason's former co-host from another TV podcast, Tim Goodman, drops by to discuss his decision to be a TV writer at the very end of the Peak TV era, the challenges of TV criticism, and his return to writing about TV on his own terms via Substack.
#42: The Sitcom-Industrial Complex
April 18th, 2023 · 55 minutes
Sitcoms are one of the most popular genres of television, yet streaming services tend to do better repurposing someone else's catalog rather than creating their own. What's behind this trend, and what will the future hold?
#41: I've Never Heard of This Movie
April 3rd, 2023 · 62 minutes
Marvel hits the brakes, Apple embraces theatrical releases, Netflix can make anything a hit, two combat sports combine forces, and Major League Baseball keeps fans confused about when you're allowed to watch a ballgame.
#40: The Reckoning
March 21st, 2023 · 65 minutes
HBO has another hit, Jason Kilar has some advice for Bob Iger about the future of Hulu, and Sports Corner returns to discuss the ongoing saga of regional sports networks bankruptcies and the future of streaming sports.
#39: Renancelled
March 7th, 2023 · 69 minutes
Jason returns from New Zealand as a better wizard, just in time for Zaz to announce new "Lord of the Rings" films. Has it been done, or can you not keep a good Hobbit down? Also, Netflix explores lower prices, and there's Sports Corner, too.
#38: Aggressively Fine
February 21st, 2023 · 60 minutes
Susan Wojcicki steps down as YouTube CEO, what will her legacy be? Ant-Man performs well at the box office, but do reviews indicate 'Marvel Fatigue'? And guest-host Myke Hurley quizzes Julia on why he has to wait for shows to premiere in the UK.
#37: ESPN Minus
February 9th, 2023 · 72 minutes
Disney's first financial results of the Iger II era make us consider the future of Hulu and ESPN. Discovery+ pulls a fast one, Showtime can't dodge its fate, Peacock looks surprisingly robust, and Netflix's password crackdown is stuff you already knew!
#36: Commercial Inception
January 25th, 2023 · 61 minutes
Netflix shows Disney how CEO transitions happen, as Reed Hastings is elevated to chairmanship and Greg Peters becomes co-CEO. Julia has analysis of Netflix's earnings report, we discuss streaming Oscar nominees, and we answer your amazing letters!