I09 sees the wheels coming off the Paramount+ strategic model with the cancelation of Prodigy.
Interesting piece with some new angles…
This time last year, the series was the bold vanguard of an attempt to bring the venerable sci-fi franchise to new audiences in a way Star Trek hadn’t attempted in years, and the latest in what was now a whole fleet of Star Trek shows on the platform. In a swift, single move—not just the takeback of a second season renewal, but the complete erasure of the series from its platform—the studio’s stratospheric ascent seems to have come crashing down all around it.
This is probably signalling bad things ahead for Paramount/Viacom.
The last 15 years have been achieved on borrowed time, and, more importantly, borrowed money. The economic landscape post-Great-Recession has been one of near-0-interest loans, and because of that people have been able to paper over just how damaged our economic reality really is.
Suddenly, though, money costs money again. Risks are viewed through a much more critical lens. The baseline ROI necessary to get financing is significantly higher.
And people who have kept a large number of businesses with brand recognition afloat by using them as stores of value are ready to cash out.
This isn’t Paramount making weird, random decisions. This is Paramount indicating that they’re getting out of hosting their own content. And maybe more.
Expect a fire sale.
ill sub to whomever picks up star trek.
or theres other options for the trek i want to watch.