RECESS  |  CULTURE

With 'American Vandals' cancellation, Netflix moves to focus on own programming

<p>Netflix cancelled "American Vandals" after two seasons, drawing backlash from its fans.&nbsp;</p>

Netflix cancelled "American Vandals" after two seasons, drawing backlash from its fans. 

When Netflix abruptly cancelled its award-winning original program “American Vandals” shortly after its well-received second season, there was understandable confusion. After all, Netflix is a streaming service with a theoretically infinite capacity for shows and films, not a primetime network that might have to axe a successful show to free up its slot for something more ratings-friendly. Fans of the charmingly disgusting series were offered no explanation for its sudden cancellation: Netflix merely announced it would not be returning for a third season and offered a broad word of thanks to its committed cast and crew. 

This cancellation seems like an odd decision for a company that prides itself on the variety of original programming it offers to subscribers. But a peek into the financial machinery that keeps the nation’s most popular streaming service running smoothly reveals a rather unsurprising motivation: money. Although “American Vandals” is billed as a Netflix original, the company does not technically own it; rather, the show is licensed through CBS. As streaming becomes increasingly ubiquitous, Netflix is striving to move its production inward, distancing itself from partnerships with outside studios in order to funnel more money into itself. According to Business Insider, Netflix now has the means to make its content in-house and is exercising the same trigger-happy instincts as its primetime competitors when it comes to axing shows that are not coming straight from their studios.

Although Netflix has yet to totally self-source its programs — the recent hit “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” hails from Warner Bros. and several of its hallmark series from outside studios like “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black” are still marching on — the company appears to be preparing for a huge leap in that direction. Several other companies, most notably Disney, are rearing to launch their own subscription-based streaming services based on Netflix’s model, prompting a scramble to purge content that might end up coming from a financial competitor. Netflix’s early deal with Marvel, a Disney property, to produce six original series is already dissolving with the cancellation of “Iron Fist” and “Luke Cage.” At this rate, Netflix may have removed all of its Marvel programming by the time its partnership with Disney expires in 2019.

All of these decisions make rational sense on a financial level. Netflix is a company at the end of the day and despite its indelible cultural presence, it values a profitable quarter over quality entertainment. The service still provides some truly great offerings, both original and acquired, but this migration away from building a diversely-sourced library of content might end up harming the company in the long run. With most of its content coming from its own studios, Netflix sets itself up for a programming slate of safe, unvaried shows and films that lack the experimental weirdness and creativity of its outsourced programs. Will we ever get another “American Vandals” or “Bojack Horseman” if Netflix completely closes itself off from other studios?

Netflix’s latest decisions are indicative of an even larger problem in the entertainment industry that has arisen with the seemingly relentless expansion of the Big Three networks (ABC, CBS and NBC) and the push to acquire as much creative property as physically possible. Disney’s momentous growth in the last decade with its acquisition of rights to the Marvel and Star Wars franchises indicates that no brand is too big to avoid being swallowed up by an even bigger media conglomerate. And Netflix is growing at a similar rate, squeezing out streaming competitors and constantly pumping money into its company to keep its production schedule chugging along. 

This homogenization of entertainment not only makes it more difficult for smaller, independent projects to compete with the mighty powerhouses, but reduces the ability of artists to create with no strings attached. If everything is eventually controlled by one company or another, the power of media to teach, transform and enlighten will move from the creator’s hands to those of a committee. Entertainment will no longer exist for some greater purpose, but exclusively as a means of making more money for the parent company. Programming will be crafted to fit a specific algorithm of success, closing the margins for the unconventional thinking and unfiltered creativity that has led to so many fun, ambitious projects. 

The brutally abrupt cancellation of “American Vandals” struck a chord with its fans for good reason. It is emblematic of the path Netflix is taking, a departure from diversity in favor of self-investment. Although the streaming service is still hanging onto its successful out-of-house programs, it may only be a matter of time before another beloved program is up on the chopping board, ready to be sacrificed in the name of profit. 

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