Netflix Needs More "Events"

Netflix recently announced that they have lost a significant amount of subscribers. Their plan to battle it? Crackdown on password sharing. Since then Netflix shares have dropped and online forums and columns have been blowing up with many reasons why Netflix is suffering.

These reasons range from the frequent price increases (very valid point, six in eight years is aggressive and excessive), to frequent cancelations of good shows before they find their footing (a major Netflix problem). To the complete lack of quality content (Seems like they greenlight anything). 

Netflix has done a masterful job of producing quality TV series, but when it comes to original films an awful lot is left to be desired. They fell into a trap of trying to create as much original content as possible as film studios created their own streaming services. The problem was they chose quantity over quality in the situation. Some original films are downright horrible.

Look at their recent Netflix is a Joke Festival and what they promoted the most. Stranger Things, Cobra Kai, Grace & Frankie, and Umbrella Academy. All highly successful TV shows that have built the brand.

Reading the different threads, and recently  watching Fear Street something occurred to me. One of Netflixs biggest problems when releasing original films and some of their landmark series, is that they have no "Big event" feel to them.

When the three part Fear Street series released last summer, there was a "epic" feel to it so to speak. People were excited to watch part 1 over July 4th weekend, the movie was good and drew anticipation for the next two parts released in subsequent weeks.

Most of Netflixs movies releases are sandwiched in between other Netflix releases that same day or weekend. As a way to help bring subscribers back, the company should invest in giving viewers that FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) feeling.

Have follow up program after a big movie almost like a behind the scenes series. For example Project Adam (which was very good and 80ish in it's tone). There should have been a BTS series on the influences of the movie. A brief program on the world of the series and how time travel works in the movie universe. Maybe a bigger ad campaign before it released.

When the latest season of Cobra Kai was released. Have the three orignal films werent enough. There should have been even a 10 minute special on what bought creators back to the Karate Kid world. Or better yet a brief special on how Cobra Kai has given the franchise new life, since debuting in 2018.

The second half of the final season of Ozark just debuted. Where is the big hoopla for it? Fans are excited yes, but Netflix seems to just let it fly under the radar. 

Something like that, hell anything to draw excitement for programs would help them out. Even with the Fandom and lore already built in, think about how excited people get when a new Marvel or Star Wars show debuts on Disney plus. It may cost Netflix more to produce these brief blurbs, but the fan loyalty and support I think would outweigh it.

The opportunity is there for Netflix to turn things around. It's in their hands to come up with original content and think outside the box. That big event feel for Netflix original content could go a long way in bringing subscribers back.