

Downstream
Relay
Jason Snell and a rotating group of experts break down the present and future of television. Hosted by Jason Snell.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 27, 2025 • 1h 9min
98: You Couldn't Pay Me To Go Camping
Why American sports is so dominated by gambling content, DAZN and the Club World Cup, TNT gets spun off but may still bid for sports rights, Netflix gets into French broadcast TV, the NFL faces an existential crisis in court, and our TV picks.
This episode of Downstream is sponsored by:
Factor: Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door.
Guest Starring: Will Carroll
Links and Show Notes: TV Picks
Will: Alone (History)
Jason: Dark Winds (AMC+, Netflix)
Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback What Will TNT Sports Do After the WBD Divorce? - Puck Netflix TF1 France Deal Marks Next Step to Be New Cable TV Radio Shows - Monocle Joey Chestnut Breaks Popcorn Eating Record on Video, Eats 42 Servings in 8 Minutes Sphere Revenue Falls, MSG Networks Bankruptcy on Table

Jun 16, 2025 • 44min
97: Brand Destruction
Zaz splits WBD, the neverending Paramount sale, listener letters, and TV picks! [Downstream+ subscribers also get: Apple TV stasis, Clooney on CNN, and the Great Netflix User Migration.]
This episode of Downstream is sponsored by:
Factor: Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door.
Guest Starring: Josef Adalian
Links and Show Notes: TV Picks:
Joe: Murderbot and Stick (Apple TV+)
Jason: Dept. Q (Netflix)
Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback

May 30, 2025 • 56min
96: Hollywood Rabbit Hole
The dominance of YouTube, Disney grabs more kids content, TV's mumbling problem, Amazon's identity, the fate of SpinCos, and our TV picks.
This episode of Downstream is sponsored by:
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Guest Starring: Josef Adalian
Links and Show Notes: TV Picks
Joe: Netflix comedies: The Four Seasons, Running Point, Nobody Asked for This, A Man on the Inside
Jason: “Welcome to Wrexham” (Hulu)
Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback CoComelon is headed to Disney Plus in 2027 | The Verge Netflix Welcomes 'Sesame Street' and 'The World of Peppa Pig' - About Netflix How YouTube Became the Most Popular Streaming Service on TVs - The New York Times YouTube Creators Compete With Hollywood Studio Sitcoms - Bloomberg

May 16, 2025 • 39min
95: Inside Baseball About Football
The rise of sports as a driver in streaming, NBC's big 2026, and Netflix's live reality moves. Plus: our TV picks. [Downstream+ subscribers also get: ESPN and WB's solid branding decisions and Fox's smart strategy.]
This episode of Downstream is sponsored by:
Factor: Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door.
Guest Starring: Will Carroll
Links and Show Notes: TV Picks:
Will: Top Chef (Peacock)
Jason: Long Way Home (Apple TV+)
Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback NBCUniversal 2025 Upfront Preview From Ads Chief Mark Marshall Are You Watching This?! Netflix Revives ‘Star Search’ as Live Competition Show Netflix will show generative AI ads midway through streams in 2026 - Ars Technica (11) Under The Knife | Will Carroll | Substack NTANGIBLE

Apr 30, 2025 • 54min
94: Soft Power
Shōgun gets another season, Match Game re-revived, binge behavior calculated, bonus content promoted, Netflix results parsed, Apple TV+ losses pondered, and our TV picks explained.
Guest Starring: Josef Adalian
Links and Show Notes: TV Picks:
Joe: The Studio (Apple TV+), Running Point (Netflix)
Jason: Andor (D+)
Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback ABC Reboots Match Game With Martin Short as Host 'Shogun' Season 2 Ordered at FX, Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis Are You Happy With How You Watch TV? A Vulture Survey The ‘Wicked’ Bonus Features on Peacock Are Now a Ratings Hit Netflix Won the Streaming Wars. Now It’s Coming for YouTube - Puck How Long Can the Apple TV+ Experiment Sputter On? - Puck What to watch if you’re churning through Apple TV+ – Six Colors

Apr 15, 2025 • 40min
93: Profitable on Day One
Will Carroll joins Jason to discuss MLB's big television plans, the ratings challenge for the NBA Playoffs, and our TV picks. [Downstream+ subscribers also get: Vision Pro at Yankee Stadium, made-for-TV leagues, threats to MLS, and Zombie Vin Scully.]
This episode of Downstream is sponsored by:
Factor: Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door.
Guest Starring: Will Carroll
Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Major League Baseball exploring MLB.TV licensing deal: Sources - The Athletic An R.S.N. Vulture Awaits…

Apr 3, 2025 • 1h 10min
92: I Just Want to Blog
Netflix and Amazon prepare to celebrate NFL Christmas, the PVOD vs. Theatrical debate rages on, Gunsmoke is having a moment, Max rebrands again, Jason watched some Netflix ads, and did we mention that Julia is back?
Guest Starring: Julia Alexander
Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback NFL to air 3 games on Christmas Day 2025, Netflix partnership continues: Source - The Athletic Sources: NFL ‘Virtual Lock’ to Opt Out of Media-Rights Deals New York Yankees Boss Thanks Donald Trump For Helping YES Resolve Carriage Fight With Comcast 'Wicked’ Made $100 Million On PVOD - CinemaCon Michael O’Leary, CEO Of Cinema United, Slams Shorter Theatrical Windows Matt Belloni's funny post ‘Reacher,’ ‘Gunsmoke’: Streaming Ratings March 3-9, 2025 Max’s rebranded logo and colors look very HBO | The Verge My unsuccessful journey into Netflix’s ad tier – Six Colors

Mar 21, 2025 • 31min
91: Commissioner of Television
MLB is trying to open up local streaming, but it doesn't solve the problem of reaching casual fans. Also: a weird café in Korea and our TV picks. (Downstream+ listeners also get: British TV vs. streamers, deep programming thoughts, and Looney Tunes.)
This episode of Downstream is sponsored by:
Memberful: Best-in-class membership software for independent creators, publishers, educators, podcasters, and more. Get started now, no credit card required.
Guest Starring: Josef Adalian
Links and Show Notes: TV Picks:
Joe: The Pitt (Max), Severance (TV+), White Lotus (Max)
Jason: The Outlaws (Prime Video)
Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback MLB, NBC Sports Regional Networks to stream Athletics, Giants, Phillies games Press release: New ROOT SPORTS stream app offers all Mariners games airing on ROOT SPORTS

Mar 10, 2025 • 1h 15min
90: Billionaires Own a Lot of Things
The MLB/ESPN separation and the future of ESPN, the Nationals escape from MASN, Fox's sports streaming service quandary, interesting tidbits from the Sloan Sports Conference, and our TV picks!
This episode of Downstream is sponsored by:
Factor: Healthy, full-prepared food delivered to your door. Use code FACTORPODCAST for 50% off plus free shipping on your first box.
Guest Starring: Will Carroll
Links and Show Notes: TV Picks:
Will: "Fear" on Prime Video
Jason: "Shoresy" on Hulu
Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Inside the MLB-ESPN Split - Puck Stephen A. Smith, ESPN agree to $100M contract that lets him talk more about politics: Sources - The Athletic Disney+ to Debut SC+: ESPN SportsCenter Spinoff for More Casual Fans MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference - Sports Analytics, Business, & Technology. sonar NTANGIBLE

Feb 21, 2025 • 36min
89: Time Has No Meaning Anymore
Josef Adalian, Vulture's media reporter, dives into the shifting landscape of television, particularly how events like the Super Bowl influence viewership metrics. He discusses Tubi's unique marketing strategies during the Super Bowl, detailing how they engage younger audiences. The conversation also touches on pressing issues in football safety while exploring popular British TV shows and standout streaming picks. With picks like 'Paradise' on Hulu and ‘Flow’ on Max, listeners get a taste of the best in contemporary television.