Netflix wants its own version of ‘The Bear’ and more ‘Dahmer’-style true crime. Here’s its series wish list, per Hollywood insiders and leaked agency documents.
- Peak TV may be waning for Hollywood, but Netflix still plans to spend $17 billion on content in 2024.
- The media giants still need fresh programming to keep people subscribing.
- Netflix has a long list of content wishes, including a version of Hulu’s “The Bear.”
With the Hollywood writers’ strike over, streamers and studios are once again commissioning and developing new original series — even if striking actors aren’t yet available to star in them — with Netflix, for example, planning to spend $17 billion on content in 2024, up from $13 billion in 2023.
So, what new series are on the top streamer’s wish list? According to a leaked document from a top Hollywood agency that describes Netflix’s and other platforms’ recent mandates for series themes and characters, it’s looking for its own version of Hulu’s “The Bear,” among other targets.
Two such agency documents — which distill reps’ conversations with buyers at streamers, studios, and production companies — were reviewed by Insider at the end of the summer, a few weeks before the Hollywood writers’ strike ended (actors are still on the picket lines). Several producers, agents, and other dealmakers also contributed to this story about the content market and what streamers want. Netflix did not respond to requests for comment.
In short, Netflix and its competitors prioritize broadcast network-style shows that will attract a large audience. Following the success of limited series in recent years, media companies are now focusing on ongoing stories that can keep audiences interested from season to season.
“Across the board, elevated broadcast is more in demand than it’s ever been,” a top TV agent told Insider. “It’s got to appeal to the entire country, not just the coasts.” Characters should have distinct desires and storylines that are simple to follow.
Take, for example, “Suits,” a legal drama produced by USA Network’s “blue sky” programming era, which emphasized optimistic and comedic dramas and produced other hits such as “Burn Notice” and “Royal Pains.” When the first eight seasons of “Suits,” which starred Meghan Markle and aired on USA from 2011 to 2019, became a ratings and watercooler phenomenon when they became available on Netflix in June.
“Look at ‘Suits’ — everybody points to that,” a producer said. “Blue sky, not particularly challenging.”
Viewers can expect fewer new shows, lesser-known stars
MoffettNathanson predicted earlier this year that total spending on streaming content would be roughly flat at $136.4 billion in 2023 and could shrink in the years ahead as media companies try to make their streamers profitable.
In 2022, the golden age of television provided viewers with a record 600 original scripted series. Insiders now predict that 350 to 450 shows will be produced in 2023. Streamers want shows that can be produced for less than $10 million per episode; according to one source, Fox is willing to pay as little as $4 million.
Producers will have to make do with more interior shots and fewer A-list stars due to lower budgets. The writer-showrunner-producer with experience producing 22-episode broadcast shows on time and on budget is especially important now. “Everyone’s talking about the’responsible showrunner,'” said a TV agent.
Even in these times of austerity, media companies require new programming to keep viewers returning and subscribing to their streaming services, especially as prices rise. According to a Wall Street Journal analysis, the average cost of the major ad-free streamers is rising by nearly 25% in a year.
And, as Netflix recovers from its 2022 correction, adding 8.8 million subscribers in the third quarter for a total of 247 million worldwide, it will maintain a tight grip on what is made and seen. The company is notorious for frequently changing its mind about what it purchases, but its recent mandates are a reliable predictor for most large content buyers.
Netflix wants another ‘Squid Game’ and more true crime, but ‘nothing too political’
According to an agent, Netflix is looking to maximize the value of its existing overall deals with showrunners and producers ranging from Shonda Rhimes to Barack and Michelle Obama. However, it is also looking for shows with international appeal to feed its massive global audience, such as the hit Korean show “Squid Game.”
Netflix executives have told agents that they are looking for an ongoing, contemporary series with a single lead character. According to one of the recent documentaries, it would be “AMC-esque stuff” with a male protagonist, as well as a cop or lawyer series. Netflix is also looking for a low-budget sci-fi drama (similar to Apple TV+’s “Severance”). And, unlike Hulu’s “The Bear,” it wants a series set in a fast-paced world rather than a restaurant.
According to both documents and Insider sources, true crime remains a major focus for both series and films in unscripted and non-fiction programming. Netflix is interested in well-known crimes (such as “Dahmer”), “twisty turny” stories, scams and scandals — but “nothing too political,” according to one document, citing “Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer,” one of the platform’s top five documentaries in 2019.
According to the document, Netflix is also looking for stories about celebrities (but not too much History Channel), history (“but not too much History Channel”), “inspirational and relatable” health and wellness, and extreme human conditions, such as HBO’s docuseries “The 100 Foot Wave” and Hulu film “The Rescue” about the 2018 Thai cave rescue.
Netflix also plans to capitalize on its success with popular sports docuseries such as “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” and the tennis-themed “Break Point,” according to a production company executive. The streamer wants more sports and sports-related series, as well as more stories about athletes like “Untold: Malice at the Palace,” the platform’s 2021 documentary about a brawl at an NBA game in 2004.
Unscripted is also looking for “a humorous take” on parenting, according to one of the docs, and it’s open to UFO stories, hauntings, and paranormal fare. But, showrunners, take note: “nothing that leans too advocacy or overly medically focused or explanatory.”
Apple and Amazon both have lengthy wish lists.
Netflix’s tech rivals in Hollywood have the cash and ambition to pursue aggressive development of original series, as well as similar mandates. According to one of the leaked documents, Amazon’s Prime Video is looking for shows that can be replicated around the world, such as its comedy show “LOL: Last One Laughing” and “Luxe Listings Sydney,” a real estate reality series.
Prime Video, which is expected to spend $10 billion on content in 2023, has procedurals and YA-focused shows high on its wish list, according to MoffettNathanson. It’s also looking for “any kind of doc” that has scale and is “deeply character driven,” according to one of the documents. It also mentions Amazon’s free, ad-supported service FreeVee, which aims to attract young viewers by remaking MTV shows like “The Hills” or “Laguna Beach.”
According to MoffettNathanson, Apple TV+ spent $7 billion on content this year, but it is looking to expand its content slate with more of the prestige shows it is known for. Apple’s streaming service, known among Hollywood dealmakers and creatives for “starfuckery,” has recently informed agents that it is looking for a competition show, sports content, and comedy fare.
According to sources, it is still willing to pay to attach the right star to a project, but it will not break the bank. And, according to one of the agency’s documents, it still prefers programming that is upbeat and noncontroversial — no horror, religion, or characters who smoke or use drugs.
The Silicon Valley behemoths may be able to match (or even outspend) Netflix in terms of content spending, but the streamer is looking for shows that have the potential to be extended to other experiences. It has already created video games, events, and consumer products in order to increase revenue and community around popular shows such as “Bridgerton.” It plans to launch a concept called Netflix House by 2025, where people can shop, dine, and participate in show-related experiences.
“They’re thinking about how to make it more than just a standalone show,” a production company executive explained.
