Before HBO Max launches, it's worth spending some time to understand how truly, truly great HBO is at making content.

3% of original series, 10% of Emmy applications, 25% of nominees, 70% of wins since 2014

As many hits as Netflix, but 80% fewer shows

https://www.matthewball.vc/all/contentcarscomparisons

2/ Reflection of it's inordinate skill in picking content (who else would have passed on even a horrid 'Thrones' spinoff?!), developing ideas, managing production, attracting talent (it's the "preferred" network), building a consumer brand

Result also most profitable single net

3/ HBO Max is an attempt to build a much broader offering around that content + capability. And today, the teams remain separate, HBO still at work + overpoweringly good at content

But there's a reason HBO/Showtime/Starz/Epix all maed at 30% of homes + Netflix is over 55%

4/ Remember, too, that when HBO Now launched the goal was to go from 30MM to 45-50MM. It hit 35MM, mostly because US added 10MM homes. And this was despite Thrones!

Netflix is after every genre/format/style/quality style every viewer. HBO was not. That's limiting

5/ "Do people want HBO Max" is like asking "do people want TV"

Average household watches 8 DE-DUPLICATED hours per day.

Netflix has 12% of this time nationally

More Pay-TV implodes, the greater the need to find a new home for that TV time. HBO Max is arguably a top 1 answer.

6/ HBO regularly has movies like "Sharkboy and Lava Girl in 3D", "Dude Where's My Car" and... below... In its catalogue

Putting 'Friends' + 'West Wing', two of the lost acclaimed beloved shows of their generation (+ from creators who later made for HBO), on Max.. Isn't harm

7/ "But what about Big Bang Theory". Okay, but...

Putting BBT on at 9PM live on Sunday instead of "The Deuce" (watch it!)

=/=

Making BBT available at $0 incremental fee, recommended if of interest and otherwise buried

8/ Why am I paying for 'Hannah Montana' on Disney+? Or pre-k content?

Alt Take: This has no bearing on whether I liked 'The Mandalorian' (it was fine)