Has peak TV peaked? Has the proliferation of premium streaming options created a confusing Tower of Babel? It gets murkier still when new streaming platforms spend more time “branding” themselves than creating content to stream. And worse still when even that “branding” fails.
The first successful streaming options made sense. Netflix had a vast catalog of content. Amazon Prime was essentially the icing on the cake of free shipping. Hulu packaged a cheap and viable alternative to network programming for those willing to wait an extra day to watch “Modern Family.”
Of the recent entries, Disney+ had a killer app with “The Mandalorian,” a series that not only fed the bottomless appetite for “Star Wars” stories, but also managed to be quite entertaining.
But I’m still at a loss to see the point of Apple TV+. From my unscientific research, most of the people who have the service didn’t actually subscribe. It was thrown in as part of their phone purchase. In short, it’s a bit of software that came with your hardware and something you may not even know you “own.”
Another Franken-brand, HBO Max is even more tragic. Apple TV+ was starting from scratch, but the botched entry of HBO Max represents the shotgun marriage of WarnerMedia and AT&T.
HBO was, and in many ways remains, the gold standard of “cable” television, but HBO Max is a hodgepodge of content now being promoted as a way to see first-run movies on the day of their theatrical release. This approach has not gone down well with some filmmakers. Director Christopher Nolan complained that he had suddenly gone from working for “the incredible” Warner Bros., to HBO Max, “the worst streaming service.”
As if to underscore Nolan’s complaint, the geniuses at HBO Max announced last week that they would reboot “Sex and the City,” a tiresome ‘90s relic that had grown long in the tooth before its final episode in 2004. “Sex” creator Darren Star has gone on to concoct “Emily in Paris” for Netflix. While staggeringly shallow, “Emily” at least features a young star. “Sex” will cast three out of four of its original stars and characters for what promises to be a ghastly reunion. Nobody wants to watch “Sex and the City: The AARP Years.”
— “Search Party” streams its fourth season on HBO Max. This slight and silly series began its run on TBS in 2016 and hadn’t been seen since 2018, until HBO Max picked it up for a third season last summer. But HBO Max needs content!
— Another new entry in the streaming wars, Discovery+ streams a new series called “UFO Witness.” Don’t get me started.
— Shudder, a service dedicated to horror, streams “Hunted,” a movie-length meditation on Little Red Riding Hood.
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— Preparing the first courses on “Hell’s Kitchen” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
— A whiter shade of pale on “Superstore” (8:30 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— A roleplaying game turns dangerous on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— A winning ticket on “Call Me Kat” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
— A lesson learned on “Last Man Standing” (9:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
— A gift for the Emperor on “Star Trek: Discovery” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
— CULT CHOICE
Offscreen rivals Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins star (and spar) in “The Old Maid” (8 p.m., TCM, TV-PG) and “Old Acquaintance” (9:45 p.m., TCM, TV-PG).
SERIES NOTES
On track on “Young Sheldon” (8 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) … Staff building on “Mr. Mayor” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG) … “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) … “World’s Funniest Animals” (8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., CW, TV-PG) … Surveillance on “B Positive” (8:30 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG).
Too close for comfort on “Mom” (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) … “The Chase” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) … Dark tales on “Legacies” (9 p.m., CW, r, TV-14) … A date to forget on “The Unicorn” (9:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) … “Dateline” (10 p.m., NBC, r) … Collaboration on “The Hustler” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
LATE NIGHT
Joe Manganiello appears on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS, r) … Sen. Bernie Sanders and FINNEAS are booked on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (11:35 p.m., CBS) … Jimmy Fallon welcomes Anthony Mackie, Cristin Milioti and Rico Nasty on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … Javicia Leslie and Foo Fighters appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (11:35 p.m., ABC).
Anne Hathaway and Jane Levy visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC) … Andie MacDowell and Why Don’t We appear on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” (12:35 a.m., CBS).
