Adam Scott Cast as Lead in Upcoming Apple TV+ Thriller 'Severance'

[Abazigal]

This service is way too costly for them to even make sense as a diversification item. They're paying $1,000,000 (=20,000 yearly paid subscriptions) per episode to well-known actors, and this to multiple actors, on top of production and service expenses. It truly doesn't make any sense.

Let’s look at some simple numbers then.

Assume a budget of 2 billion a year.

Assume each subscriber pays $50 a year.

You are looking at 40 million subscribers to break even.

And this is not including the extra revenue from selling additional streaming services via their TV app (which people now have a reason to use thanks to their own native streaming content).

I am willing to bet that Apple gets enough subscribers to break even within 3 years.

 

[incoherent_1]

I think the hate surrounding ATV+ stems from 2 things:

1. People think that the same employees that are working on future Macs and macOS are being pulled to work on Apple TV shows/films instead. Apple can’t multitask apparently and doesn’t have different divisions within the company. Who knew!

2. People (a vocal minority) who believe because of the failures of Ping, AirPower, HomePod that Apple can’t succeed at this and are fools to think they can compete with HBO, Netflix and Disney. A lot of this group of people have not even watched 1 episode of any of these new shows and also have REALLY high expectations.

That’s it, IMO.

I won’t speak for others, but I think I fall outside either category.

Whenever I think about ATV+ I think about that video they made: “a thousand no’s for every yes.” I just don’t understand why they’re getting into making TV shows.

That’s not to say they can’t compete with Netflix/HBO/Disney. I think Apple is at its best when it’s redefining a product category. I have no use for an iPad but I totally get why it’s a perfect market for Apple: they reshaped the tablet market and genuinely improved people’s lives by giving them a new tool.

I don’t see the same potential for ATV+. There are countless places that can make great TV shows, and ATV+ isn’t changing the way they’re produced or distributed in any novel way. Even if they somehow dominate the streaming market, it’s still basically the same product that 5+ other companies are offering — copying others isn’t where Apple shines.

 

[Regbial]

Wow I didn't know he was a fellow redhead ("Daywalker", if u will).

Also damn, dat hair. 😍

 

[Bin Cook]

Awful actor. Assume he slept with Harvey to get the career he's had.

 

[AngstyKylo]

I really can't get my head around the negativity for Apple TV+, what exactly is the issue here?
If you don't enjoy what's available, then simply don't watch it, it really is that straight forward.

There will be plenty of people who do enjoy the shows and I'm sure it will be very successful for Apple. Good luck to them. People are so quick to put others down...it's pretty sad.

I don't think anyone is too bothered about the programs. They're not especially better or worse than most stuff on Netflix/Amazon, not quite HBO quality, sadly. I think it's more the fact if Apple can afford to splurge billions on ATV+ it's because they've milked their users pretty well, especially to give it away 'free' - most users would happily take $50-$100 off each Apple purchase rather than have ATV+

 

[PickUrPoison]

I don't think anyone is too bothered about the programs. They're not especially better or worse than most stuff on Netflix/Amazon, not quite HBO quality, sadly. I think it's more the fact if Apple can afford to splurge billions on ATV+ it's because they've milked their users pretty well, especially to give it away 'free' - most users would happily take $50-$100 off each Apple purchase rather than have ATV+

There are definitely some posters who are extremely upset with ATV+ content, but that’s to be expected. And $50-100 discounts aren’t the tradeoff for doing ATV, it’s about $10, but I can understand people not wanting to subscribe.

 

[cardfan]

There are definitely some posters who are extremely upset with ATV+ content, but that’s to be expected. And $50-100 discounts aren’t the tradeoff for doing ATV, it’s about $10, but I can understand people not wanting to subscribe.

I think at this point it doesn’t matter. Does anyone really care if this flops for Apple? They’re not hurting. Just enjoy the shows if you can.

And if anyone would buy up stargate and relaunch that. Thanks. BSG? Quantum leap? Heck I’d settle for Sliders. I’ll take a good parallel earths series.

 

[danny842003]

Apple TV+ has been available for a week, hasn't it? Is anyone watching it? Is anyone enjoying it and thinking they should pay for it?

Yes I’ve watched some see and a little morning wars.
See I’ve found to be very good. Morning wars is about what I expected but my wife enjoys it and I understand not everything is aimed me. Whilst morning wars is nonsense it very well made nonsense and better than most of the nonsense she makes me watch.
I don’t think I should be paying for it because they gave me a year free, if you mean will I pay for then at this point it looks likely I will add it to Netflix and Optus sport and have a much better selection of TV than I had with Foxtel for about a quarter of the price.

 

[LizKat]

A “workplace thriller” haha. Honestly have no idea what that could be

No? Try walking into your cube some morning when you happen to show up at 7:30am instead of 9 or 10... and you find a colleague from a different group uninstalling a graphics card from your workstation. Stuff like that can be thrilling.

 

[Baymowe335]

ATV+ = $5B USD annual LOSS until AAPL decides to Kill It !

Hilarious analysis.

 

[PickUrPoison]

Hilarious analysis.

I wonder when this $5B a year is going to start. So far Apple’s reported to be spending up to $5 billion on content, but it’s not clear how much of that has been spent so far.

But even if they already spent the entire $5B, the ATV+ effort is already 2.5 years old, so the burn would be more like $2B or maybe $2.5B a year with other opex.

As few as 50 million subscribers at $50/year and they’re already close to positive cash flow. I really can’t see how it would be possible to lose $5 billion a year; maybe OP can attempt an explanation.

 

[Ar40]

Apple TV+ has been available for a week, hasn't it? Is anyone watching it? Is anyone enjoying it and thinking they should pay for it?

I already paid for a full year based on the strength of the initial crop of shows. Very high quality and top notch content, thus I paid and will most definitely enjoy. Good times, baby!!
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They have billions upon billions upon billions sitting around gathering dust. They might as well do something with all that spare cash lieing around.

I like to think that Apple is choosing to enrich society and our lives by producing prestige top notch content. Choosing to give back to the people instead of hoarding their massive stash of money.

 

[AccenT]

Adam Scott playing Adam Scott.

 

[Valkyre]

Company related show, so be sure to throw a product placement every 30 seconds Apple!

 

[matrix07]

Company related show, so be sure to throw a product placement every 30 seconds Apple!

The office will be full of Mac, iPad and iPhone which in some offices it will be realistic but people will whine anyway. 😉
Forbes and WSJ will count and time every one of them like the fate of the world depends on it. 😀

 

[Mr. Awesome]

If you’ve seen the office you know it’s no thriller

It’s just what I thought of when reading the article.

 

[h4lp m3]

Wow Adam Scott Cast! I can't believe such big name stars are on  TV, I better go out and buy one!
Wait, it's not an actual TV? Little black box? Oh yeah, I got one of those in the closet. Ok hold on... It's now an app now? But there's no TV???