Supergirl kinda proves that its still content that's king, not the platforms
There was an interesting conversation on The Town podcast last week with Matt Belloni joined by content distributor John Mass (great, appropriate name). They were talking about the shift towards platforms and away from the notion that ‘content is king.’
The idea being that consumers are attracted to the platform and not the shows themselves, with the success of shows like Suits on Netflix as an example. It’s a show that had been an okay performer in the past, but became a smash hit because of the Netflix amplification effect.
While I get the impulse to suggest that platforms have an outsized influence in making a show a success, I don’t quite buy the argument that content has lost its king status to the platforms.
There is certainly an amplification effect possible on Netflix. Shows like Suits, Friends, and The Office have spoken to this. But, all the evidence around this really talks to Netflix as a platform is/was king. I don’t know that the same could be said about HBO Max, Disney+, Prime Video, or the other SVOD platforms. There’s an argument to be made that YouTube may also sit alongside Netflix on that throne.
But even then, the examples of titles that truly break through aren’t that high in number.
I was thinking about this conversation in light of the new Supergirl movie currently playing in cinemas.
It was very interesting to me that the conversation around the characters previous screen outings have been focused almost exclusively on Helen Slater’s turn as Supergirl in the 1984 movie. This ignores the six seasons of Melissa Benoist on the live-action Supergirl TV show.
Now, I’m not suggesting that the Supergirl TV series was ever outstanding television. It was entertaining enough. And was a hell of a lot better than the terrible Helen Slater film.
But it hasn’t defined the character. The movie remains king. And this is despite the show being available on Netflix, which is supposedly the platform that is king.
Quite obviously, it’s just a lot more complicated than suggesting that the content or the platform is the most important part of the equation when it comes to building audiences and being culturally resonant. There’s marketing, the general cultural consciousness, the value of timing with content launching in the right place at the right time, etc.
Speaking of Supergirl (2026)…
Last night I got along to a preview screening of the new Supergirl movie that debuts in cinemas today.
Yes, it is better (by a considerable margin) than the 1984 Helen Slater movie. And yes, it is better than the 2015 Supergirl TV series (by a decent margin). It’s a good movie.
But it’s not a great movie.
There are three key elements that really power the new movie.
The first is the fantastic casting of Australia’s own Millie Alcock as the titular ‘maiden of might.’ She delivers a great narrow-eyed dirtbag hero performance. Alcock isn’t the bright and bubbly girl of steel some internet commenters seem to demand. Her character isn’t the optimistic ray of sunshine that her cousin Superman is, but is instead someone who has been emotionally beaten down after seeing her family and everyone she knew die of radiation sickness. She binge drinks to suppress that pain and Alcock delivers a Supergirl to the screen that has just enough edge to buy into it.
The second thing is the vibe of the film. This doesn’t feel like a standard superhero film. Instead the vibe is much more like a mid-80s cheap sci-fi movie pushed out for home video with a grab-bag of elements from Mad Max, Barbarella, and Outland. But with a budget (which kinda upends the low-rent joys this film otherwise offers).
And then the third thing is the fact this film really stands on its own. You don’t need to have any pre-awareness of the character or even who Superman is (he appears in this almost as book-ends to show how far Supergirl has come in her hero’s journey).
What really puts a dampener on the film is just how over-stuffed it is for no good reason. The setup to the film should be pretty simple. Like John Wick mowing down waves of enemies in retaliation for murdering his dog, Supergirl is on a quest with a time limit: She has 72 hours to stop the bad guys who shot her dog with a poison dart. If she can put down the bad guy in time, she will be able to get the antidote poor Krypto needs.
That should be simple. Instead she is saddled with a sidekick who feels like a lift of Game of Thrones’ Arya Stark, who is after the same bad guys to avenge her parents murder. And then they keep encountering a bounty hunter named Lobo who is also after the same bad guy. While Lobo in the comics is a fan-favourite dirtbag, in the movie he comes off flat. With uninspired dialogue and no real reason given for his inclusion in the movie, he’s worse than an annoyance in the film. He’s a bore.
Mostly, I walked away from the film feeling positive enough about Supergirl. It’s a good enough time out at the cinema to make it with your while.
Karl boned? Almost.
Like that darn Schrödinger's Cat, we are waiting to find out whether Nine are going to go through with an intention to fire Karl Stefanovic. All reports suggest that it is a done deal and the details are being hammered out. “Will he be paid out of his contract?” is the big question many are asking.
But, the question I’m asking is what is the fate of his other mainstream media gig? His work as co-host of the new weekly ARN radio show The Long Weekend.
For over 20 years, he has been the face of Channel Nine through his on and off (mostly on) hosting of Nine breakfast TV show Today. It is understandable that most of the attention is focused on his ongoing relationship with Nine.
But his ARN radio role has escaped scrutiny. Will the radio network cut ties with its new hire?
And more interestingly… The Long Weekend has a partnership with Nine, which streams the Friday afternoon show through its subscription service Stan and ad-supported service 9Now. If Karl is shown the door by Nine, will he still be seen on Nine platforms by way of this radio show?
Tomorrow is going to be a consequential day in Karl Stefanovic’s ongoing relationship with Australian media. And what that future holds is going to reveal some interesting things about the political alignment of Australia and its media.
This from the AFR:
“Sources with knowledge of Stefanovic’s intentions, not permitted to speak publicly, have said he intends to build a portfolio of media duties across radio, television, podcasting and online platforms.”
I get how Stefanovic can build a career for himself online through podcasting and streaming video. But, the rest of the Australian media is so small that I can’t imagine there being too many homes left for Stefanovic beyond Nine.
Right now, it seems like he’s on a media island with few options. But what is and isn’t accepted in polite company can shift very quickly. If Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party continues its upwards momentum and gets a decent foothold into Australian politics as what will effectively be the main opposition party, suddenly the brand of social commentary offered by Stefanovic in recent months is going to seem a lot more palatable to a mainstream broadcaster.
This is the Grand Theft Auto VI news everyone has been waiting for
Before we get into this story, a reminder:
Since launching in 2013, Grand Theft Auto V has made around $9.5 to $10 billion in revenue.
Within 24 hours of launch in 2013, it generated more than US$815 million, and it passed one billion dollars within three days.
I mention this just to establish that it isn’t entirely out of line to suggest that Grand Theft Auto is one of, if not THE, biggest media property in the world.
On Nov 19 2026, Grand Theft Auto VI will finally see release after a number of delays. It will be around March 2027 that I estimate I will again see friends and family as I emerge bleary-eyed from a darkened room in need of a haircut and toenail clipping.
Publisher Rockstar Games has today announced major launch details for the new game.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.
It will have an entry price of $79.99 with an Ultimate Edition at $99.99. The higher tier version will deliver “an exclusive collection of premium vehicles, weapons, apparel, and action threaded across all aspects of Jason and Lucia’s story.”
Pre-orders before Nov. 20, 2026 will bundle in the “Vintage Vice City Pack,” a collection of items that “flash back to when the neon burned brightest.” Whatever that means. Anyone who pre-orders will also get a one month subscription to the online GTA+ service.
Rockstar Games is encouraging users to buy the game digitally, but are offering a physical version. That will just be a display case with a card inside that has a digital code to download the game.
What is the environmental footprint of that?
Read more: Polygon
News Desk
As 24/7 news channel BBC News takes on more of a global focus, it is considering offering a free live stream on YouTube in select international markets as a trial. Australia is under strong consideration with limited commercial entanglements blocking it. Read: Deadline
Amy Adams says she saved a stabbing victims life thanks to medical knowledge she learned while working as a cast member on the best-forgotten Dr Vegas, one of Rob Lowe’s slew of failed post West Wing series. Read: Variety
The only surprise about the season 2 renewal announced today for Yellowstone sequel Dutton Ranch is that it hadn’t happened already. Read: Variety
Invincible has been renewed for a sixth season at Prime Video with Jack Quaid joining the voice cast. Read: Dark Horizons
The BBC has announced a fourth season of the UK Gladiators, along with a celebrity special. Read: Radio Times
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Live on Stage is a stage show that has just announced 40 dates across North America. Is it 1989 again???? Read: Variety
The Other Bennet Sister will return for a Christmas special… but, plot twist… it’ll be a three-part Christmas mini-series on BBC and Britbox. Read: THR
Sony has invested $100m into Cosm, a company that builds domed venues that lets attendees watch live events and other entertainment content. I don’t quite understand how the dome helps this, but I also don’t question why bubbles make Coke taste better. Read: THR
Trailer Park
King of The Hill is back for season 15 on Hulu July 20.
Rick & Morty spin-off President Curtis debuts on Adult Swim July 26.
The series follows President Andre Curtis (David) and his eccentric staff as they tackle the kinds of crises that Rick Sanchez could never be bothered with - from interdimensional diplomacy to paranormal investigations and unexplained phenomena.
The Librarians is back for season 2 on TNT August 2.
Batman: Caped Crusader returns for season 2 on Prime Video July 31.
Super Subbu debuts on Netflix July 2.
Meet Subbu. The most innocent guy in town who just got the most awkward job.
Sakamoto Days returns to Netflix for season 2 in January 2027.
The One Piece debuts in Feb 2027 on Netflix.
That’s the newsletter for the today.
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