KCRW's The Spin-Off: Netflix Domination, Emmys Overload, and Another Writers' Strike?

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, Joe and I were joined by CNN's Sandra Gonzalez, and we discussed the potential writers' strike, among other things:

It's not news anymore that Netflix is a huge player in the scripted drama space. But now they've also got movies, stand-up specials, children's shows, sitcoms and reality TV. In their quest to become the go-to for everything, what happens to the traditional networks left in their wake? The Spin-off crew talks about Netflix's growth, how they're paying for talent, and what other networks can do to keep up.

Plus, if you're noticing a lot of prestige dramas premiering right about now, it's not coincidence. Everyone is trying to get their show on the air in the time frame right before Emmy voting starts. With Game of Thrones out of the running for best drama this year because of timing, the field is wide open for the first time in years.

And finally, there's talk of another writers' strike, but what's the likelihood of actually happening? People who have been in the industry a while are still scarred from the last strike. In the event of a strike, the late night shows would be the first to suffer, and that would be a shame since they've been on such a roll lately.

Listen below!

KCRW's The Spin-Off: Stephen Colbert on a Hot Streak; Pilot Season by the Numbers

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, Joe and I were joined by The Hollywood Reporter's Lesley Goldberg, and we discussed, Stephen Colbert's ratings surge, among other things:

The first episode of the The Good Fight --the spin-off of The Good Wife -- aired on CBS to more than seven million viewers, but how many people of those people will make the jump to CBS All Access to stay with the show? And in other CBS ratings news, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has been beating Jimmy Fallon and the Tonight Show for three weeks in a row. It feels like a revolutionary moment for Colbert in his current job -- for months people said he hadn't quite found his footing, but now he's in his groove, thanks in large part to his response to Donald Trump. Then, Lesley Goldberg takes us on a tour through this year's pilot season. Overall series orders are down, which makes more economic sense, but there's still a lot of overlap in show topics. If you were thinking about making a military drama or sibling comedy, maybe hold off -- the market is saturated with those this year.

Listen below!

KCRW's The Spin-Off: TV in the Age of Trump and Media Trends of 2017

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, Joe and I were joined by Vulture's Maria Elena Fernandez, and we discussed, well, what else? TV under Trump.

In our first episode recorded under President Trump, the Spin-off crew looks at the ways Trump and the world of television are colliding. In addition to his obsession with ratings, on the creative side of things, we're already seeing showrunners offer their take on Trump, and there will be more to come, especially in the world of comedy. And, the year ahead will see the continuing evolution of streaming television, starting will CBS All Access getting their big scripted original push next month with ‘The Good Fight.' Plus, will Viacom be able to revive any of their troubled properties? Comedy Central may face less of a battle than MTV.

Listen below!

KCRW's The Spin-Off: Sterling K. Brown & Brian Tyree Henry on Their Breakout Year

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, I sat down with two best friends who also just happened to have the breakout year of their careers: "The People vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story"/"This Is Us" star Sterling K. Brown, and "Atlanta" star Bryan Tyree Henry.

Actors Sterling K. Brown and Brian Tyree Henry first met a decade ago in New York, when they were both playing drag queens in a play by Tarell Alvin McCraney. Since then, they've been friends and cheerleaders of each other's careers.

This past year was huge for both of them. Broadway alum Henry landed the part of Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles on Donald Glover's FX show Atlanta. He also had a role on HBO's Vice Principals. Previously known for his work on Supernatural and Army Wives, Brown won an Emmy for his portrayal of Chris Darden on FX's ‘The People vs. O.J. Simpson' and currently plays Randall Pearson on NBC's new hit family drama This Is Us.

In this episode of The Spin-off, recorded on the eve of the Golden Globes (where both of their shows were nominated), Henry and Brown join Michael Schneider for a candid conversation about what 2016 has meant for them, both in terms of their careers, as well as their approach to life overall. They talk about their enduring friendship, why their support for each other has meant so much, occasionally auditioning for the same role (like Darden!) and what they view as the role of an artist under a Trump presidency.

Listen below!

KCRW's The Spin-Off: The Year in TV, and Debating the Usefulness of TCA Press Tour

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, Joe and I were joined by Variety's Oriana Schwindt, and we discussed the big TV stories of the year -- plus previewed the upcoming Television Critics Association press tour:

Earlier this month, four out of the five broadcast networks (ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox) announced they would not be holding executive panels at January's upcoming Television Critics Association press tour. Fox later backtracked and said they would be there after all. The Spin-off crew discusses the utility of the TCA press tours in the age of Twitter, and whether it matters that outlets like Netflix and Amazon are skipping it all together.

Then, we dive into the sliding ratings of this season of The Walking Dead, as well as other shows that experienced a year-end dip. Finally, a year-end Download where we look ahead to 2017, give a shout-out to some of our favorite holiday episodes from across the decades, and pour one out for the TV moms and dads we lost this year, including Growing Pains' Alan Thicke.

Listen below!

KCRW's The Spin-Off: Drew Carey and Wayne Brady Talk Game Shows and More

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, it's the audio from a recent Paley Center panel I conducted with "The Price Is Right" host Drew Carey, "Let's Make a Deal" host Wayne Brady, and their producers:

The people behind two of daytime TV's most iconic game shows, The Price Is Right and Let's Make a Deal, share some of their most memorable moments and tell us how they ended up working on the shows in the first place. Both Drew Carey and Wayne Brady say they weren't actually interested in hosting a game show, but now, they say, they've come to love the job. Michael Schneider talks to Carey and Brady, as well as executive producers Mike Richards (who we learn was actually the number-two choice to host The Price is Right after Drew Carey) and Dan Funk. This conversation was recorded as part of the Paley Center for Media's exhibit CBS Daytime #1 for 30 Years.

Listen below!



or watch it here:

KCRW's The Spin Off: Post-Election, Post-Fall and Post-"Gilmore Girls"

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, Joe Adalian and I are joined by The Hollywood Reporter's Dan Fienberg to talk about the hot TV topics of the moment: Post-election coverage, fall TV winners and losers, and Netflix's "Gilmore Girls" revival:

Following the election, The Spin-off crew talks about the role television played in the run-up to the vote, from cable news to late night. In terms of ratings, Fox News is still doing very well post-election, but it's possible that MSNBC will get a boost when progressive viewers come out of hibernation and are ready to start watching the news again. We also contemplate what we could be seeing creatively on the TV development side under a Trump Presidency.

Also, NFL ratings have been down all year, but did return the week immediately following the election. We break down some of the various factors influencing the football ratings ups and downs.

Plus, Dan Fienberg tells us why, unlike many reboots and remakes, the Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life actually has a reason to exist. He says while it's not perfect, fans will be happy to be able to spend their Thanksgiving weekends back in Stars Hollow, via Netflix.

Listen below!

KCRW's The Spin-Off: Married Showrunners Marc Guggenheim and Tara Butters on Writing, TV and Their Unique Relationship

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, I talk to married showrunners Marc Guggenheim ("Arrow," "DC's Legends of Tomorrow") and Tara Butters ("Agent Carter," "Reaper") about what makes them tick:

Television writer-producers Tara Butters and Marc Guggenheim have been married almost 12 years. When they first met, they were both writers, and while they still continue to write, at this point, they're also each produced and overseen a couple of shows.

In this episode of The Spin-off, they tell Michael Schneider about their respective careers, how they once ended up working for rival superhero universes (Butters produced Marvel's Agent Carter and Guggenheim is a co-showrunner for DC's Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow), and what they've learned from parenting that has helped them in their jobs.

Listen below!

KCRW's THE SPIN-OFF: Creativity Abounds in Fall TV, and Analyzing Debate Ratings

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, Joe and I were joined by Vulture's Jen Chaney, and we talked about the highs and lows of the new fall TV season so far... plus our instant analysis of the first presidential debate:

As the new fall TV season kicks into gear, there's a pleasantly surprising number of shows that look like they could have long-term potential. There are already a lot of new shows to love in broadcast (The Good Place, Speechless, This is Us), cable (Better Things, Atlanta, High Maintenance) and streaming (Fleabag, One Mississippi). Some shows like Pitch and Son of Zorn, both on Fox, show potential, but may need a little more time to find an audience.

On the other side of the spectrum, Kevin Can Wait on CBS feels like a dated sitcom beamed in from 20 years ago. Plenty of people are watching it now, but will that audience keep coming back to be faced with the same tired tropes? And Notorious on ABC may be not long for this world.

We also talk about the ratings for the first presidential debate. They were indeed record-breaking in terms of raw numbers, but in terms of the percentage of households that watched, older debates like Kennedy and Nixon still got a high tune-in rate percentage-wise. As the debates continue this fall, several late night shows are using them as an opportunity to do their shows live, which so far, is working out better in some cases than in others.

Listen below!

KCRW's The Spin-Off: Comic-Con, TCA and Always Be Marketing (LISTEN!)

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, Joe and I were joined by TV Guide Magazine's Marisa Roffman, and we talked about the just-finished Comic-Con and the upcoming Television Critics Association press tour:

Michael Schneider and Marisa Roffman have been to Comic-Con many times before, but this year managed to elicit some moments of actual emotion and surprise, including when it was announced that it would be the final season for Vampire Diaries, and when we learned Rihanna would be cast in a crucial role for the final season of Bates Motel.

Compared to last year, Roffman says it felt like there was more news to actually announce, but scheduling issues still prove problematic for the ever-growing fest.

In terms of what's coming up at the Television Critics Association, there are high hopes for HBO's Westworld, but over at the broadcast networks, the fall pilots have not inspired much confidence.

And Joe Adalian breaks down a recent article he wrote about how TV marketers are having to be more creative and more relentless when promoting their shows, due to the continuing evolution of the way people watch television.

Plus, summer TV! What's working? Game shows. What's not? Everything else.

Listen below!

KCRW's The Spin-Off: Sony's Steve Mosko Gives His Exit Interview

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, we've repurposed my recent Paley Center chat with outgoing Sony TV boss Steve Mosko:

In this bonus edition of The Spin-off, we're bringing you a conversation with Steve Mosko, who until about a month ago was the chairman of Sony Pictures Television--the production studio behind a wide range of shows--including Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Community, The Goldbergs, Shark Tank, and TV stalwarts Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy.

Mosko had been president of Sony Pictures Television since 2001, and chairman since October 2015. He’d been at the studio in some form or another since 1992, so when he announced his departure in early June, it was a surprise to most people in the industry.

As we’ve talked about on this podcast before--more and more, broadcast networks like ABC, NBC and CBS want to produce and distribute their own shows. Since Sony doesn’t have its own broadcast network, Mosko had the difficult job of getting other networks--and cable and streaming outlets--to buy his studio’s shows. He succeeded, but as was revealed in the Sony email hack, and as you’ll hear in this conversation, he felt the TV side of Sony was frequently overshadowed by film business.

Michael Schneider recently sat down with Mosko at the Paley Center to talk about his long career in television. It was a conversation that had been on the books for weeks, but when Mosko suddenly announced his departure the day before the scheduled interview, Schneider wasn’t sure the former chairman would want to go through with it. But Mosko was still game.

Listen below!



and you can watch the chat here:

KCRW's The Spin-Off: Drama Problems at HBO, Which New Shows Will Score Emmy Noms?

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, Joe and I were joined by TVLine's Vlada Gelman, and we touched on some hot TV topics of the moment:

HBO has a problem with dramas--or lack thereof. Game of Thrones is still a massive hit, but that’s the only show the network has going for it right now, and it just wrapped up a sixth season.

Earlier in the year, HBO announced they’d renew Vinyl for a second season, even though the initial numbers were not great and critics’ reviews were mixed. But since then, there’s been a changing of the guard at HBO and we just learned a second season is now a no-go.

They’ve got the highly anticipated Westworld debuting in the fall, but that production has been plagued with problems and the premiere pushed back multiple times. However, HBO has endured dry spells before, and they’ve still having great success with comedies like Silicon Valley and Veep.

And on the Emmy front, the first nominating window has officially closed, so we’re waiting to see who made the list of nominees.

The Television Academy is known for nominating perennial favorites, and in the drama category this year, there’s not a ton of opportunity for new shows to break through. Lots of people would like to see The Americans or Mr. Robot to be recognized, but there may not be room for both.

The best comedy actress category is another one filled to the brim with opportunity. The question remains as to how far the Academy is willing to reach outside the tried and true.

Listen below!

KCRW's The Spin-Off: "Fargo" Creator Noah Hawley Has Too Much To Do

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, Joe and I talk to "Fargo's" Noah Hawley about his busy schedule:

Noah Hawley calls himself a “20 year overnight success.” The busy writer-producer is also a novelist, whose most recent book, Before the Fall, will also be adapted as a screenplay for Sony, written by Hawley himself.

Hawley joins us to talk about the difference between writing for film and television, reflects on his career in the TV industry and tells us why he has no plans to ever going back to working on a broadcast network.

Now he's got a deal with FX and several projects in the pipeline there. He shares what he can about the upcoming X-Men series, Legion, and season three of Fargo.

Listen below!

KCRW's The Spin-Off: "The Carmichael Show's" Jerrod Carmichael Breaks New Ground

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, Joe and I talk to "The Carmichael Show's" Jerrod Carmichael about his groundbreaking show:

For a minute there, the world didn't know if The Carmichael Show would live to see another season. Jerrod Carmichael, the creator and star of the show, tells us what was behind the delay of the announcement of Season 3, and why he wasn't happy with NBC's initial offer of 10 episodes. The show will indeed come back, and while we don't know the date yet, there will be 13 episodes, which is the number Carmichael was hoping for.

Carmichael takes us through the rigorous schedule of shooting live -- each episode gets performed twice in front an audience, and shares why he elected to go the old school route of having a comedy on a broadcast network instead of going to Amazon or Netflix.

The Carmichael Show has grabbed attention for its fearlessness in addressing tricky topics -- everything from depression to pornography addiction to current issues from the headlines like Bill Cosby and Donald Trump. Carmichael tells us why he wants to go there, and how a multi-cam sitcom can sometimes be the perfect medium for breaking down a complicated issue.

Listen below!

KCRW's The Spin-Off: Recapping the Broadcast Network 2016 Upfronts

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, Joe and I are joined by the Hollywood Reporter's Dan Fienberg to talk about the network upfronts:

The network television upfronts are an annual ritual in New York where the broadcast networks present new and upcoming shows to advertisers. Even though the TV landscape is changing, the broadcasts networks are still by far the biggest game in town, and this year's upfronts were predicted to do about $9 billion worth of business.

In this episode, we share what looks like the high and low points of the coming TV season and if networks giving up some of their cable envy and embracing being big and broad is a good thing.

Then, Spin-off host Joe Adalian recently published a long read that's a look inside the business of "Peak TV." The landscape is growing in a way we haven't seen in years, which means it's easier to find work, but harder to get really rich, since the money is being more spread around.

We also talk about Michael Lombardo's recent departure from HBO and what it means for the cable network that's been struggling in the drama department recently. But don't freak out -- the network still rules comedy and has overcome drama dry spells before.

Listen below!

KCRW's The Spin-Off: "Veep" Stars Matt Walsh and Timothy Simons

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, Joe and I chat with "Veep" stars Matt Walsh and Timothy Simons about the Emmy-winning comedy:

Since starring in Veep on HBO, Timothy Simons and Matt Walsh have found themselves having to think before they tweet. The two actors tell us how their own take on politics has changed since they started working on the show, and Simons explains how he accidentally got roped into endorsing a political candidate because of the show.

Walsh and Simons also share how the show has evolved over the years. Season 5 brought some big changes--filming moved from Baltimore to Los Angeles and they were working with a new showrunner. They explain how scenes may change from an initial table read to the final cut, and how having Trump in the real-life race expands the options for possible gaffes in future seasons of the show.

Listen below!

THE SPIN-OFF: "The Late Late Show with James Corden" Executive Producer on Carpool Karaoke and Conquering the U.S. in Year One

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, Joe and I chat with "The Late Late Show with James Corden" executive producer Ben Winston about the late-night show's tremendous first year:

Ben Winston's career in television can be traced back to one specific moment when his sister pushed him to take an unpaid, far-away TV internship over a cushy sports management job.

Now the executive producer of The Late, Late Show with James Corden on CBS, Winston takes us through his career, from first meeting Corden years ago to directing a documentary to working with One Direction and Simon Cowell.

He also reflects on the first year of The Late, Late Show, tells us why YouTube numbers matter for a late night show, and gives us his dream list of future Carpool Karaoke singers (which, sadly, included Prince).

Listen below!

KCRW's The Spin-Off: "Empire" and "Masters of Sex" Showrunners Share Their TV Secrets

On the latest special edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, we run my NATPE chat with "Empire" executive producer Ileane Chaiken and "Masters of Sex" executive producer Michelle Ashford:

Chaiken created the Showtime drama The L Word. Now she is a writer and executive producer on the Fox mega-hit Empire. The hip hop soap opera about the Lyons family and their record label recently came roaring back with a ratings bang.

Ashford is also a television writer and executive producer. She developed the Showtime drama Masters of Sex, which returns for its fourth season later this year.

These are only their most recent projects -- both women have worked in television for more than 20 years. So when we sat down at NATPE we started...where else? At the beginning.

Listen below!

KCRW's The Spin-Off: Primetime Ratings Are Down, but Donald Trump is Up (LISTEN NOW!)

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, Mashable's Sandra Gonzalez joins Joe and me for a lively conversation about what's new in the TV biz:

We take a look at some of the numbers from this television season -- it's no surprise that that ratings are down, but it's interesting to see which shows are losing viewers the fastest. Newer shows, even big ones, are having a tougher time holding on to an audience, while older shows seem to have stabilized.

Then we talk about a place where ratings are way, way up -- that would be any network broadcasting a GOP debate. In their combined years of covering television, no one on The Spin-off has ever seen anything quite like the media's reaction to Donald Trump. We discuss why that is, and when and if the networks ever have a responsibility to pull the cord on a public figure, even when they're doing wonders for the ratings.

Listen below!

KCRW's The Spin-Off: Fox's Dana Walden and Gary Newman on "The X-Files," Pilot Season, Ratings, and the Future of Broadcast

On the latest special edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, we share a conversation I had with Fox Television Group chairmen Dana Walden and Gary Newman in January. My pal Diane Gordon covered the chat for Paley; check out her Storify round up here.


Fox Television Group CEOs Gary Newman and Dana Walden speak with moderator TV Guide Magazine's Michael Schneider at The Paley Center for Media presents Dana Walden and Gary Newman In Conversation at The Paley Center for Media on January 28, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Paley Center) Details:

Michael Schneider sat down with the chairmen-CEO's of Fox, Gary Newman and Dana Walden at a recent Paley Center event for the Paley Media Council.

Their wide-ranging conversation covers everything from The X-Files' reboot to Scream Queens to "Peak TV" to pilot season to why Netflix and other streaming outlets have become both a blessing and a curse. You can watch their entire conversation here.

Listen below!