Below is a table used to predict the fates of scripted original series on HBO Max. The table has been expanded since the last edition of this column; here’s a breakdown of it:
-Worldwide Audience Demand Multiplier (7-day window) reflects a show’s demand compared to the demand of the average series over the course of the past 7 days. A 1.0 is considered average, but keep in mind this includes shows that have ended or been canceled years or even decades ago.
-U.S. Audience Demand Multiplier (7-day window) is measured the same way as Worldwide Audience Demand Multiplier (7-day window), except only demand from the United States is counted. This is the country where all shows in the below table are produced.
-U.S. Audience Demand Multiplier (30-day window) refers to the demand a show receives over the course of a 30-day period.
-IMDb Rating is the score out of 10 given by users on the respected website IMDb. This is reported here as it is also reported by Parrot Analytics.
-Distributor refers to the distribution company of a series. It is typically easier for a show produced by the streaming service to be renewed than a show by an outside company.
-Last released refers to the last time a new episode the given series was released on the platform.
This table is updated as of January 19, 2022.
Young JusticeWith a 28.1 Worldwide Audience Demand Multiplier, Young Justice is the only show on HBO Max with an outstanding fate that looks genuinely strong. The fact it hasn’t been renewed yet likely has more to do with the season currently being only halfway over. If history says anything, it wouldn’t be surprising if they renew it later on in the season. It also happens to have a higher IMDb rating than all other HBO Max originals, meaning the show’s demise won’t be caused by low audience scores.
Station Eleven
Based on the audience demand multipliers, HBO Max has to be happy with the way miniseries Station Eleven is performing. Demand has only increased in the past week, and outpaces almost all other originals on the platform. While a second season of Station Eleven won’t happen, seeing a miniseries be so successful is always a good sign for those who want to see more miniseries offerings on the service in the future.
Search Party
Search Party has seen a huge uptick in demand in the past week compared to the past month. This can only be expected, given the fifth and final season dropped all at once on January 7. There’s plenty of demand for the series, especially in the United States, and it’s important to note that all major media outlets are reporting the show to be ending on its own terms.
And Just Like That…
This Sex And The City miniseries reboot is managing to reach the double digits in audience demand in the United States, but lags behind a few points worldwide. It’s certainly posting solid numbers, but it seems underwhelming given how huge of a name Sex And The City is as a franchise. Also, demand is falling despite the series still in ‘Ongoing’ mode, and it has a lower IMDb rating than almost all other HBO Max originals. And Just Like That… joins Gossip Girl and Head of the Class as reboots with low IMDb ratings.
Love Life and South Side
Perhaps the two toughest shows to predict, neither Love Life nor South Side make particularly compelling cases for or against renewal. One would have to wonder what HBO Max is waiting for if they do intend on renewing one or both of these shows, as they haven’t had new episodes released since November. Their audience demand multipliers are fairly low, but at least steady. Neither a renewal nor a cancelation would be surprising, but each passing day without news is never a good sign on a platform with a history of renewing shows during their seasons.
Gen:Lock
Gen:Lock has the advantage of only being a month removed from its most recent episode being released, but demand is falling sharply in the United States and lags behind greatly worldwide. On top of this, Warner Brothers does not have full distribution rights, making the renewal process more difficult and road to profitability narrower. HBO Max would likely rather renew a show they see having sustained demand over one in free-fall mode.
Santa Inc.
It’s typical for shows to default to a Toss-Up prediction if no audience demand multipliers are available. Santa Inc. is an exception for a few reasons. First, Christmas season came and went without a renewal for this Christmas-themed show. Second, given the nature of the show, it’s not very likely to pick up any new viewers in between now and next winter. That means this is very likely not an instance where HBO Max is waiting to see if it finds a cult fanbase. Third, the IMDb rating is abysmal. At the moment, Santa Inc. doesn’t seem to have much going for it.
Tom And Jerry In New York
This Tom and Jerry franchise show isn’t exactly doing great with demand, but neither are most kids’ shows. A renewal here would be more about keeping the brand alive on HBO Max than anything else.
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