Jason Snell and a rotating group of experts break down the present and future of television.

Navigation

Links

Support this show

Join for $7/month Join for $70/year
Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment!

Get in touch

Submit Feedback

Latest Episodes

#24: Caught in the Middle of an Ocean

August 9th, 2022 · 68 minutes

The big story in streaming is Warner Bros. Discovery and David Zaslav's cuts, cancellations, and the merger of HBO Max with Discovery+. Julia and Jason break it all down.

#23: The All-Letters Episode

July 26th, 2022 · 57 minutes

Jason and Julia answer your letters. So many questions! We discuss live TV on Apple channels, merger mania, niche streaming, valuable hot-dog streaming rights, "it's just an eight-hour movie", and tactical release times.

#22: When Success Isn't Success

July 12th, 2022 · 67 minutes

How do the creators of TV shows know how well their shows are doing when their streaming services won't share meaningful data? Is the Marvel Cinematic Universe tired, or getting creative? And which streamer ranked tops in Vulture's survey?

#21: I Love Sports Corner

June 28th, 2022 · 71 minutes

We discuss the "Lightyear" box office and the future of Pixar, finding better ways to binge through smart software, and how streaming franchises are constructed. And then, once again, there's Sports Corner.

#20: Entertainment Chess Move

June 14th, 2022 · 69 minutes

With the clash between "Stranger Things" and Star Wars, the summer streaming blockbuster season has begun! And we inaugurate a new segment, Sports Corner, as the path of sports on streaming media sports has begun to change dramatically.

#19: Billionaires are Strange Creatures

May 31st, 2022 · 67 minutes

What do "Stranger Things" and "Obi Wan Kenobi" tell us about the present and future of Netflix and Disney+? Also, Netflix's "The Gray Man," a revived "Daredevil," and we answer your letters!

#18: 10,000 Other Tentacles

May 17th, 2022 · 77 minutes

After years watching the old Netflix cruise along as the top streamer, things are getting interesting as it shifts gears and engages the realities of today's streaming scene. We discuss Netflix changes and Julia reviews Disney's financial results.

#17: A Lighthouse, But No Captain

May 4th, 2022 · 77 minutes

We're sifting through the fallout of Netflix's trying times, pondering the future of ads on streaming services and trying to identify which shows benefit from binge-watching--and which don't.

#16: Avatar of the Industry

April 22nd, 2022 · 43 minutes

Emergency podcast! Julia and Jason reconvene for a second time in a week to discuss Netflix's very bad quarterly results (and how the company will change its behavior and strategy as a result) and the rapid but not entirely surprising death of CNN+.

#15: Magic Show

April 19th, 2022 · 62 minutes

Julia has some advice for David Zaslav as he takes the reins of Warner Bros. Discovery--mostly about the fates of CNN+ and the Harry Potter franchise. Plus, the rise of streaming sports.