By Dustin Rowles | TV | February 6, 2023 |
By Dustin Rowles | TV | February 6, 2023 |
According to The Wall Street Journal, the next evolution of Showtime will be to take what has worked for the network in the past and run it further into the ground.
Showtime says it’s planning up to four series connected to “Billions,” the network’s long-running high-finance drama, starting with a spinoff set in Miami, plus other iterations being developed under the titles “Millions” and “Trillions.”The network has ordered an origin-story prequel to “Dexter,” a serial-killer drama that dates back to 2006. Showtime is also exploring separate spinoffs based on the back stories of compelling “Dexter” characters, including one known as the Trinity Killer.
Trillions and Millions? Really, Showtime? A problem that Showtime has had for a long time is that when they do find a successful series, they run it into the ground, see, e.g., nine seasons of Dexter, eleven seasons of Shameless, eight seasons of Homeland, and six seasons (and counting) of Billions.
Now they’re going to spin the same exhausted series into spin-offs. Four Billions spin-offs? Do we really need a spin-off based on Dollar Bill (OK, actually, that would be OK). A prequel to Dexter and a Trinity Killer series? Because they didn’t have the rights to make a spin-off of Homeland, they have greenlit a George Clooney-produced series in a similar vein called The Bureau, based on a French spy series.
I’m surprised they haven’t announced a Shameless spin-off yet, too, because I’m sure Kevin and Veronica would be up for their own show. Same with Mickey and Ian. I hate to say it, because I hate the idea of exhausting beloved properties, but it’s a strategy that will work. “Our job is to make those hard calls so that we can clear things out and deliver for our shareholders and consumers by reinvesting in shows we know will work,” Showtime said in one of the most depressing sentences ever written.
They’re not wrong. I’m watching Your Honor season two (it’s thoroughly mediocre), but the only real reason I continue to subscribe to Showtime (now Paramount+ with Showtime) is Yellowjackets. I begrudgingly admit, however, that I would watch a Dexter spin-off or two, and probably at least one Billions spin-off (especially if it’s about Dollar Bill). I’d also watch a Kevin and Veronica series if they wanted to make one of those. At the same time, the cancellations of Let the Right One In, American Gigolo, City on a Hill and First Lady were not big losses to me, although I do think it’s insane they have removed the 21 lowest performing series on the network (which accounted for only 17 percent of their subscriptions). I checked and Showtime has removed a ton of content, including all four of the above series, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Roadies, Dead Like Me, Weeds, Black Monday and Master of Sex. They cut deep.
I will, however, look forward to Bluejackets and Redjackets and Purplejackets in the years to come.
Source: Wall Street Journal