Netflix controls the largest subscribing base of the companies that drive television on the web. The company also has one of the biggest cash hordes in web TV. Netflix is throwing some serious cash around. Its recent investment in original programming, with shows like House of Cards, has been followed with the revival of the cult hit comedy, Arrested Development. Fans are underwhelmed, Netflix stock is down and yet Netflix continues to change the way people think about TV on the web.
So, what exactly does all this mean for the web TV community? That question has bounced around the halls of this New Jersey web development firm. A major property like Netflix, whose streams account for more than 20% of North American web traffic during peak hours, is a big part of the future of the internet. So, what can the world expect to come of this most recent venture, the unexpected fourth season of Arrested Development?
Where’s the conversation?
The Netflix model is driven by what is called binge viewing. Binge viewers are streaming customers who prefer to watch TV shows in large batches. They often plow through multiple seasons of a show in a single week. Binge viewers on Netflix have helped shows deep in their runs, such as Mad Men, Breaking Bad and Supernatural, to acquire new audience members at a point where most shows experience declines in viewership.
Netflix has decided to release its original programming in batches that comprise a single season. While it has proven an interesting experiment, the question arises whether it does more harm than good. Television, after all, has found a place in the water cooler conversation cycle. Allowing viewers to binge through seasons can erode the ability of audiences to have a conversation about a show.
Arrested Development has the additional distinction of being the first half-hour comedy format show to be released in binge form. One major question about this practice is whether the Netflix format has hurt the comedic affectation of the show. The 22-minute format that Fox imposed on the show’s first three seasons gave way to a format that allows varied length episodes. Comedy often benefits from being edited down. Has the flexible format, in fact, let bad jokes through the filter?
Erosion of advertising
The traditional ad model breaks down with shows like Arrested Development in this format. The lack of typical commercial time makes it more difficult to fund a show through advertising. Will we see more in-episode product deals? Or will financing move toward the HBO-style subscription model?
Conclusions
Arrested Development has failed to provide the concise answers that critics were hoping to see. Netflix appears to be comfortable. It is talking about a fifth season of Arrested Development. It already has a second season of House of Cards shot. The company keeps viewership numbers close to its vest. That leaves us with the dissatisfying answer that Arrested Development’s fourth season sheds little light on the future of web TV.
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