Nielsen on "Avatar 2" / Most expensive TV shows / "The Witcher" dips in S3 / Netflix follows Andreeva at Wimbledon

Plus the weekend calendar, "Black Lady Sketch Show" canceled, "Reservation Dogs" S3 trailer, and more

Inside Streaming For July 07, 2023

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Happy Friday! Today's chart is a fascinating one, looking at how TV budgets have spiraled increasingly out of control during the Peak TV/Streaming era. Whereas $10 million an episode was once as costly as shows could get -- and even then, only on a wildly popular series whose cast had all become mega-stars -- today's fantasy and sci-fi epics regularly exceed that benchmark in their first seasons. And that's without big-money network advertising to help foot the bill. It's likely an untenable situation, and a big part of the reason we're seeing so much "belt-tightening" and austerity across the streaming industry, now that the digital ad market has dropped out and investors have grown more cautious. Enjoy today's issue and we'll see you back here next week! Thanks for reading. Lon p/lon-harris

1 In its first week on subscription streaming platforms, between June 5 and 11, James Cameron's sci-fi sequel "Avatar: The Way of Water" was viewed for around 1.9 billion minutes. The movie streams on both the Disney+ and Max platforms in the US. More: According to Nielsen, the film was particularly popular with younger audiences; 75% of the first week viewers were under 50, and 50% were under age 35. The "Avatar" sequel is the third highest-grossing film of all time, taking in $2.3 billion at the global box office; only the original "Avatar" and "Avengers: Endgame" have bested its total. The fourth and final season of Netflix's "Never Have I Ever" also made a strong debut in early June, pulling 917 million minutes of viewership; that made it the #4 most-watched streaming series for the entire week.

2 Peak TV is Expensive: Checking out Collider's list of the most expensive TV shows ever produced, one immediate thing that stands out is how recent most of the shows are. While beloved '90s sitcom "Friends" ran $10 million an episode by its finale -- boosted largely by the paychecks of its main ensemble of six breakout stars -- it's the only series produced in the 20th Century to make the list. And for a key indicator of how large TV budgets have grown just over the streaming era, compare "Game of Thrones" to "House of the Dragon." While the original HBO series cost $15 million per episode at its height, the streaming prequel ran $20 million per episode in its first season. (Season 1 "Game of Thrones" episodes were budgeted between $5-$6 million, according to CNBC.) Reining In the Costs: We may, at this point, have now seen this trend reach its zenith, with TV budgets about to decline sharply. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy will reportedly reconsider the company's massive spending on Prime Video originals, which have yet to deliver a commensurate level of audience engagement and interest. Amazon's "Lord of the Rings" prequel series not only holds the #1 spot on the chart, with an enormous budget of $58 million per episode, but their recent globe-trotting spy thriller series "Citadel" also ties "House of the Dragon" for 4th place, despite failing to reach the Nielsen Top 10 even once during its initial run.

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3 WEEKEND CALENDAR FRIDAY, JULY 7 THE OUT-LAWS: 2023 action-comedy, starring Adam DeVine as a bank manager who comes to suspect that his future in-laws (Pierce Brosnan and Ellen Barkin) are the criminal duo who recently robbed his branch. Nina Dobrev, Lil Rel Howery, and Michael Rooker co-star; Tyler Spindel ("The Wrong Missy") directed. [Netflix] HACK MY HOME: Debut renovation reality series in which four experts help families reimagine their homes in clever and innovative ways, to give them more space to spread out and move around. The team includes innovator Brooks Atwood, construction expert Ati Williams, engineer Jessica Banks, and designer Mikel Welch. [Netflix] FATAL SEDUCTION: Debut erotic thriller series from South African creator Steven Pillemer ("The Brave Ones"). After a married woman's weekend fling ends in tragedy, she begins to question whether or not she can trust the people in her inner circle. Kgomotso Christopher, Prince Grootboom and Thapelo Mokoena co-star. [Netflix] SEASONS: Romantic comedy-drama feature from The Philippines, about two platonic best friends who finally consider hooking up with one another after a string of failed relationships. Lovi Poe co-wrote the script and co-stars alongside Carlo Aquino. [Netflix] THE HORROR OF DOLORES ROACH: Limited horror comedy series, based on the Gimlet Media podcast and loosely inspired by "Sweeney Todd." The story centers on Dolores (Justine Machado), a recently-released ex-convict who returns to her old neighborhood and begins selling empanadas with unconventional ingredients. Alejandro Hernandez, K. Todd Freeman, Kita Updike, and Ilan Eskenazi co-star. Original podcast creator Aaron Mark co-created and wrote for the series. [Amazon] LOS INICIADOS: Spanish-language sci-fi crime drama film from Colombia, based on characters from the books of author Mario Mendoza. The film is set in a dystopian future Bogota in which fresh water has become a rare and highly-valuable commodity, and centers on a crime reporter (Andrés Parra) who uncovers a vast conspiracy. [Amazon] RARE OBJECTS: 2023 indie drama from co-writer and director Katie Holmes, starring Julia Mayorga as a young woman with a traumatic past who restarts her life by taking a job at an antique store. Holmes, Saundra Santiago, Candy Buckley, Derek Luke, and Alan Cumming co-star. [AMC+] MY ADVENTURES WITH SUPERMAN: Debut superhero prequel series from DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation, following Superman (Jack Quaid) as he first establishes his "reporter Clark Kent" identity and Lois Lane (Alice Lee) on her journey to becoming a star reporter. Ishmel Sahid co-stars as young Jimmy Olsen. New episodes debut Thursdays on Adult Swim and hit Max the following day. [Max] ED STAFFORD: FIRST MAN OUT: In the reality competition series, adventurer Ed Stafford challenges other survivalists to navigate and escape some of the world's most hostile environments, in an attempt to become the "first man out." The show's third season debuted on cable earlier this year; the first batch of episodes hit Max this weekend. [Max] THE PLOT THICKENS: "Documentary podcast" from TCM exploring the history of movies and the people who make them. The show's fourth season features legendary actor Pam Grier relating her life story in her own words. [Max] WANTED: MILLIONAIRE (SE BUSCA MILLONARIO): Three-episode docuseries from Spain tracing the strange case of a winning lottery ticket worth 4.7 million euros that appeared -- without an apparent owner -- on the counter of a betting office in 2012. 333 people ultimately claimed the ticket, but none could prove it was originally theirs. The series speaks with many of these supposed new millionaires. [Max] THE ASHLEY MADISON AFFAIR: True-crime docuseries from ABC News about the 2015 data breach of dating website Ashley Madison, which had marketed itself specifically to individuals seeking extramarital affairs, by a group labeling itself "The Impact Team." [Hulu] NIGHT TRAIN: Direct-to-VOD action-thriller starring Danielle C. Ryan as a truck-driving single mom who makes ends meet by running black-market medical supplies. When a bounty is put on her head, she'll have to outrun hired guns and the FBI to keep her son safe. Diora Baird, Joseph D. Reitman, and Ivan Sergei co-star. [Hulu] THE QUIET GIRL: 2022 Irish-language coming-of-age drama from writer/director Colm Bairéad, based on the novella "Foster" by Claire Keegan. The story centers on a shy and reserved nine-year-old (Catherine Clinch) who's sent to spend the summer on a farm with distant relatives in the year 1981. [Hulu] BIG NATE: The animated Nickelodeon series -- based on the best-selling kids' books by writer/illustrator Lincoln Peirce -- returns this weekend for a second season. The story follows precocious Nate and his pals as they navigate junior high in style. Ben Giroux, Dove Cameron, Rob Delaney, and Bryce Charles co-star. [Paramount+] DUCK & GOOSE: The animated kids' series is based on the popular picture books by Tad Hills, and follows the adventures of two very different best friends. Season 2 debuts on Friday. [Apple TV+] THE NEXT BLACK MILLIONAIRES: Six-episode reality series co-produced by Roku and beauty brand Shea Moisture, following the winners of the company's "Next Black Millionaires" entrepreneurial program as they grow their businesses. Dorian Morris of Undefined Beauty, LaToya Sitrrupt of KAZMALEJE, and Neil Hudson of Scotch Boyz co-star. [Roku] CLASSIC DISNEY SHORTS: A collection of classic short films from Walt Disney Animation come to Disney+ this weekend, including 1932's "Building a Building," 1949's "Goofy Gymnastics," and the iconic 1929 Halloween favorite, "The Skeleton Dance." [Disney+] SATURDAY, JULY 8 CAPTURING HOME: On the Magnolia Network home renovation series, designers Amy Neunsinger and Kate Martindale take inspiration from their clients' personal stories and treasured memories to reimagine their living spaces. Season 2 debuts this weekend on Max and cable. [Max] FAMILY LAW: Canadian legal drama series starring Jewel Staite as a recovering alcoholic who accepts a job working at a family law practice with her estranged father (Victor Garber) and half-brother (Zach Smadu). Season 2 debuts Friday night in the US on CW; new episodes hit the website and app on Saturdays. [CW] BLEACH: THOUSAND-YEAR BLOOD WAR: The "Bleach" anime franchise returns with this new adaptation of the manga's "Thousand-Year Blood War" arc. The second half of the show's first season hits Hulu in the US this week. [Hulu] SUNDAY, JULY 9 DOMINA: The historical drama series is set in Ancient Rome, and chronicles the rise to power of Livia Drusilla (Kasia Smutniak), the third wife of Emperor Augustus Caesar. Simon Burke ("Strike Back") created the series; Matthew McNulty, Liah O'Prey, Ben Batt, and Claire Forlani co-star. It's back for a second season. [MGM+] LAST CALL: WHEN A SERIAL KILLER STALKED QUEER NEW YORK: Four-part investigative true-crime documentary from HBO, looking back at the investigation into a serial killer preying on gay men during the height of the AIDS crisis in New York. The series makes the case that media sensationalism, along with biases in the criminal justice system, enabled the violence to continue. [Max] PARANORMAL CAUGHT ON CAMERA: The Travel Channel clip series features a panel of experts looking at and breaking down footage of allegedly paranormal events from around the world. Season 6 debuts this weekend on cable and Max. [Max] GREATEST GEEK YEAR EVER: 1982: Original four-part docuseries looking back on the many classic films that were released in 1982, including "E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial," "Blade Runner," "Poltergeist," and "Blade Runner." The series was funded through pledges on the Kickstarter app. [CW] ZOM 100: BUCKET LIST OF THE DEAD: Debut anime series based on the manga by Haro Aso and Kotaro Takata. As the world gradually succumbs to a zombie apocalypse, a bored office worker uses it as an opportunity to check items off of his "bucket list," fulfilling all of his wildest dreams before dying. Netflix is also working on a live-action adaptation of the same manga. [Hulu]

4 New data from Samba TV indicates that audience interest in Netflix's "The Witcher" franchise has started to wane. The Season 3 premiere, which hit Netflix on June 29, has been viewed by around 1.1 million US households so far; that's a 15% dip from Season 2's performance over the same time period. More: As well, viewership across the first five Season 3 episodes drops noticeably as you go; while 893,000 households stuck around for Episode 2, that number shrinks to 750,000 for Episode 3, 602,000 for Episode 4, and 505,000 for Episode 5, less than half of the premiere's numbers. According to Samba, all 8 Season 2 episodes of "The Witcher" hit 1 million US households in their first week on Netflix. Netflix only released the first five Season 3 episodes in June; the next three debut in August. This is the final "Witcher" season to feature star Henry Cavill as monster hunter Geralt of Rivia; Liam Hemsworth will take over the lead role next year.

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5 Russian tennis pro Mirra Andreeva, one of the players featured on Netflix's "Break Point" docuseries, has reached the third round of Wimbledon. Netflix's cameras captured the action this week as Andreeva took out 10th seed Barbora Krejčíková in a second round match. More: Andreeva's next opponent will be fellow Russian Anastasia Potapova on Saturday. Speaking about the Netflix team that's shadowing her every move, Andreeva said "They're super nice people." Andreeva is the third-youngest player to reach the third round of Wimbledon in the current era, after Kim Clijsters in 1999 and Coco Gauff in 2019.

6 HBO canceled the comedy series "A Black Lady Sketch Show" after four seasons. Season 4 wrapped up its TV run in May. More: The show starred Robin Thede, who also created and executive produced the series, and wrote sketches. Regulars also included Gabrielle Dennis, Ashley Nicole Black, and Skye Townsend. In a statement, HBO said that the show will "leave an indelible legacy not only in sketch, but in television comedy" and looked forward to future collaborations with Thede, who has an overall deal at the network. Thede is currently developing a half-hour comedy series for HBO called "Disengagement."

7 FX dropped a new trailer for the third and final season of the comedy-drama series "Reservation Dogs." The new episodes make their Hulu debut on August 2. More: The series -- from co-creators Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi -- centers on a group of four Indigenous teens living on a reservation in rural Oklahoma. Season 2 found the group taking a once-in-a-lifetime road trip to California; the new season opens with them figuring out how to make it back home. It was showrunner Harjo's decision to wrap up the action after three seasons, telling The Hollywood Reporter that the Season 3 finale "is the perfect SERIES finale."

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Knowledge Hub Term of the Day Digital agency: A digital agency provides specialized services for businesses in digital marketing and advertising, with expertise in areas such as web design. Read More Question of the Week What's your stance on employees discussing their salaries with each other? Join the conversation

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Lon Harris Writer Lon Harris is the writer and editor of Inside Streaming and was the very first person to ever write an Inside newsletter. He lives in Los Angeles, California, and also writes about TV and film for Fandom, Screen Junkies, Rotten Tomatoes, Gamma Ray and others. Plus he has a Game of Thrones podcast called "Casterly Talk" and competes on The Movie Trivia Schmoedown as "The Professor." This newsletter was edited by Eduardo Garcia

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