[Allanbuzzy]

I'd like to know whether the rebrand is considered a success, because I never really saw the point of what they did  Most of Max's programming gets down on Showcase, which is what people see first on the EPG and would therefore usually watch it there instead of on Max. Then you have the fact that Showcase is acting as a shop window on a TV platform that already hosts all the channels that Showcase is, well, showcasing. It made sense when Sky 3/Pick TV did that job on Freeview to entice people to subscribe to Sky, but now it just feels redundant.

Renaming the channel as "Max" was wise, because at least it would match the genre-styled networks they wanted to push. Although, with the big elephant in the room, Max launching in the USA, it wouldn't surprise me that come the launch of that service over here there may be confusion, like the reason Paramount Network renamed into 5ACTION.

With the invention of "voice search", advertisements in public spaces advertising just "Sky" and linear TV diminishing in viewership, I don't see why there would ever need to be a need for a "Showcase" channel, especially in the on-demand age.

Only obligation I can see as to the reason Sky Showcase exists is, again, The Simpsons and maybe also Sky News events.

[JAS84]

Simpsons is the only Sky One show that didn't move to Max, right? And they'll lose Simpsons sooner or later now that neither the show nor the channel are owned by Fox.

[Neil Jones]

According to the entry on Wikipedia there are only five Sky Showcase exclusives - Simpsons and four Dreamwork Animation productions, only two of which are in active production, the other two have ended (one back in 2017, though that was apparently a Netflix production, and the others are Hulu/Peacock productions).

That being said, Simpsons is an international global success (quality of later series not withstanding), and it would be very unusual if it didn't continue in external syndication outside of Disney+. When the show does end (as nothing lasts forever) and stops being syndicated and shown, Disney+ or whatever it calls itself by that point will probably be its final destination.

[Rex]

I'd like to know whether the rebrand is considered a success, because I never really saw the point of what they did  Most of Max's programming gets down on Showcase, which is what people see first on the EPG and would therefore usually watch it there instead of on Max. Then you have the fact that Showcase is acting as a shop window on a TV platform that already hosts all the channels that Showcase is, well, showcasing. It made sense when Sky 3/Pick TV did that job on Freeview to entice people to subscribe to Sky, but now it just feels redundant.

In defence of Sky Showcase, consider the people who won't go beyond the first or second page of the guide. Sky has a plethora of content that most people won't look into on the normal TV guides, so bringing it to Showcase at least widens their visibility to those who don't watch the other Sky channels.

[mixchris]

I'd like to know whether the rebrand is considered a success, because I never really saw the point of what they did  Most of Max's programming gets down on Showcase, which is what people see first on the EPG and would therefore usually watch it there instead of on Max. Then you have the fact that Showcase is acting as a shop window on a TV platform that already hosts all the channels that Showcase is, well, showcasing. It made sense when Sky 3/Pick TV did that job on Freeview to entice people to subscribe to Sky, but now it just feels redundant.

In defence of Sky Showcase, consider the people who won't go beyond the first or second page of the guide. Sky has a plethora of content that most people won't look into on the normal TV guides, so bringing it to Showcase at least widens their visibility to those who don't watch the other Sky channels.

In that sense, surely it would've been better then to have just called One/Showcase, Max. I tend to watch most programming like ALOTO and NCIS: LA on 106. Though I have never understood why they simulcast some shows on both channels.

[Andy]

It's about being effectively a shop window for the wider Sky content product.

Glancing at the schedules for this week, you've got content from Sky Max, Sky Crime, Sky Cinema (shown to non-Sky Cinema customers for free), Sky Witness, Sky Arts and Sky Sports.

That's a wide breadth of content, and it's about getting it on to the front page of the EPG.

It's not just about The Simpsons.

[JAS84]

According to the entry on Wikipedia there are only five Sky Showcase exclusives - Simpsons and four Dreamwork Animation productions, only two of which are in active production, the other two have ended (one back in 2017, though that was apparently a Netflix production, and the others are Hulu/Peacock productions).

That being said, Simpsons is an international global success (quality of later series not withstanding), and it would be very unusual if it didn't continue in external syndication outside of Disney+.  When the show does end (as nothing lasts forever) and stops being syndicated and shown, Disney+ or whatever it calls itself by that point will probably be its final destination.

Oh, I expect Channel 4 to keep it. They get it a few years after Sky and Disney+. It's the first run rights that are likely to lapse, not the syndication/repeat rights.

[Kojak]

According to the entry on Wikipedia there are only five Sky Showcase exclusives - Simpsons and four Dreamwork Animation productions, only two of which are in active production, the other two have ended (one back in 2017, though that was apparently a Netflix production, and the others are Hulu/Peacock productions).

That being said, Simpsons is an international global success (quality of later series not withstanding), and it would be very unusual if it didn't continue in external syndication outside of Disney+.  When the show does end (as nothing lasts forever) and stops being syndicated and shown, Disney+ or whatever it calls itself by that point will probably be its final destination.

Oh, I expect Channel 4 to keep it. They get it a few years after Sky and Disney+. It's the first run rights that are likely to lapse, not the syndication/repeat rights.

C4 has a life of series deal for The Simpsons so you’re right, they will keep it. As for Sky… there were well-placed rumours that Sky closed down Sky One because they knew the rights weren’t going to last forever. So watch this space…

[Brekkie]

I'd like to know whether the rebrand is considered a success, because I never really saw the point of what they did  Most of Max's programming gets down on Showcase, which is what people see first on the EPG and would therefore usually watch it there instead of on Max. Then you have the fact that Showcase is acting as a shop window on a TV platform that already hosts all the channels that Showcase is, well, showcasing. It made sense when Sky 3/Pick TV did that job on Freeview to entice people to subscribe to Sky, but now it just feels redundant.

In defence of Sky Showcase, consider the people who won't go beyond the first or second page of the guide. Sky has a plethora of content that most people won't look into on the normal TV guides, so bringing it to Showcase at least widens their visibility to those who don't watch the other Sky channels.

And it's likely The Simpsons is on Showcase rather than Max to bring that daily audience to their flagship channel.

Are any shows promoted as being on Showcase though - the trailers are usually for the individual brands.   And of course they exist partly to have more sub brands in the on demand environment but also to replace those that went streaming only.

[JAS84]

True. Sky Kids exists because the Disney channels (most relevantly Disney Junior) closed.