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The Great Bundle Begins As Hulu, Disney+ And Max Team Up With Streaming Package
Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson star in Doctor Who on Disney+.
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James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios
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Courtesy Disney+
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This week, we bring you a few shows critics are excited about, from the most promising to the most bizarre. Plus, what a newly announced plan to bundle major services could mean for the future of streaming.
Liz Shannon Miller, senior entertainment editor at Consequence, and Danette Chavez, editor-in-chief at Primetimer, joined AirTalk, LAist 89.3’s daily news program to help break things down.
Doctor Who
It's looking promising for the latest iteration of the time-hopping adventurer. The new Doctor is played by Ncuti Gatwa, the first Black actor to step into the role.
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"Russell T. Davies, who is the person who was responsible for the show's original revival in 2005, brings exactly that same joyful spirit back to the show with a new Doctor. And Ncuti Gatwa is so charming and engaged with the character." — Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
When & where: The first two episodes premiere Friday on Disney+. Episodes release weekly.
John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's In LA
What if Netflix gave comedian John Mulaney a bunch of money to do whatever he wanted for six episodes of television? This is what you'd expect to get and it might be reason enough to give him his own talk show. Think about it, Netflix.
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"You've got Fred Armisen roaming the streets of L.A., collecting punk musicians for a panel about what's punk. The first episode featured Jerry Seinfeld and a expert on coyotes being interviewed simultaneously. There's just a really enjoyable spirit of anything is possible." — Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
When & where: The final installment airs live on Netflix at 7 p.m. Friday.
The Asunta Case
Inspired by true events and set in Spain, an investigation soon turns against the parents who reported their 12-year-old daughter. The sleeper series pushes back against popular narratives we often see in films and TV.
“Movies like Orphan, documentaries like Investigation Discovery’s The Curious Case of Natalia Grace. These things all hone in on what's an understandable fear for parents — that there's something wrong with your child. But stories like The Asunta Case point out a much more universal truth — that parents represent a greater threat to their kids.” — Danette Chavez, Primetimer
When & where: Episodes are available on Netflix.
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The future of streaming
Disney and Warner Bros. Discover announced this week that they'll team up to offer a service bundle of Disney+, Hulu and Max. Specifics on pricing have yet to be disclosed, but there will be both ad-free and ad-supported options.
Here are some takeaways from Danette and Liz:
- Companies might want to boost subscriber numbers and this might be a way to make it work.
- These companies are watching how people use their services. This approach could be an attempt to maintain more consistent subscriptions instead of, say, someone joining for a month and then cancelling after they've binged White Lotus.
- The biggest reaction: Are we reverting back toward a cable model? That's raising alarm bells about pricing.
- Streaming services like these have gotten more expensive in recent years. The price point of the bundle will be critical.
Read more from Liz Shannon Miller:
"Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery Announce Disney+/Hulu/Max Mega-Bundle"
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For more show reviews, including Interview With the Vampire, Bodkin and Hollywood Con Queen.
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Listen
• 17:33
TV-Talk: ‘Doctor Who,’ ‘John Mulaney Presents,’ And More
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