Does WBD’s David Zazlav finally get it? Will the value of the letters H-B-O mean something again instead of being pushed aside by Shark Week and Magnolia Network? I will forever declare that HBO deserves more than just being a Hub on Max. To some, the latest move by the company just looks like shuffling around with the branding of content. But what it does is begin to uplift HBO to its proper status on the streamer.
Simply, what they have done is changed the branding of upcoming shows from “Max Original’, which, let’s be honest, means very little, to “HBO Original” which earmarks it as a work of high quality. HBO has always been known for that and with all the acclaim & honors shows under that brand have continued to obtain it’s clear that HBO hasn’t lost that distinction WBD needs to cash in on that. Whatever happens to Max in this ever-evolving Streaming War, HBO needs to come out on top.
The branding realignment, as I’m sure you’ve heard, makes the HARRY POTTER Series, WELCOME TO DERRY (the IT prequel series) LANTERNS, and just recently, THE PENGUIN and DUNE: PROPHECY all will be HBO Originals now. What that means is that these series will get double exposure by landing on Max but also airing on the HBO premium channel. Offering more ways to watch the content in-house without letting them slide over to Netflix or elsewhere is a good move.
Here is something important to keep in mind though, to ensure the HBO brand name is not diluted anymore than it already is by being bunched together with 90-Day Fiancee and Chopped, and that is that not just any title should be branded as an “HBO Original” going forward. The show has to deserve that heading before the title; that title has to show the extreme care that will mark it as a show of high quality. Some shows will just have to settle for “Max Original.” Note though that a number of those shows under Zaslav are already gone. All of the following canceled titles were Max Originals: THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT (after two seasons), RAP SH!T (after two seasons), JULIA (after two seasons), TOKYO VICE (after two seasons), OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH (after two seasons), THE GIRLS ON THE BUS (after one season) and SCAVENGERS REIGN (after one season).
Casey Bloys, CEO of HBO & Max content, did offer up good reasoning behind the rebranding as it relates to the shows underway. He stated, “We felt like we had to delineate between an HBO show and a Max show. The idea of using Warner Bros. IP as a delineation for Max felt right. At least that gives you a clear lane. But as we started producing those shows, we used the same methods and the same kind of thinking as how we would approach HBO shows. In a lot of cases, the same talent that has worked on HBO shows.” So, if you are pumping the kind of attention to quality into the shows and they clearly are works, like THE PENGUIN appears to be, that can hold up under the “HBO Original” moniker then just make it so. It hopefully means good news for HBO and HBOWatch. I’m sitting in my Home Box Office, are you?
