There is no denying that theaters are losing their charm thanks to streaming platforms like Netflix. People now would much rather prefer paying a monthly fee and enjoying more content than ever before in the comfort of their own homes. Now, it takes films like Barbie and Oppenheimer to drive people to theater halls and experience cinema first-hand.
As if this was not enough, director and producer Judd Apatow recently gave his two cents on the state of television today and how shows are just getting recycled over and over again thanks to licensing pacts between streaming platforms. Judd Apatow expressed his worries that if things keep going on like this, it might lead to fewer new shows and television becoming more of a business than art.
Judd Apatow is Worried About Netflix’s Model
Many people prefer doing re-runs of their favorite television series, whether it is The Office or Brooklyn Nine-Nine, as it gives them a sense of comfort. Why spend time familiarizing yourself with new characters and storylines when your comfort show is right there, correct? However, Trainwreck director Judd Apatow faces a bit of a dilemma when it comes to comfort watches.
In an interview with Vulture, Apatow admitted that while he loves his re-runs, he is worried that it’ll drive streaming platforms into constantly recycling some shows and simply buying others from other platforms. Giving the example of Netflix and HBO, two giants in the industry, Apatow stated,
“I’m of two minds. There’s a part of me that’s an audience member: I’ll go back and rewatch Deadwood or NYPD Blue or any of the David Milch shows. I understand why people like the comfort food of television. But it’s a scary thing as a creator of television, because of all the streamers going, ‘Wait a second. We don’t need to spend $200 million on a new show. We can just bring back Barnaby Jones.’…
…They’re going to do it, then you’ll get fewer new shows. They realize, ‘Oh wait, Netflix can just buy shows from HBO’, and I would assume they’re cheaper than making new ones. Then at some point, Netflix will sell its shows to HBO, and it’ll just be passing around all the episodes of Ballers for the rest of our lives.”
Apatow’s worries are not baseless. Just last year, Warner Bros. Discovery licensed some of its shows to Netflix, including the HBO original, Insecure. Other shows followed suit including, Six Feet Under, True Blood, The Pacific, and more. Netflix also licensed another deal with WBD which will allow fan-favorite show, Sex and the City, to come to the streaming platform in all its glory. The show will be available on Netflix in April this year. It looks like Apatow’s fears are slowly turning into a reality.
Judd Apatow Believes the Industry Needs to Take More Risks
It’s a common practice in the entertainment industry that when a formula works, you keep milking it until the audience gets absolutely tired. And repeat. Giving the example of The Hangover, Apatow rightly stated that when the comedy masterpiece became a hit, the industry scrambled to somehow produce more films using the same formula. The Bridesmaids producer denounced this practice by stating,
“If a movie like The Hangover came out and it was a big hit, suddenly everyone would want five more of those…There’s a hit and then they just go, ‘Oh, people like that. Make more like that.’ The thinking is not deeper than that. They will just chase anything that does well, because people generally are averse to risk taking.”
He then talked about how Oppenheimer took a bold risk by telling the story of the father of the atomic bomb and how the risk ended up working in their favor. In Apatow’s opinion, studios need to take such risks with comedies as well and not just follow an already paved path.
“Oppenheimer is going to make almost $1 billion. Is anyone talking about the inventor of the atom bomb in their lives? We don’t, but the people have to take big risks, and then you realize, No, people want to be challenged. They want smart movies. They want original cinematic experiences. You do need a comedy equivalent of that. You need people to say, ‘This is a need that is not satisfied just by sitting home alone, watching a streamer comedy.’ There’s a place for that, surely, but what’s more fun than being in the theater, watching one of the great comedies?”
He couldn’t be more correct. The film industry needs to do better when it comes to the comedy genre. Something so groundbreaking that viewers will want to come out of their homes and enjoy it in theaters surrounded by like-minded individuals. We hope the time comes soon!
