The Orville

[AmareIsGod]

$60 just watch a tv show? Not gonna happen.

It is a lot cheaper than Netflix or Amazon Prime or HBO for a year.

But how much original content and content I care about, unique just to the subscription based service, is really there? Just because it's less per year doesn't make it worthwhile. Netflix has a ton of content I can't get elsewhere, unique and original to Netflix, that justifies my annual cost.

[Mori Chu]

Wait, the new Trek is *only* available through the online CBS streaming service? Like, it isn't on the CBS TV channel? What the heck is that? That seems like a really bizarre programming decision. Almost nobody will see it at that rate! What were they thinking? (Or have I misunderstood?)

[Superbone]

Wait, the new Trek is *only* available through the online CBS streaming service? Like, it isn't on the CBS TV channel? What the heck is that? That seems like a really bizarre programming decision. Almost nobody will see it at that rate! What were they thinking? (Or have I misunderstood?)

You have not. Apparently, it is their entire strategy for selling their new streaming service.

[carey]

Wait, the new Trek is *only* available through the online CBS streaming service? Like, it isn't on the CBS TV channel? What the heck is that? That seems like a really bizarre programming decision. Almost nobody will see it at that rate! What were they thinking? (Or have I misunderstood?)

You have not. Apparently, it is their entire strategy for selling their new streaming service.

Youmean their 3-year-old streaming service?

[Superbone]

Wait, the new Trek is *only* available through the online CBS streaming service? Like, it isn't on the CBS TV channel? What the heck is that? That seems like a really bizarre programming decision. Almost nobody will see it at that rate! What were they thinking? (Or have I misunderstood?)

You have not. Apparently, it is their entire strategy for selling their new streaming service.

Youmean their 3-year-old streaming service?

I guess it's working since it's the first I've heard of it.

[Indy]

$60 just watch a tv show? Not gonna happen.

It is a lot cheaper than Netflix or Amazon Prime or HBO for a year.

But how much original content and content I care about, unique just to the subscription based service, is really there? Just because it's less per year doesn't make it worthwhile. Netflix has a ton of content I can't get elsewhere, unique and original to Netflix, that justifies my annual cost.

THose are all fair critiques. This will likely be the only show I watch on CBS (I don't watch any broadcast television, except a little bit of football here and there). But it was worth the cost of 4-5 lunches, or a single dinner with the wife to me.

[AmareIsGod]

$60 just watch a tv show? Not gonna happen.

It is a lot cheaper than Netflix or Amazon Prime or HBO for a year.

But how much original content and content I care about, unique just to the subscription based service, is really there? Just because it's less per year doesn't make it worthwhile. Netflix has a ton of content I can't get elsewhere, unique and original to Netflix, that justifies my annual cost.

THose are all fair critiques. This will likely be the only show I watch on CBS (I don't watch any broadcast television, except a little bit of football here and there). But it was worth the cost of 4-5 lunches, or a single dinner with the wife to me.

I agree with most of that. I guess my problem is that this starts to become a normal model that all of these networks go towards which makes the cost of content ridiculous. CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC. If they all start charging $60 a year while keeping their content off of Netflix, Hulu, etc., I'm not spending $60 x 4 or 5 networks a year on top of the regular cost of cable or satellite. It's a way of punishing people that "cut the cord" by forcing them to join each networks subscription model and keep their content off of the other subscriptions I moved to when I cut the cord.

60 x 5 = $300 a year. Plus Hulu, Netflix and HBO Now monthly. Back to square one. And the worst part is that the paid CBS model (and other channels), from what I've read and not first hand, is that they still include advertisements / commercials, even if shorter than they are on normal network television.

[Indy]

$60 just watch a tv show? Not gonna happen.

It is a lot cheaper than Netflix or Amazon Prime or HBO for a year.

But how much original content and content I care about, unique just to the subscription based service, is really there? Just because it's less per year doesn't make it worthwhile. Netflix has a ton of content I can't get elsewhere, unique and original to Netflix, that justifies my annual cost.

THose are all fair critiques. This will likely be the only show I watch on CBS (I don't watch any broadcast television, except a little bit of football here and there). But it was worth the cost of 4-5 lunches, or a single dinner with the wife to me.

I agree with most of that. I guess my problem is that this starts to become a normal model that all of these networks go towards which makes the cost of content ridiculous. CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC. If they all start charging $60 a year while keeping their content off of Netflix, Hulu, etc., I'm not spending $60 x 4 or 5 networks a year on top of the regular cost of cable or satellite. It's a way of punishing people that "cut the cord" by forcing them to join each networks subscription model and keep their content off of the other subscriptions I moved to when I cut the cord.

60 x 5 = $300 a year. Plus Hulu, Netflix and HBO Now monthly. Back to square one. And the worst part is that the paid CBS model (and other channels), from what I've read and not first hand, is that they still include advertisements / commercials, even if shorter than they are on normal network television.

300 a year is a lot less than most people pay for Cable or DirecTV. I think I saw that DirecTV average bill is close to 75 a month (without service fees or Sunday Ticket, etc). That is 900 a year.

And I think the whole point of offering subscription services is that you don't have to buy Netflix, and Amazon, and HBO and Hulu and CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, AMC, etc. You pick and choose what you want, and only buy ala cart. (By the way, I think Hulu is a joint venture with Disney/ABC, NBC and Fox) for them to jump on what Netflix and Amazon had.

[Nodack]

So you pick 10 shows you like and pay $600 and never ever watch anything else?

[Indy]

So you pick 10 shows you like and pay $600 and never ever watch anything else?

Besides paying for Suns games, I have about 6 or 7 current shows I follow, and several more I haven't watched yet that I want to at some point. I probably don't need to pay for DirecTV at all. If I could get AMC for my wife and I, and then Food Network and HGTV for my kids, I would probably be all set with just HBO Go, Amazon Prime, Netflix, CBS, and Hulu. But there isn't a good way to get recorded Suns games without a TV service. As far as I could tell, the broadband NBA League pass doesn't work that way.

[Split T]

I used the broadband NBA league pass a couple years ago without a tv service. It worked well for me, it archives the game an hour or two after it finishes and you can watch it later.

[Indy]

I used the broadband NBA league pass a couple years ago without a tv service. It worked well for me, it archives the game an hour or two after it finishes and you can watch it later.

I nearly always start the game around an hour after it starts, and then catch up to live near the end. Being on the east time zone, it makes it hard to wait an hour or two after the game to watch.

[Mori Chu]

As for The Orville, I have now watched 2 episodes of it. I want to like it, but ultimately I think it's no good. It's not funny enough to be a good comedy, and the story/characters aren't good enough for it to be a good drama. It has decent sfx for a sitcom but looks a little cheesy overall. Too many of the characters are one-note or awkward. At least 2-3 major characters all have the "stern" personality (the metal face guy, the strong petite girl, and the Worf ripoff). Seth McFarlane kind of looks out of his element out there; I don't think he can carry a whole live action TV show. He's better behind the camera as a voice guy.

[carey]

Episode 3 was good.

[Cap]

I'm enjoying The Orville, but it's mostly Trek nostalgia. I'm under no illusion that it's great art.

[Superbone]

It seems to be almost a parody of TNG. The music and sfx are almost identical.

[Cap]

And episodes have been directed by Robert Duncan MacNeil, Brannon Braga, and Jonathan Frakes. It's like a new series in the TNG/VOY franchise.

[Superbone]

And episodes have been directed by Robert Duncan MacNeil, Brannon Braga, and Jonathan Frakes. It's like a new series in the TNG/VOY franchise.

I didn't even know that. Makes sense now though.

[Nodack]

I heard the have a deal. They won't get in trouble for copying anything Star Trek. They can go hog wild with similarities without worry of being sued.

[Superbone]

I heard the have a deal. They won't get in trouble for copying anything Star Trek. They can go hog wild with similarities without worry of being sued.

I was wondering.