Cancelations like this are why I have, one by one, canceled every steaming service I had. Every new show, regardless of whether or not it is good or well loved, is guaranteed to be canceled if it doesn't somehow become wildly successful and a cultural staple (like Game of Thrones before it went downhill) and bring in near infinite money and new money making opportunities... so why bother watching it?
This stupid pattern of refusing to followup with any additional investment if it doesn't instantly go gangbusters is exhausting and betraying fans across markets. The executives attribute no value to long-term reputation anymore - it's just a resource to be spent making a quick buck. Great brand, product, or IP with loyal customers? Buy it. Three choices - 1. Cut every imaginable cost, milk the brand dry, maybe load it with debts and go bankrupt if it doesn't last very long, rinse and repeat. 2. Invest a shitload of money in it to manufacture a worldwide success (but don't actually invest energy making sure it is in good hands), rush it with even more money, then when it fails to meet expectations you shove it in the closet to try again next decade when fans forget how much you fucked up the last one... or maybe sell it to someone else if you've fucked it up too many times. 3. Find a way to slowly trap customers with false promises and low prices and slowly ruin it until it is a thoroughly enshittified but profitable mess and milk it dry.
Thing is, when you have no pride for your work and only care for money, this strategy makes sense. People don't even boycott companies for serious evil acts, they aren't going to cancel a subscription because they lost one show, and TV shows are consumables: there's always a new one to watch, so people just pivot to that. Keep doing that until you get your blockbuster and you can claim your executive bonus.
I only had a prime subscription last year because my elderly mother used it constantly for both streaming and shipping and I could help her out financially by "sharing" my subscription with her.
I was too troubled by Amazon's behavior in general to even be willing pay for my mothers subscription so that's gone too.
It's insane to me that the older generations can be aware of Amazon's behavior, be appalled by it, but still justify buying everything from them because of the convenience. I guess that's why they aren't changing.
However, it was canceled so while the show may not have any dangling cliffhangers there was a chance that it would continue so I still say fuck Amazon. I'd say that anyway, for a multitude of other reasons, but the show having no cliffhanger doesn't absolve Amazon from bring greedy pricks about it.
It seems some writers have caught on that a second season is not always a given (even if its in the contracts, looking at you Netflix and Inside-Job). So writers are adapting to the landscape and making sure there are fewer loose ends (Amazon and Good Omens being another example).
I'm bothered by shows that don't get wrapped up because they were canceled, so I do the same. If it ends up being finished and reviewed well enough, I'll borrow it from the library or otherwise acquire it later. I'd be happy to pay for it but I don't want to reward this bullshit or give horrible companies any more money.
It's really frustrating because there truly is no ethical consumption under capitalism but I do want to reward good entertainment and the people who do good work on it.
I wish they went with the old ratings model. Now the model just seems to be have always have a show that will have new episodes... someday. So they make a handful of episodes every few years, just enough to make people feel like they should stay subscribed.
With the old model where they wanted people to see as many ads as possible they'd make 26 episodes running from fall to spring. Some re-runs in the summer then new episodes in the fall.
I watched a few at someone else's place and it didn't get much better. It felt like the whole show existed just to get Nic Cage using a 1920s detective accent. To be fair, that was pretty funny, but it's also supremely distracting from the plot.
emmys aside the show was not that great. maybe it could have improved given another season but of all cancellings this isn't the one to get up in arms about.
In what way? I despise mystery box shows that jump from mystery to mystery saving a reveal for the final of the season as a gimmick to trick you into watching.
37 Comments
theparadox@lemmy.world · 110 pts · 5d
Cancelations like this are why I have, one by one, canceled every steaming service I had. Every new show, regardless of whether or not it is good or well loved, is guaranteed to be canceled if it doesn't somehow become wildly successful and a cultural staple (like Game of Thrones before it went downhill) and bring in near infinite money and new money making opportunities... so why bother watching it?
This stupid pattern of refusing to followup with any additional investment if it doesn't instantly go gangbusters is exhausting and betraying fans across markets. The executives attribute no value to long-term reputation anymore - it's just a resource to be spent making a quick buck. Great brand, product, or IP with loyal customers? Buy it. Three choices - 1. Cut every imaginable cost, milk the brand dry, maybe load it with debts and go bankrupt if it doesn't last very long, rinse and repeat. 2. Invest a shitload of money in it to manufacture a worldwide success (but don't actually invest energy making sure it is in good hands), rush it with even more money, then when it fails to meet expectations you shove it in the closet to try again next decade when fans forget how much you fucked up the last one... or maybe sell it to someone else if you've fucked it up too many times. 3. Find a way to slowly trap customers with false promises and low prices and slowly ruin it until it is a thoroughly enshittified but profitable mess and milk it dry.
Damage@feddit.it · 31 pts · 5d
Thing is, when you have no pride for your work and only care for money, this strategy makes sense. People don't even boycott companies for serious evil acts, they aren't going to cancel a subscription because they lost one show, and TV shows are consumables: there's always a new one to watch, so people just pivot to that. Keep doing that until you get your blockbuster and you can claim your executive bonus.
theparadox@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 4d
When it comes to shows, I guess I'm weird in that I'm particularly bothered by unfinished endings.
Damage@feddit.it · 4 pts · 4d
We all are, but for how many is it enough to cancel a subscription?
theparadox@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 4d
Enough for me, since I've canceled all of them.
I only had a prime subscription last year because my elderly mother used it constantly for both streaming and shipping and I could help her out financially by "sharing" my subscription with her.
I was too troubled by Amazon's behavior in general to even be willing pay for my mothers subscription so that's gone too.
It's insane to me that the older generations can be aware of Amazon's behavior, be appalled by it, but still justify buying everything from them because of the convenience. I guess that's why they aren't changing.
Damage@feddit.it · 3 pts · 4d
It's not just the older generations
LastYearsIrritant@sopuli.xyz · 24 pts · 4d
To be fair, Spider-Noir was basically a standalone story. They didn't leave any cliffhangers, or even tease anywhere for a season 2 to go.
The season basically ended with "and then they went on to have more adventures!"
theparadox@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 4d
I appreciate shows that can exist as they are.
However, it was canceled so while the show may not have any dangling cliffhangers there was a chance that it would continue so I still say fuck Amazon. I'd say that anyway, for a multitude of other reasons, but the show having no cliffhanger doesn't absolve Amazon from bring greedy pricks about it.
halcyoncmdr@piefed.social · 3 pts · 4d
Just because they wrote it in a way to make a Season 1 cancellation fine without lingering stories, that doesn't mean that was the intention.
If it was intended to be a single season mini series, it would have been pitched and greenlit that way in the first place.
Bahnd@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 4d
It seems some writers have caught on that a second season is not always a given (even if its in the contracts, looking at you Netflix and Inside-Job). So writers are adapting to the landscape and making sure there are fewer loose ends (Amazon and Good Omens being another example).
AmyAye@nord.pub · 9 pts · 4d
Yeah, it also feels.like they are still trying to apply old ratings models to shows. Like "Ae didn't get X million watchers day one so its a flop!!!!"
I have so many shows I ended up watching long after they were gone with streaming.
theparadox@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 4d
I'm bothered by shows that don't get wrapped up because they were canceled, so I do the same. If it ends up being finished and reviewed well enough, I'll borrow it from the library or otherwise acquire it later. I'd be happy to pay for it but I don't want to reward this bullshit or give horrible companies any more money.
It's really frustrating because there truly is no ethical consumption under capitalism but I do want to reward good entertainment and the people who do good work on it.
SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 4d
I wish they went with the old ratings model. Now the model just seems to be have always have a show that will have new episodes... someday. So they make a handful of episodes every few years, just enough to make people feel like they should stay subscribed.
With the old model where they wanted people to see as many ads as possible they'd make 26 episodes running from fall to spring. Some re-runs in the summer then new episodes in the fall.
DagwoodIII@piefed.social · 3 pts · 5d
They aren't in the content business, they are in the gambling business.
At best 'Spidey,' will double it's audience.
A new GOT will give them ten times as many watchers, and generate spin-offs.
theparadox@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 4d
That's all every large corporation ultimately seems interested in. Gambling.
DagwoodIII@piefed.social · 1 pts · 4d
There's gambling where you are paying the house to play, and there's gambling where the house is looking for new investments.
binarytobis@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 4d
Same. I was actually willing to pay for different streaming services making original content at first. One by one I swore them off forever.
tiramichu@sh.itjust.works · 25 pts · 4d
One season was enough. It doesn't need any more.
And that's a good thing.
Show runners need to stop designing shows to have sequels, and start designing them to actually bloody finish.
melsaskca@lemmy.ca · 22 pts · 5d
Sucks that it's cancelled. Glad I was able to see what they put out. I watched in black and white.
Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works · 10 pts · 4d
I watched in color and really enjoyed it, damn good show.
HubertManne@piefed.social · 11 pts · 5d
I still have not managed to watch the first episode.
degen@midwest.social · 7 pts · 4d
I watched the first episode and it really didn't look great
krashmo@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 4d
I watched a few at someone else's place and it didn't get much better. It felt like the whole show existed just to get Nic Cage using a 1920s detective accent. To be fair, that was pretty funny, but it's also supremely distracting from the plot.
hash@slrpnk.net · 4 pts · 4d
Something something Linux ISOs.
TheEEEdiot@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 4d
I too had canceled Amazon Prime years ago.
Obituarykidney@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 4d
Ain't need a subscription to watch tv 🏴☠️
HubertManne@piefed.social · 3 pts · 4d
I should have said finished it. I have watched like half. im pretty picky on media nowadays.
Donjuanme@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 4d
Can they renew the tick for season 3 instead?
kandoh@reddthat.com · 6 pts · 4d
Who doesn't want more of 64 year old Nicholas Cage pretending to be a 40 year old playing a superhero famous for his speed and ability?
SatansMaggotyCumFart@piefed.social · 5 pts · 4d
That's only eighty million dollars per Emmy!
acosmichippo@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 4d
emmys aside the show was not that great. maybe it could have improved given another season but of all cancellings this isn't the one to get up in arms about.
Zamboni_Driver@lemmy.ca · 5 pts · 4d
I watched the first episode and it didn't hook me at all. I couldn't bring myself to watch anymore.
ToiletFlushShowerScream@piefed.world · 5 pts · 4d
Cinematography, sound editing, stunt coordination, title design, and visual effects.
Title design?
Ther is no way I'm giving Jeff Bezos a cent for a good TV title design.
JoMiran@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 4d
anon_8675309@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 4d
We don’t always have to have unending numbers of seasons. One and done is a good thing.
Twongo@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 5d
tbf it dropped the ball after the big mystery was revealed mid-season
Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 5d
In what way? I despise mystery box shows that jump from mystery to mystery saving a reveal for the final of the season as a gimmick to trick you into watching.