The prettiest Mr. Robot yet? And we revisit Serenity to finish off our Firefly re-watch. With special guest Kristi Kates.
00:49 – Winter Movie Draft 2017
07:40 – Serenity
22:37 – Mr. Robot (306)
Cordkillers 196 – You Might Be Part of the 7% (w/ Kristi Kates)
A streaming service for the sports apathetic, why people watch Netflix in the bathrooms, and Twitter tries to win the 24 hour news game. With special guest Kristi Kates.
CordKillers: Ep. 196 – You Might Be Part of the 7%
Recorded: November 20 2017
Guest: Kristi Kates
Intro Video
Primary Target
- Philo non-sports Pay TV service
– Philo launched this week
– Streaming service from A&E, Scripps, Discovery, AMC and Viacom
– Base for $16 a month, Extras for $20 a month
– Web, Roku, iOS
How to Watch
- People watch Netflix at work and in public bathrooms
– Netflix commissioned survey
– 37,000 adults between late August and early September
– 67% of people watch TV and movie in public
– planes, buses, commuting most popular
– 26% said binged shows at work.
– 7% worldwide admitted watching TV and movies in public restrooms
– Mobile makes up 10% of its viewing though half of users stream from phone during a month
What to Watch
- Amazon’s Philip K. Dick anthology series will go live on January 12
– Amazon’s Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams arrives Friday, January 12. (Steve Buscemi, Bryan Cranston, Anna Paquin, Terrence Howard, Maura Tierney, and more star in the anthology series) - New trailer out for A Wrinkle in Time which hits theaters March 9.
- Netflix to produce TV series with Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan
– Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan will produce (but not act in) a new 8-episode Netflix series called Bard of Blood. [[A young Shakespeare professor living in the Indian hill station Panchgani who must return home to save both his country and the woman he left behind.]]
What We’re Watching
- Brian: Serenity, , 30 for 30: Nature Boy, Last Week Tonight’s
- Tom: Serenity, Mr. Robot (306), Orville
- Kristi: Thor: Ragnarok, Inhumans, Serenity
- On the Lookout: No Activity
Front Lines
- Amazon denies that it’s developing a freemium version of Prime Video, despite report
– Responding to an AdAge report that Amazon was considering launching a free ad-supported version of Amazon Prime Video, an Amazon spokesperson told The Verge: “We have no plans to create a free, ad-supported version of Prime Video.” - Vimeo now supports HDR videos
– Vimeo announced users can now upload video in HDR and at resolutions up to 8K. The service also now supports 10-bit video and a wider color gamut. HDR playback will work on most new mobile devices with an HDR display as well as on the Apple TV 4K. - Bloomberg’s Twitter-based news network launches December 18th
– Bloomberg is launching a 24-hour news network on Twitter December 18. Goldman Sachs, Infiniti, TD Ameritrade, CA Technologies, AT&T and CME Group are all investing between 1.5-3 million each. - FCC approves TV technology that gives better pictures but less privacy
– The US FCC approved a new over the air standard called ATSC 3.0 which allows broadcasters to geolocate TV signals, transmit Ultra-HD and allow for more interactive programming. ATSC 3.0 can target broadcasts, including advertising and emergency alerts on a street by street basis. Broadcasters will be required to continue the current system alongside the new system for 5 years. No current TVs support ATSC 3.0. - How to find the TV channels you want online
– ReCode has a tool where you can put in channels you want and it will show you which online streaming services carry those channels. It compares DirecTV Now, Hulu, Philo, PS Vue, Sling TV and YouTube TV. - Fullscreen Media is ending its subscription video service in January. Fullscreen launched in April 2016 for $6 a month.
Dispatches from the Front
I would like to points out that when you use MoviePass to artifically inflate points that it’s the movie theater that loses out because you are getting stuff for free
– John
Tom and Brian,
Just finished listening to Episode 195 in which you read an email from Joshua where he says he buys tickets using his Moviepass everyday just to rack up loyalty points. A quick look at the Moviepass terms of service shows that is in fact against the TOS.
One of the items that they list as a reason to terminate your account is:
(ix) On more than one occasion during any thirty (30) day period you do not view the movie for which you purchased a ticket with your MoviePass Card in its entirety.
I’m sure you’ve gotten several emails on the same subject, but I just thought it was worth a mention. Moviepass seems like a great deal and I am getting ready to sign up, and I would hate for everyone to lose it because some folks aren’t playing by the rules.
Thanks
– Don
So I have to reverse my opinion that I tweeted to Tom and Brian earlier about MoviePass. It was a great company when it was $40 a month. The price cut and expansion with $10 a month has thrown all levels of customer service they used to have in the trash.
As someone who works in customer service I’m a little less lenient in this area than some (I broke relations with a game developer from poor service regarding $15.) but my partner and I have two different problems and they won’t respond to either of us. I have my card and no way to activate it and my partner has an activated card but no physical card. We have tried Facebook, Twitter, instagram in addition to the in-app chat support and email and no response from the company at all. It’s been a rather disappointing experience since the business model changed for MoviePass.
– Jeff
Hello Valued Employees (and guest),
So I’m wondering what you think about the idea that Netflix is ahead of the game in international distribution, with the key being their Netflix Originals brand.
With shows such as Peaky Blinders, The Expanse and ST Discovery all being branded “Netflix Originals” outside of their home territories, it seems like Netflix is playing the long game worldwide to increase their prominence and their mindshare with audiences, while the other big media companies still haven’t risen their eyes above the horizon and are just obsessively squabbling over the US domestic market.
TL;DR Netflix is focusing on the rest of the world, discuss!
Thanks for a great show – keep up the good work and maybe you’ll get those xmas bonuses!
– Micky
Hey there, just a small note on CW shows on Netflix. Tom had said that the previous season is available the day the new season starts. However, they show up 8 days after the season ends:
Netflix and the CW Confirm New Licensing Deal for All Scripted Series
Sorry if 400 people pointed this out! 😀
– Rob
Links
It’s Spoilerin’ Time 195
Mr. Robot made some progress but was it enough? Firefly breaks hearts. Bryce rants about Happy Death Day.
00:53 – Winter Movie Draft 2017
04:35 – Happy Death Day
14:48 – Mr. Robot (305)
24:52 – Firefly (Objects in Space)
Cordkillers 195 – Coruscant Legal (w/ Nicole Lee)
Disney’s ready to beat Netflix, Roku’s beating the world, and Lord of the Rings is coming to Amazon. With special guest Nicole Lee.
It’s Spoilerin’ Time 194
Why Brian saw Thor twice, the last two episodes of Stranger Things, Tom thinks they may have seen the most boring Mr. Robot yet, and Mal finds love on Firefly.
01:18 – Winter Movie Draft 2017
03:26 – Thor: Ragnarok
14:49 – Mr. Robot (304)
23:30 – Stranger Things (208-209)
35:08 – Firefly (Heart of Gold)
Cordkillers 194 – Accomplished Cord Murderers
What’s going to happen to House of Cards? Apple TV 4K gets more reasonable controls. Might Disney buy its way back into controlling X-Men and Fantastic 4?
It’s Spoilerin’ Time 193
Brian didn’t watch Mr. Robot but Bryce did so we talk about it anyway and spoil Brian. Plus: most of Stranger Things season 2 and Firefly!
00:55 – Winter Movie Draft 2017
05:30 – Mr. Robot (303)
15:50 – Stranger Things (201-207)
32:54 – Firefly (The Message)
Cordkillers 193 – Archduke Content
YouTube TV comes to TVs, TiVo BOLT VOX gets real, and whether we want Netflix after shows.
CordKillers: Ep. 193 – Archduke Content
Recorded: October 30 2017
Guest: None
Intro Video
Primary Target
- YouTube is taking on TV on its home turf, and it’s starting to win
– YouTube says viewers watch 100 million hours of clips a day in the living room, up 70% in the last year. Google uses that to mean TVs connected to the Internet not sitting on your couch with your laptop or phone. YouTube users overall watch a billion hours of video a day. - YouTube TV is rolling out on Apple TV, Roku, Xbox One, and more
– Monday YouTube rolled out a YouTube TV app for Android TV and Xbox One. Apps will roll out in the coming weeks for Apple TV, Roku, and smart TVs from Samsung, Sony, and LG. YouTube has no rollout plans for Amazon Fire TV devices. The TV-based apps will have a full grid programming guide and let users scroll through a transparent sidebar of channels while video stays playing. It also supports voice search.
How to Watch
- TiVo officially announces its voice-controlled DVRs, the BOLT VOX and Mini VOX
– TiVo confirmed the launch of the 4K BOLT VOX and Mini Vox which include voice control from the remote. TiVo’s voice search has some context sensitivity allowing refinements on the fly. The BOLT VOX will come in 500GB and 1 TB sizes with 4 tuners for OTA and cable at $199 and $299 each. A 3 TB model has 6 tuners but only supports cable for $499. The Mini costs $179.99. The TiVO Vox remote will also be sold separately for $39.99 for existing BOLT, Roamio and Mini customers. The new VOX products go on sale October 29th. - TiVo’s revamped interface is available for existing DVRs
– As of October 29th, you can visit TiVo’s website and request an upgrade to your Bolt, Mini or Roamio set-top box. It’ll take “2-3 hours” before you can force the download, but you don’t have to wait for TiVo to push the new design on its own
What to Watch
- Netflix is launching a Stranger Things after show
– Stranger Things has a 7-episode after show on Netflix called Beyond Stranger Things. Netflix means it to be watched after completing the whole season. - Netflix Cancels ‘House Of Cards’, Says It’s “Deeply Troubled” Over Kevin Spacey Claims
– Netflix will not renew House of Cards after the current 6th season is released. The 6th season just began production and is expected to be released in mid-2018. Star Trek Discovery star Anthony Rapp told BuzzFeed News that House of Cards star Kevin Spacey sexual harassed him at a party in 1986 when Rapp was 14. Netflix and production house Media Rights Capital released a statement saying the companies are “deeply troubled” by the news. Sources tell TVLine that the decision to cancel it was made months ago. - House of Cards to End With Season 6
What We’re Watching
- Brian: Firefly, Stranger Things (through ep 4? 5?) More Mindhunter
- Tom: Firefly (The Message), Stranger Things (Season 2), Mr. Robot (303), Thor: Ragnarok, Star Trek: Discovery
- On the Lookout: Sniffer
Front Lines
- Hulu’s CEO is going to run Sony TV, and another Fox exec is going to run Hulu
– Mike Hopkins, formerly of Fox, who has been CEO of Hulu since 2013, is leaving to run Sony TV where he will report to new Sony Pictures Entertainment boss Tony Vinciquerra. Randy Freer. President and COO of Fox TV will become CEO of Hulu. - DirecTV to Launch Android TV-Based OTT Set-Top Box
– A new FCC filing shows that DirecTV plans to offer a new streaming set top box based on Google’s Android TV with no built in satelite connectivity or hooks into the company’s current Genie hardware. The documentation in the filing descirbes the box as an over-the-top streaming service box, with access to the Google Play Store and Ethernet, digital audio, HDMI and USB ports. - Roku Wants to Start Streaming to Third-Party Devices
– Variety reports Roku will bring its streaming videos channel to its mobile apps. The Roku Channel streams free ad-supported movies. Roku generates 41 percent of its revenue from what it calls its platform business, which includes advertising and licensing fees. - Apple’s Billion-Dollar Bet on Hollywood Is the Opposite of Edgy
– Bloomberg reports Tim Cook delayed the release of Carpool Karaoke because of foul language. In fact Apple’s original content is expected to be comedies and dramas with broad appeal and suitable for all ages. - Comcast Q3 Earnings Beat Expectations Despite 134,000 Cable Subscriber Loss
– Comcast lost 134,000 residential video subscribers while adding 214,000 Internet subscribers. Last year at this time Comcast was bucking the trend by adding video subscribers in modest amounts. Comcast overall did well. NBC Universal saw a drop with the absence of the Olympics but NBC’s content licensing haul was up 20% to $440 million. - Regal Cinemas Plan May Let You Pay Less for Flops, More for Hits
– Regal Entertainment Group plans to test Dynamic Pricing in 2018. The idea would be to charge different prices depending on how popular a movie is.
Dispatches from the Front
Hello Tom, Brian and guest.
I can’t thank you enough for recommending the movies anywhere app. Not only did I get 5 free movies for linking my Google Play and Amazon accounts, I now have access to all the special features that I didn’t even know were available for my movies. Hours and hours of director’s commentary, behind the scenes footage, deleted scenes, gag reels and production stills. I buy most of my movies on Google and I watch them usually on my Roku device. Nowhere in the app on the Roku for Google movies or even the app on my Android device, as far as I can tell, is there a place to access the special features. Maybe I’ve completely missed something, but I am completely blown away that they don’t make this stuff available on their own apps. Anyway, thank you again. Love love love the show.
– Adam
Hi Tom (and Brian),
A few weeks ago, you were talking about the new Movies Anywhere app, and you mentioned how Ultraviolet movies purchased on FandangoNow didn’t transfer to Movies Anywhere via VUDU. I experienced the same thing with a 4K code from BestBuy for pre-ordering Spiderman Homecoming that redeemed only on FandangoNow. Well I was digging around my iTunes library with week and noticed Spiderman Homecoming in there. It took a while, but the movie eventually showed up in my Movies Anywhere library. You might want to check for those movies you were missing before, they might just be there now!
– David
Just listened to latest episode and want to add the way I watch Star Trek Discovery is I have a tablet I just throw on VPN save discovery offline and then airplane mode it and watch it on my commute. I don’t even think CBS go gives option for offline viewing does it.
– Jack
Hey Tom and Brian, I wanted to toss a question out to the cord killers audience to see if I can get some suggestions. I have a Hard drive filled with videos for my 2 year old daughter to watch when we are bored with streaming options. Its mostly full seasons of young children’s television. I get tired of watching the same show repeatedly but don’t want to have to make decisions like which show to switch to and I don’t really want to manage a static playlist but I don’t really want the complete randomness of loading all the videos and hitting shuffle. So I was wondering if anyone knew of a way to dynamically generate a playlist based on some loosely defined “time blocks” for lack of a better word at the moment. where I could maybe say play 3 videos from folder A then 2 Videos from B etc. Love The show!
– Justin
As far as neilson numbers for Netflix, I wanted to bring up a point about why their numbers will be even more pointless. Neilson works by taking a sample of people watching a show at a time and extrapolating that sample to the US audience. That works if you know that people have more or less the same choice of what to watch at a certain time. With Netflix any show can be watched at anytime and everyone’s LOLOM (list of list of movies – their term for the home page) is unique and different everytime you start Netflix. So making statistical extrapolations from a sample is pointless. Though knowing how corporations and ad agencies work (from the last 6 years of working) they will probably be used as cover to prove what ever point they need at the moment.
Love the show and keep up the good work. Love being a Patron
– Martin
Links
It’s Spoilerin’ Time 192
Brian and Tom are back together and we talk Mindhunter, Firefly (Trash), and Mr. Robot (302). They also revisit Blade Runner 2049 and a Winter Movie Draft update!
00:41 – Winter Movie Draft 2017
02:44 – Blade Runner 2049
05:19 – Mr. Robot (301-302)
11:31 – Mindhunter (101)
15:02 – Firefly (Trash)
Cordkillers 192 – Unsyncable Molly Brown (w/ Jason Murphy)
Nielsen rates Netflix shows whether Netflix ants it or not, Verizon keeps delaying its TV service. and TiVo has a new 4K box!
With special guest Jason Murphy.
CordKillers: Ep. 192 – Unsyncable Molly Brown
Recorded: October 23 2017
Guest: Jason Murphy
Intro Video
Primary Target
- Nielsen will now measure TV audiences on Netflix
– Nielsen Subscription Video on Demand
– Ratings, reaches, frequency and segmentation reporting for Netflix (and eventually Hulu, Amazon and others)
– Testers to include NBCUniversal, Disney-ABC, A+E Networks, Lionsgate, Warner Bros. Television, and three (unnamed) others.
– Will not cover mobile
– Different than 2014 opt-in reporting service that only gave raw number estimates
How to Watch
- Verizon Is Eyeing Spring for the Start of Delayed Online TV Service
- Verizon struggling to launch streaming TV service in crowded field
– Verizon’s online TV service delayed to Spring 2018 according to Bloomberg sources
– Technical issues, staff turnover
– Yet to finalize distribution agreements with top media companies
What to Watch
- New Punisher trailer. Punisher comes to Netflix November 17
- CBS says Star Trek: Discovery has driven subscriber growth and it has renewed the show for a second season.
- Amazon’s ‘Pilot Season’ returns November 10th
– New Amazon Pilots will be available for your review starting November 10.
– Sea Oak will start Glenn Close as an aunt who comes back as a zombie because of dissatisfaction with the rest of her family.
– Love You More stars cabaret’s Bridget Everett (as a “big personality” with a “big heart”) and has legendary comedian Bobcat Goldthwait in the director’s chair.
– The Climb, meanwhile, has The Last OG’s Diarra Kilpatrick both creating and starring in a comedy about pursuing the American Dream in a “rapidly changing” Detroit with Star’s Chris Robinson as the director.
What We’re Watching
- Brian: Mr. Robot 301 and 302, Firefly, Mindhunter (ep 1 and 2), Last Week Tonight, Pirates of the Caribbean, rewatched Michael Bolton special
- Tom: Mr. Robot (302) Mindhunter (101), Outlander
- Jason: Mindhunter, Exorcist
- On the Lookout: Babylon 5
Front Lines
- TiVo’s upcoming DVR, the TiVo BOLT VOX, will include voice support
– Dave Zatz at Zatz Not Funny spotted a product listing on Amazon for a new TiVo BOLT called the BOLT VOX with support for 4K Ultra HD. It’s listed as having 500 GB storage and support for OTA and cable. It also has voice control in the remote. - YouTube Red greenlights a Tinder-themed romantic comedy series called Swipe Right
– YouTube Red greenlit a comedy series about Tinder called Swipe Right, starring Carly Craig from Role Models. Carly plays a single 35-year-old who decides to date all her 252 Tinder matches. - Topshop’s ‘Stranger Things’ collection is a fitting tribute to Barb
– Netflix has partnered with UK’s Topshop and US Target on Stranger Things merchandise including T-shirts and figurines. Netflix also said it will take on $1.6 billion in debt to help it pay for new productions in 2018. - Netflix, Amazon, movie studios sue over TickBox streaming device
– Netflix and Amazon have joined several movie studios in suing TickBox, one of those many Android-based boxes that promises to deliver free TV. While TickBox explicitly says it does not condone piracy and that its box is not to be used for such purposes it also says you can “access movies and shows that are still on Demand and episodes of TV that were just aired. You will never pay to watch any of them.” - Snapchat to make original TV-style shows
– Snap Inc. and NBCUniversal are partnering on a new digital content studio to make original scripted video in the three-five minute long format. The first original show will be produced with US film and TV producers Mark and Jay Duplass and and their new Donut creative studio - Chelsea Handler’s Netflix talk show will end after two seasons
– Chelsea Handler’s Netflix talk show will come to an end after season two. Handler will release a documentary on Netflix where she engages with “people of different ethnicities, religions and political philosophies. She also plans become more engaged in the US political process.
Dispatches from the Front
Hi –
I loved the discussion about Movies Anywhere in Episode 191. I was so excited, I signed up at my first available opportunity. Connecting all the services went VERY smoothly on my cell phone EXCEPT for iTunes (I’m an Android), but I even got that connected once I got to a desktop. Libraries on the various services either updated immediately or with a refresh.
According to this article in The Verge, 4K upgrades are apparently limited to Apple titles:
https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/13/16464000/how-to-use-movies-anywhere-app-features
Example: I own Glory in HD on Vudu (Disc upgrade). It is available on all of the other services, but there is a 4K version on Amazon. I do not have access to that one, even after registering with Movies Anywhere.
I hope other studios get on board with the 4K upgrades. It also irks me that the 4K versions of some movies are only available on one service (two I know about: Star Trek Beyond is only 4K on Vudu, Glory is only 4K on Amazon). This obstacle will slow the adoption of 4K – convenience trumps fidelity!
Your Boss 🙂
– Chris
On the most recent episode (10/16) you mentioned that MoviesAnywhere links to partners to purchase content. Total bummer (but not surprising) that it does not do price comparison. I use the JustWatch app on my phone to do comparison shopping. It does a good job of aggregating rental and purchase pricing.
Thanks!
– Mark
Not sure if you’ve mentioned this website before or not, but gowatchit.com is an extremely useful website showing all the places you can watch a movie, to buy, rent or get tickets to. Includes all kinds of services and on demands from cable.
(Found while looking up a movie called Dealt about a Richard Turner, a blind magician. Brian would probably be interested)
Keep up the great work you guys!
– Justin
Hey Tom and Brian have you heard about Sinemia? I just recently discovered it when I was considering signing up for MoviePass. They have plans starting off at $10 a month. It’s not unlimited movies like MoviePass, yet you are able to see 2D 3D and IMAX movies. And from what I can tell you’re able to reserve your seat ahead of time unlike MoviePass which requires you to be near the theater.
Keep up the good work guys
Your boss
– Pete
Links