Showtime Re-broadcast of Original Series

[LostInTheMovies]

I mean technically putting it on-demand is "airing" it, isn't it? You're watching it on your TV and it's on Showtime. May just be semantics.

Well, what I was interested in about this idea was that, for those who chose to tune in, it would be a sort of organized watch-through. "Tonight at 9, this episode. Thursday at 9, this one." etc. Nothing to do with wide availability (in fact, a bit more to do with scarcity/limited availability) and everything to do with "same Bat-time, same Bat-place."

I can see why Showtime would decide not to go this route, since it's a bit like playing make-believe: everyone knows they can just go binge on a streaming platform if they feel like it. But I'd imagine some media outlets and viewers would play along and, again, a lot of older viewers don't really take advantage of streaming or even on demand features (I know my folks, in their sixties, have had a Smart TV for a year and still mostly just watch "what's on" because everything else seems too complicated).

Personally, I thought it would be a fun opportunity to create a guided tour through the series for new viewers, a kind of episode guide on steroids posted after each episode re-aired...but frankly I see no point if everything just drops simultaneously on a streaming platform the day after Christmas, and that's it.

Kinda a bummer though, again, I can see why it would seem an old-fashioned way of doing things. Still, Showtime did say they were gonna (and re-assert that later). So I'm still hoping.

[mtwentz]

The big question now- is there any significance to Twin Peaks being available the day after Christmas? Does this mean Season 3 will come sooner rather than later?

[Mr. Reindeer]

It does seem odd that they'd make it available on their streaming service long before re-airing it - wouldn't scarcity maximize their ratings?

Pay cable stations don't care about ratings. They don't have advertisers to appease. Whether you're watching on TV or streaming, you're still paying for a subscription to Showtime.

I'm pretty certain they'll air the episodes on TV as we get close to the new season, but they have no reason to make the show scarce. The platforms they use to make it available, the more chance they'll reach every audience member (and make money off the reruns as well as hyping the new show).

[LostInTheMovies]

It does seem odd that they'd make it available on their streaming service long before re-airing it - wouldn't scarcity maximize their ratings?

Pay cable stations don't care about ratings. They don't have advertisers to appease. Whether you're watching on TV or streaming, you're still paying for a subscription to Showtime.

I'm pretty certain they'll air the episodes on TV as we get close to the new season, but they have no reason to make the show scarce. The platforms they use to make it available, the more chance they'll reach every audience member (and make money off the reruns as well as hyping the new show).

Interesting point. I do hope they re-run them, in order, with a bit of hype surrounding it to drum up enthusiasm/interest (though ofc the lion's share of that will be the new series itself on the horizon). I guess another way of rephrasing it, maybe: why use airtime for that content when they could be running something new instead, and just direct curious viewers to their streaming services instead? I hope I'm wrong and you're right. And you probably are - I don't currently subscribe to Showtime and am not at all familiar with their programming practices. Fingers crossed.

[mtwentz]

It does seem odd that they'd make it available on their streaming service long before re-airing it - wouldn't scarcity maximize their ratings?

Pay cable stations don't care about ratings. They don't have advertisers to appease. Whether you're watching on TV or streaming, you're still paying for a subscription to Showtime.

I'm pretty certain they'll air the episodes on TV as we get close to the new season, but they have no reason to make the show scarce. The platforms they use to make it available, the more chance they'll reach every audience member (and make money off the reruns as well as hyping the new show).

They may not care about ratings, but every hour of every day is valuable- viewers can unsubscribe to Showtime and get another subscription service- so my guess is that they have to carefully balance building momentum for the New Series vs. pissing off people who tuned into to see newer, more premium content, only to see a show from the 1990s.

But I don't know- I've never worked in the industry, so I am not sure how the executives make their calculations.

A good compromise might be to keep the series for just streaming, but actually air Fire Walk With Me.

[adl345]

Most likely they'll re-air the original series in the weeks immediately preceding the new season's premiere. They'll do it not because they're actually expecting many people to watch 25-year old reruns, but because it'll be a good way of promoting the new series. Simply putting it on the schedule will lead be a bunch of "Hey, Showtime's premiering the new season in a few weeks. In the meantime they've scheduled a marathon" articles. Over the past few years, this has become a relatively standard practice for cable networks looking to hype up new seasons of their shows.

[Gabriel]

Most likely they'll re-air the original series in the weeks immediately preceding the new season's premiere. They'll do it not because they're actually expecting many people to watch 25-year old reruns, but because it'll be a good way of promoting the new series. Simply putting it on the schedule will lead be a bunch of "Hey, Showtime's premiering the new season in a few weeks. In the meantime they've scheduled a marathon" articles. Over the past few years, this has become a relatively standard practice for cable networks looking to hype up new seasons of their shows.

All it takes to get people watching is to say there'll be a trailer for the new show airing...

[Mr. Reindeer]

Personally, I thought it would be a fun opportunity to create a guided tour through the series for new viewers, a kind of episode guide on steroids posted after each episode re-aired...but frankly I see no point if everything just drops simultaneously on a streaming platform the day after Christmas, and that's it.

I'm pretty sure I speak for many others on this board when I say that I would love for you to follow through on this, even if there is no traditional "marathon" on Showtime. Your analysis of the show is always terrific, and I'm sure many of us would love to follow along, whether we be first-time viewers or veterans.

For my part, I'm a dates-and-years kinda guy. My "rewatch" plan is to revisit the series (books included) chronologically -- that is, reading most of TSHoTP (skipping the post-series stuff in the mid-section), then MLMT, then TSDoLP, &c., switching back and forth from one text to another as dates dictate, followed by FWWM and then the series. I certainly wouldn't recommend this as a first-time approach to the TP world, since each work is intentionally structured to be enjoyed on its own merits, but I'm excited to experience the show's world this way -- and hopefully build the ultimate TP timeline, contradictions and all. The Access Guide is the biggest wrench in my plans, since it skips all over the place time-wise without much rhyme or reason, but I figure I'll just sprinkle it in throughout my reading of TSHoTP.

[LostInTheMovies]

Love that idea (would be interested to hear you record your impressions as you do so too). I will probably do a catch-all episode guide at some point. For the moment focusing on extensive character studies which I began writing last night with brief blurbs and pictures on a bunch of very minor characters who won't get standalone entries.

[Si78]

Didn't see anyone mention this. Before The Affair last night they re-aired the Michael Horse promo but at the end the title card said 'seasons 1 & 2 - visit sho.com/twinpeaks'. Nothing too new but exciting nonetheless.

[dronerstone]

Do we even know fur sure anymore that there'll be anything but a stream for the old Peaks? Maybe that's it already and the big news will drop after Christmas...

[mtwentz]

Do we even know fur sure anymore that there'll be anything but a stream for the old Peaks? Maybe that's it already and the big news will drop after Christmas...

No we don't.

[dronerstone]

I guess a stream of the old seasons is the best way then - everyone would just stream/download illegally anyway, as the episodes are out there and all over the interwebz.

Just my hypothesis there.

[mtwentz]

I guess a stream of the old seasons is the best way then - everyone would just stream/download illegally anyway, as the episodes are out there and all over the interwebz.

Just my hypothesis there.

As others have pointed out though, there are still a small minority who don't stream.

Either way, I think the new series will be somewhat standalone and will not require that viewers saw the original series.

[Maddy]

Yes, the adverts are very nice from what I've seen on youtube shotime (since in the U.K) Still haven't shown 'em here yet. I particularly like the new one with Angelo and Laura Palmer, but what in the heck was that one with all the destruction, the bunnies and the um deer and the kids in the forest and and stuff? That weirded me out, kind of did not seem totally Peakish to me. And whatever that was with the new bit with the exorcisty type thing. I mean what in the....? oh, and who is Robert Knepper when he's at home? And Jim Belushi I find a weird choice actualement.

Mads.