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.
Subscribe
Get in touch
Submit FeedbackNavigation
Links
Support this show
Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment!Latest Episodes
#25: Hot Evil Blondes
August 25th, 2022 · 67 minutes
We discuss what the House of the Dragon premiere means for HBO Max, how Netflix judges the success of "The Sandman" and other shows, the business reasons behind Warner Bros. Discovery's cuts, and why Sony is sitting pretty without its own streaming service.
#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, including what's upsetting creators and the audience and why those weird PowerPoint slides exist.
#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 spending its capital to do some creative experimentation? We discuss, and also look at Vulture's rankings of the hottest (and coldest) streaming services.
#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, as streaming RSNs multiply and Formula 1 turns up its nose at Amazon and re-signs with ESPN.
#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" makes a very limited visit to theaters, the intellectual-property wanderings of "Daredevil" continue, and we answer your letters about churn, billionaires, and northern European dramas.
#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 reports Netflix might put its films in theaters and its attempts to find hit sitcoms more like what you'd find on a broadcast network. Julia also reviews the Disne…
#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, if at all, the company will change its behavior and strategy as a result) and the rapid but not entirely surprising death of CNN+.