Netflix and Kill

Talk to any television aficionado, and they’ll inevitably tell you that we are in a Golden Age of small-screen programming.

Narrow it down to drama, and there’s a strong argument that the medium has never seen better shows than in the past two decades.

HBO pioneered this trend in the late 90s with “The Sopranos.” They ruled high-caliber television with “The Wire” and “Deadwood” — and today, with “Game of Thrones.”

In 2011, it all changed when Netflix got into the original-content business. They charged full-speed ahead, and their efforts have paid dividends in addition to having accolades and awards to their credit.

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Yet, there is a distinctly darker tone to Netflix’s dramatic entries, even in comparison to some of HBO’s fare. Which leaves many wondering: Why is Netflix original content trending darker, and how in the heck are they getting away with the unprecedented brutality featured on these shows?

Out with the Old, In with the New
Netflix started acquiring original shows out of necessity. The costs of bringing in established TV shows have become increasingly expensive to license since the dawn of streaming services. Netflix began to settle into an older back catalog for financial reasons.

Related: Bye TV Cord, Hello Streaming

They eventually realized that they could produce original shows for the price of obtaining the rights to established programming, especially since they wouldn’t need to continually renew the license. With this new strategy, Netflix picked up Scandinavian venture “Lillyhammer,” Eli Roth’s “Hemlock Grove” and British remake “House of Cards.” The first two shows did well, but their course changed forever when “House of Cards” knocked it out of the park.

An Entirely New Standard
Netflix went on to maximize every advantage at their disposal. Whereas HBO relies on subscriber numbers, and networks guesstimate their reach through services like Nielsen, Netflix has the most direct access to the traffic they generate. They have the ability to evaluate traffic by demographic and study subscribers’ patterns of consumption.

That’s why Netflix has such a precise strategy. They can determine with confidence the number of episodes it takes the average subscriber to commit to a binge of any given show.

Netflix can determine with confidence the number of episodes it takes the average subscriber to commit to a binge of any given show.

Unlike broadcast and cable channels, Netflix doesn’t have to answer to advertisers. Since all their income is from subscribers, they are the only ones they need to please. This affords them the option to offer content creators unprecedented freedom to design a show to the subscribers’ desires.

One example of this is how “House of Cards” came to Netflix. In an interview with Leo Laporte, producer Dana Brunetti explained that it wasn’t originally supposed to be a streaming venture. He fully expected the show to be announced in the next few days as going to a more traditional channel.

Netflix came in with an eleventh hour offer to try something on an entirely new platform with more money and more creative control than they’d ever get going the traditional route. After a brief conversation, it became clear to the show runners that Netflix was the obvious choice.

Building an Empire
With the groundwork paved, Netflix is on a fast track. With precise subscriber data, the net they have cast is wide but accurate. Their content hits home in a way cable shows have struggled to do. Parents will swear by the shows their kids won’t stop watching. Comedy fans are treated to innovative sitcoms as well as a staggering list of stand-up specials. Documentary buffs are thrilled with the HBO and 30 for 30 caliber films they can take in.

All the attention and accolades, though, are still centered around their drama offerings.

Look at any list of the greatest dramas of all time, and the trend shows the most highly regarded programs also tackle some of the darkest themes. Chalk it up to schadenfreude or simply curiosity, humans are deeply intrigued by the dark side of the human soul. All that matters to content creators and distributors is that it brings in eyeballs. If dark content invites committed subscribers, Netflix is willing to push the envelope in that direction.

If dark content invites committed subscribers, Netflix is willing to push the envelope in that direction.

Netflix also has one more ace up their sleeve when it comes to more adult content. Where traditional channels and even premium ones like Showtime and HBO have to follow certain FCC guidelines about what is permitted during certain times of the day, Netflix is purely on-demand streaming, so those rules don’t apply in the slightest.

What keeps Netflix out of trouble is the fact that they’re committed to delivering high-quality content. That the themes tend to be dark is immaterial to executives. Even the lightest of their drama offerings, “Orange Is the New Black,” has very disturbing themes among its episodes.

Instead of going for the happy superheroes, they partnered with Marvel to tell gritty street level stories. “Daredevil” may have been a high watermark for crime drama in the superhero universe, but the newly released “Jessica Jones” is a psychological tear that makes the themes of “Daredevil” feel like “White Christmas.” It’s also based on what is widely regarded as one of the best comic stories of the past decade. Even when a show is critically unsuccessful, like “Marco Polo,” Netflix is still praised for taking a risk. The fantastic production value still ensures customer satisfaction.

The success of Netflix’s Original shows and films will ensure even darker and more provocative content in the future. It also bolsters the company’s bottom line, which gives them access to more traditional shows, as evidenced by the recent acquisition of the entire run of “Friends” at an astonishing $500,000 per episode. Amazon’s move in this direction is a response to the trail that Netflix blazed so well.

In a sense, it’s democracy in action. As long as subscribers stay tuned, Netflix will keep making gains.