 (HarperCollins) One of the big unresolved questions about the impact streaming services such as Netflix will have on television is whether, in pursuit of new subscribers, they’ll tell different stories, about different characters, set in different locations and even different countries. Netflix may have had its breakouts with “Orange Is the New Black,” an ensemble show full of lively portraits of women of color set in a penitentiary, and “Master of None,” Aziz Ansari’s poignant modern romantic comedy. And Amazon made waves with “Transparent,” Jill Soloway’s series inspired by her own father’s coming-out as transgender and subsequent transition. Network television, though it’s generally more conservative than streaming services or cable, has made some gestures toward inclusion over the years, often in cycles. But network television is also several degrees removed from the international market in a way that Netflix, Amazon and other streaming services are not. Rather than thinking of the international market as secondary to the American market, it makes sense that Netflix and Amazon would try to prioritize all markets simultaneously. If you’re not dependent on time slots or specific vectors of distribution, it’s easier for people to see your programming, but you also have to think about everyone as a potentially equal viewer. And because streaming services operate on subscription models, they need to persuade viewers not to just to make time for their content, but to want it enough to pay for it directly. In France, that meant trying to hook viewers with “Marseille,” a crime drama starring Gerard Depardieu that seemed to prompt a rather grim public reception, but still earned a season-two renewal. Given that Netflix doesn’t release its viewership data, or information on what new subscribers watch first, the reviews and the audience may not actually have lined up. And now, Netflix has ordered an adaptation of Vikram Chandra’s “Sacred Games,” aimed at growing its audience in India. One show does not a subcontinent-wide strategy make, of course. And it may not be enough to get Indian subscribers to pay 500 rupees per month (Netflix’s pricing is roughly consistent around the world). But it’s a start. And depending on how it goes, “Sacred Games” may be a step toward a much more globalized entertainment environment. I’ll be curious how American consumers’ tastes develop as a result. |
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