

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

Sep 6, 2025 • 47min
102: Just Like Television
Now that David Ellison owns Paramount, what's next? Also, your letters and our TV picks! [Downstream+ subscribers also get: K-Pop Demon Hunters, Wheel and Jeopardy and Sesame Street stream, Apple TV+ price hike, and binging "The Paper."]
This episode of Downstream is sponsored by:
Relay for St. Jude
Guest Starring: Josef Adalian
Links and Show Notes: TV Picks
Joe: Irish Blood (Acorn TV), Leanne (Netflix)
Jason: Platonic (Apple TV+)
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Aug 22, 2025 • 51min
101: Do They Not Know It's ESPN Day?
ESPN has left the exclusivity of the cable bundle at long last, and we break down what it all means. Also: TV Picks and your letters! (Downstream+ listeners also get: MLB's complex new TV deals, and can Jason cut the cord for real?)
This episode of Downstream is sponsored by:
Factor: Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Use code downstream50off
Guest Starring: Steven Schapansky and Will Carroll
Links and Show Notes: TV Picks:
Will: Video Nasty (BBC)
Steven: Old World Series (YouTube), Slow Horses (Apple TV+)
Jason: Stick (Apple TV)
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Aug 6, 2025 • 56min
100: The Streaming Service Draft
To celebrate our 100th episode, we draft streaming services!
Guest Starring: Will Carroll, Steven Schapansky, and Josef Adalian
Links and Show Notes: Draft picks:
Joe: Apple TV+
Steven: MLB.tv
Will: YouTube Premium
Jason: HBO Max
Joe: Prime Video
Steven: BritBox
Will: Disney+
Jason: Hulu
Joe: Acorn TV
Steven: Kanopy/Hoopla
Will: Netflix
Jason: Paramount+
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Jul 23, 2025 • 59min
99: Stephen, If You're Listening...
The real motivators behind CBS's cancellation of The Late Show; why the current era of late-night talk is ending; CBS makes a South Park deal; the future of PBS; why 'Pulse' was not 'The Pitt'; a Peacock price hike; and Jessica Fletcher vanishes.
This episode of Downstream is sponsored by:
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Factor: Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door.
Guest Starring: Josef Adalian
Links and Show Notes: TV Picks:
Joe: "Stick" (Apple TV+)
Jason: James Acaster "Repertoire" (Netflix)
Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Stephen Colbert Fired? Why CBS Is Cancelling ‘Late Show’ ‘South Park’ Saved as Paramount Inks 5-Year Deal with Creators Trump Can Hurt PBS and NPR, But He Can’t Kill Them What is PBS Passport? : PBS Help What Netflix’s ‘Pulse’ Should Have Learned From ‘The Pitt’ Peacock Is Hiking Prices More Than It Ever Has Before ‘Murder, She Wrote’ Mysteriously Disappears From Peacock

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)
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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…