It looks very unlikely that Lovefilm and Xbox will follow Netflix to allow viewers of their streaming services to watch whole series of TV shows at once.
Amazon and Microsoft executives told industry TV publication Digital TV Europe that they have “serious reservations” over releasing an entire series at once.
Both Amazon Studios and Xbox Entertainment Studios are about to release pilot programmes and series through their respective video streaming services later this year, but Xbox Entertainment Studios president Nancy Tellem said catch-up may be suitable for binge viewing, but not for other types of delivery.
Read Recombu Digital’s guides to Lovefilm and Netflix“I think with some projects, and as we develop content associated with games or with events, it might not be the optimal opportunity [for us] to focus on binge,” she Tellem, who is also the former president of US TV network CBS.
Amazon Studios director Roy Price said that showing episodes in regular instalments was a good way of building anticipation and allows series to be launched earlier while still shooting. Price said there could be a compromise position.
“That may be episode one, or one through three, and then release the others as they become available. One may be too few and thirteen may be more than enough,” he said.
Amazon and Lovefilm picked up five comedy and children’s TV shows to graduate to full seasons a month after putting 14 pilot episodes online for free.
Alpha House, starring John Goodman, and Silicon Valley startup story Betas, won the comedy commissions alongside kids’ shows Annebots, Creative Galaxy and Tumbleaf.
A live action series of Halo is being worked on by Xbox Studios with Steven Spielberg as executive producer.
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