CBS Is Right To Make Us Pay For 'Star Trek: Discovery'

[tomalak301]

I'm actually paying the $10.00 month fee for no commercials. One thing that ticks me off is the episodes are only 40 some minutes long. I was hoping they went with a full hour model like some shows do.

This kind of ticked me off too. You're on a streaming service, you can go as long as you want, but they are treating this show like it was still on network TV. If these episodes were 50 minutes to an hour I wouldn't mind, but 40 minutes makes it go really fast.

I also agree with the whole shorter leash comment. If I'm not interested in the show, I'll stop paying. So far though, I am interested in the show, so I'm happy to pay for no commercials, which if I didn't pay, would probably dominate the show.

 

[Vger23]

This kind of ticked me off too. You're on a streaming service, you can go as long as you want, but they are treating this show like it was still on network TV. If these episodes were 50 minutes to an hour I wouldn't mind, but 40 minutes makes it go really fast.

I also agree with the whole shorter leash comment. If I'm not interested in the show, I'll stop paying. So far though, I am interested in the show, so I'm happy to pay for no commercials, which if I didn't pay, would probably dominate the show.

Are all the episodes going to be of that same limited length, or was that just the first 2-parter / prologue?

I thought I had read somewhere that one of the producers had said that episode lengths could vary since they were on streaming, thus allowing them to pace each story appropriately or something like that.

 

[tomalak301]

Are all the episodes going to be of that same limited length, or was that just the first 2-parter / prologue?

I thought I had read somewhere that one of the producers had said that episode lengths could vary since they were on streaming, thus allowing them to pace each story appropriately or something like that.

I hope they are longer, but I expected the second episode to be longer than the first because it was CAA only and it was 2 minutes shorter. That was upsetting.

 

[Vger23]

I hope they are longer, but I expected the second episode to be longer than the first because it was CAA only and it was 2 minutes shorter. That was upsetting.

I totally agree...but I was hoping that since it was an isolated "prologue" story, the first part of which was somewhat constrained by the "network broadcast" plan...that this isn't the plan or format going forward.

I really hope that is the case. A 40-min run time for a streaming show seems pretty weak.

 

[Noname Given]

I totally agree...but I was hoping that since it was an isolated "prologue" story, the first part of which was somewhat constrained by the "network broadcast" plan...that this isn't the plan or format going forward.

I really hope that is the case. A 40-min run time for a streaming show seems pretty weak.

Thewy have said (again using GoT as an example) there will be 'longer' episodes. They are essentially letting the story they want to tell for an episode dictate the length; BUT, I'm also sure to want to (in general) make sure it's the current "60 - 65 minute with commercials' paradigm in general because I;m sure CBS will expect to sell this to SYFY or or some other Cable network for rebroadcast years down the line.

Remember - the Stargate Pilot back in 1997 on Showtime actually had nudity and graphic violence; but one the showrunners settled into the 'normal' routine, Showtime realized they could syndicate the show to regular local TV stations, did so, and made a ton more money from it.

CBS isn't going to make a show in a format not compatible with existing secondary revenue streams. Like many articles mentioned, if you're paying for it on CBSAA mow, it's for the opportunity to see it as soon as it's available. But years down the line, this series (for however many seasons in gets) will be on cable TV in some form ion the U.S. and Internationally at some point years down the line.

 

[tomalak301]

Thewy have said (again using GoT as an example) there will be 'longer' episodes. They are essentially letting the story they want to tell for an episode dictate the length; BUT, I'm also sure to want to (in general) make sure it's the current "60 - 65 minute with commercials' paradigm in general because I;m sure CBS will expect to sell this to SYFY or or some other Cable network for rebroadcast years down the line.

Remember - the Stargate Pilot back in 1997 on Showtime actually had nudity and graphic violence; but one the showrunners settled into the 'normal' routine, Showtime realized they could syndicate the show to regular local TV stations, did so, and made a ton more money from it.

CBS isn't going to make a show in a format not compatible with existing secondary revenue streams. Like many articles mentioned, if you're paying for it on CBSAA mow, it's for the opportunity to see it as soon as it's available. But years down the line, this series (for however many seasons in gets) will be on cable TV in some form ion the U.S. and Internationally at some point years down the line.

But with the model going away from cable and more along the lines of streaming, isn't that kind of like working backwards? What's the point of putting it on streaming if you're setting it up for cable tv anyway.

 

[Mudd]

Are they right?

They are certainly welcome to try.

 

[BillJ]

But with the model going away from cable and more along the lines of streaming, isn't that kind of like working backwards? What's the point of putting it on streaming if you're setting it up for cable tv anyway.

The idea behind streaming is using Star Trek to draw attention to All-Access. But, they are still going to want to makes as much possible further down the road.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I don't really care about the other non-DSC shows that CBS-AA offers, but I do appreciate being able to watch live TV. Haven't had that since I dropped cable. So IMHO, that alone is a bonus.

 

[Zod]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottm...to-make-audiences-pay-for-star-trek-discovery

Feel free to read the article, since he talks about people craving things except the big screen movies that people didn't want (though the ratings numbers suggested otherwise early on and as we're rightly told, we just want to be entertained and all we want are the big explosions and none of that thinky stuff. (Really, read enough articles or watch enough youtube blab and a lot of them either hint at or say it outright, by the piece makers or by audience reaction comments.)

Oh, he also mixes up Trek with Toy Story at the end of a paragraph, which wasn't unexpected...

But all the subscription model implies is that not enough sponsors wanted the thing made, so to compensate they're forcing a paywall model.

As everyone already knows, sponsors pay for commercial time in the show, which helps fund the show. It also leads to higher prices for the products being sold since sponsoring a show isn't charity. (So if you love that brand of car or butter but don't watch the show, under sponsor models you're still paying for it.)

And home video releases like DVDs - does it cost so much just for the disc and artwork creation processes or, for $60/season, but thankfully if the sponsor model ends and everything is subscription or DVD based, prices for everything will come down since there won't be a need for commercials anymore?

I would not have a problem if this were on Netflix. CBS has zero other content for me that I am interested in watching. Then this app makes me pay and adds commercials and 42 minutes or less episodes? With 2.0 sound?

Nobody I know is getting this. They are either pirating it, using a VPN to get it on Netflix or waiting till next year where they will buy one month and watch them all then cancel.

 

[BillJ]

I don't really care about the other non-DSC shows that CBS-AA offers, but I do appreciate being able to watch live TV. Haven't had that since I dropped cable. So IMHO, that alone is a bonus.

Too bad it's CBS!

 

[Amaris]

Too bad it's CBS!

"Big Bang Theory, A Younger version of Big Bang Theory, Military show, cop show, cop show, military show, game shows, and Star Trek. You're watching CBS!"

 

[fireproof78]

CBS is at least one network that has consistent programming I want to watch and so does my wife.

 

[BillJ]

CBS is at least one network that has consistent programming I want to watch and so does my wife.

Since I quit watching the NFL, I honestly can't remember the last thing I watched on CBS.

 

[Amaris]

Since I quit watching the NFL, I honestly can't remember the last thing I watched on CBS.

The Emmys?

 

[BillJ]

The Emmys?

No, I have no interest in awards shows. Probably been years since I've watched anything on CBS.

 

[Borgminister]

That Sherlock Holmes series isn't bad...

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The Emmys?

Local news?

 

[Noname Given]

The last thing I watched regularly on CBS was 'Supergirl' season 1. I have friends who like Hawaii 5-0, NCIS and CSI (I was never much into cop shows although I did watch ADAM-12, DRAGNET, and because my Dad loved it - pol,ice Story growing up.)

But yeah, the CBS network itself hasn't had much to draw my interest beyond that one season of one show (that I now DVR off the CW. (Of course yes, I know CBS has a stake in the CW as well of course so I guess maybe I do like stuff broadcast by CBS corporate.

 

[Philip Guyott]

Just let us in the UK and elsewhere else in the world pay for it through our Netflix subscriptions - which does in fact cover the cost of production, even if you take CBS all access out of the equation.

As a fan of Star Trek I don't mind paying for it. I supported fan productions through crowed funding. Why then would I not pay for the real thing?

Perhaps Star Trek discovery should have its own dedicated streaming service, where you just pay for discovery on its own at a lower cost. A bit like Stargate Origins!