Swan songs rarely sound as golden as Warner Bros.’ long farewell. Just a few months ago, the beleaguered company was in the midst of one of the best performances by any studio in Oscar history — and all the while, Netflix and Paramount Skydance were trading eye-popping offers to take it over outright. by the time Battle after battle, Sinners and Weapons Combined to win 11 Oscars (including Best Picture), tying a record for a single studio Paramount has officially won the war for the highly anticipated merger — leading to widespread panic within Hollywood over what the future of a major theatrical player at the top of its game will look like.
While the Warner-Paramount deal is (most likely) finalized within the next few months, the David Zaslav-led group may be getting another historic fortune as a final show of power — this time on the TV side: its premium streaming platform, HBO Max, is expected to dominate, just as rumors swirl that it will soon be absorbed into the lesser-known Paramount+. HBO has been an Emmys powerhouse for decades. But it should the house Winning best drama and Hacks To win best comedy, as widely expected, the network will have claimed the top two awards in the same year for the first time in a decade (when Vice President and game of thrones swept).
naturally, the house and Hacks Not technically HBO shows — they were commissioned under the more populist, less established “Max” label, part of chief Casey Bloys’ strategy to expand his tent in a rapidly changing TV and streaming landscape. In this way, it also reflects how Bloys has nimbly played the long game in the six years since HBO Max’s initial launch. the housea throwback medical drama injected with modern style and structure, was still breaking its own ratings records by the end of its second season. Hacks It achieved a smooth five-season run in an era when most post-coronavirus streaming comedies were lucky enough to show up.
Beyond these early nominees, this year’s Emmys cycle will put other HBO celebrities in the spotlight. There is a return trancecertainly; No one can agree on the show itself, but there’s no debate about Zendaya’s star turn (which is undefeated at the Emmys so far). Bill Lawrence RoosterMeanwhile, the new comedy was the network’s highest-rated in 15 years and will put star Steve Carell in a weak best actor field to compete for his first — yes, you read that right — Emmy win.
but Rooster It’s also a broader, warmer sitcom than you’d expect from the home of all those aforementioned “comedies” — which in itself represents an even bigger shift. As the mandate changed, HBO evolved. The network exploited the IP at its disposal to deliver commercial hits, churning out the likes Sand dunes, game of thrones and He – she; Expensive, takes on new proportions Harry Potter And the capital Green Lantern Next coming.
Even if they don’t all take off as hoped — nor reach HBO’s once-guaranteed quality marks — this popular new category has also allowed HBO to continue doing what it does best. He allowed the great weird comedian Tim Robinson to lead a really weird show, Al-Kursi Company. with I love Los Angelesinvested in rising young multi-hyphenate Rachel Sinnott for a generation-specific slice of life, just as it did with Lena Dunham and Issa Rae before her. She has been working with the creator of one of the precious few post-coronavirus phenomena, East Town mareBrad Ingelsby, for a smart new ongoing drama in a task.
HBO also brought back one of its greatest and most unknown series of all time, Return – It was canceled for being too ahead of its time after 2005’s first season, then revived to great acclaim in 2014. The recently concluded third and final season boldly tackled artificial intelligence in Hollywood and reminded audiences of the national treasure that is Lisa Kudrow. (Note: Kudrow has never won this iconic role. I know Jean Smart is great in it HacksBut she has already won four times.)
Does this vitality in programming — full of risk, rooted in a belief in distinctive voices and a desire to expand on legacy — exist in a world where Paramount absorbs HBO? It’s hard to imagine. For subscribers interested in the account, what Warners has to offer to David Ellison is clear: a goldmine of untapped intellectual property and a collection of current achievements such as White lotus and True Detective. What made HBO special — and, in fact, there’s no better example than this year — is the way it leveraged bigger players to serve smaller gems. Without Tony Soprano and those True blood Vampires, we may not have the wonderful trio of Laurie Metcalfe, Alex Borstein and Niecy Nash in a rare scene. getNor Laura Dern Enlightened Master’s degree. These types of displays are truly an endangered species these days. Are we facing a Taylor Sheridan verse? They may not have a chance.
The Television Academy must confront this bittersweet moment then. Despite the Academy’s embrace of HBO over the years, it’s not as if these voters have been able to catch up with some of the network’s best shows ever — cough, The wire – Before it’s too late. It remains one of the best dramas on television industrycompeting for a wild, amazing fourth season anchored by performances that I would have put up against any Emmy lock. This body has consistently ignored this. I’m worried for a taskwhich has been widely acclaimed and watched but may take its modest polish for granted in the age of viral breakthroughs. And did I mention that Kudrow received a lesser Emmy for portraying Valerie Cherish? Okay, just making sure.
All of this means that HBO Max is in for a great night this September. Whatever’s next for the streamer, he’ll have come out of this chapter on a high note. But HBO’s soul lies just beneath that shiny surface, and its fragility speaks to what scares so many at this moment. Some recognition of their resilience can’t hurt.
This story first appeared in the June standalone issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To obtain the magazine, click here to subscribe.
