Hosted by Jason Snell and Julia Alexander.
Julia Alexander and Jason Snell break down the business of binge-watching in the era of the Streaming Wars.
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Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment!Latest Episodes
#48: "The Bear" Is Not a Comedy
July 12th, 2023 · 28 minutes
In a tale as old as time, we try and fail to understand the Emmy Awards. Also: Breaking down Netflix's new ratings math.
#47: My Phantom Limb
June 30th, 2023 · 66 minutes
CNN rises to the top of the conversation again, Netflix gets the ball back, Paramount sells some crown jewels, Sports Corner travels to Utah, and we answer four listener letters!
#46: The Chris Licht Conundrum
June 16th, 2023 · 23 minutes
The head of CNN is out, but the larger issue is: what's the future of TV news in the age of streaming?
#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.