This week has truly heralded 2015 as the big big year for online content. Alex Casey breaks down the past week of web TV news. //
The Return of Wet Hot American Summer
This week Netflix announced an 8-episode follow up to the 2001 film Wet Hot American Summer. Creators David Wain and Michael Showalter are bringing back many of the original cast including Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd and Elizabeth Banks. Still no word as to whether it will appear on our Netflix shores, but what a slam dunk for fancy movie actors coming back to TV. The question now is, will it stay true to its cult following or divide the group a la Arrested Development season four? Here’s a good piece from the Observer that warns all ye who enter the cult reboot.
Signing on Woody Allen and Austin Powers
In other online content news, both Amazon and HBO sealed huge deals this week. Firstly, Woody Allen announced that he will be writing and directing his first ever television series for online streaming service Amazon Prime. The half hour episodes will be released in 2016. Allen has proudly stated “I have no ideas and I’m not sure where to begin”. Amazon Prime is the home of Mozart in the Jungle and Golden Globe winning Transparent, both available in New Zealand on Lightbox.
Just as an aside, here’s an interesting piece about the varying reactions to Woody Allen’s career versus Bill Cosby’s career. Some terrible and depressing food for thought.
In Shrek news, HBO signed a two year exclusive deal with Mike Myers yesterday. The guy who brought us the iconic comedy of Austin Powers and The Love Guru proudly stated “I’m thrilled to be at HBO” and then gently muttered “yeah baby, yeah.” With HBO going HAM on heavy content like True Detective, Girls and Game of Thrones this year, it might be good to get some shagadelic humour in there somehow.
Arrested Development Season Four: Let the Narration Begin!
Producer and narrator Ron Howard tweeted yesterday that the narration for the recut final season has begun, which means it is well on its way to Netflix later this year. After assembling season four as a non-linear narrative (primarily to fit cast shoot schedules), the internet cried out in horror and fear. This won’t be the first time someone has straightened it out chronologically – Reddit already fixed it up ages ago.
Embracing the Online Community
Finally, it was announced this week in this teaser trailer that the sixth season of Community will stream exclusively online via Yahoo. Seriously, everyone’s doing it:
Full Transparency at the Globes
The start of this week saw the 72nd Golden Globes, and a watershed moment for online content as Amazon original series Transparent came away with two awards. The online show is the first of its kind to take away a “Best Series” award, with Best Actor being scooped up by Jeffrey Tambor. Kevin Spacey of House of Cards (Netflix) also came away with Best Actor in a Drama, further proving that the internet is where it’s at.
