On February 28 SkyShowtime was installed in Spain. It was the platform that was yet to come: the joining of forces of Paramount and Universal, which in the United States operate separately with the streaming services of Paramount and Peacock. With the number of existing platforms and the difficulties to compete against Netflix, this strategic alliance made sense for the European market. But, when it has not even reached its first anniversary, the brand is already in crisis: titles have already disappeared from its catalog unexpectedly and the same could soon happen with Rise of the Pink Ladies, the ambitious prequel to Grease that has been one of its star premieres after the launch.
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies had been developed for HBO Max with Annabel Oakes writing the script, and when the platform didn't want to go ahead with the project, it relocated under the Paramount umbrella. Thus, in April, the public was able to meet the students of Rydell High who were willing to demolish the dynamics of the institute by dancing and wearing their pink jackets that Rizzo, Frenchy and Sandy would later wear. The production values were first class with Justin Tranter, composer of Selena Gomez, Britney Spears or Justin Bieber, as the author of the songs.
But, after broadcasting its first season between April and June, Paramount not only decided to cancel the production, ruling out the idea of shooting a second season, but also withdrew the content from the Paramount catalog in the United States. It had not worked in audience as they wanted, as the cancellation suggested, and, assuming that it was no longer an asset that served them, they withdrew the chapters from the catalogue: this way they saved the costs of maintaining it. The public, for now, still has the first season in the SkyShowtime catalog in Spain.
In the same situation is Star Trek: Prodigy, the children's animated series that was part of Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek universe, so prolific in its creative resurrection after the success of Star Trek Discovery. It had been renewed for a second season and finally Paramount changed its mind: they don't want it and Prodigy is cancelled. Worst? That this bet has been removed from the Paramount catalog in the United States, although it can still be seen in Spain.
However, the future of these productions on SkyShowtime is especially uncertain if we take into account that titles have already disappeared from the service in recent weeks. For example, the crime series Blue Bloods with Tom Selleck, which is Paramount's closet staple, has been erased without a trace, as have Chicago PD, the second and third seasons of FBI, all three seasons of Deadwood, all seven of Parks and recreation, the two seasons of Why Women Kill or the British miniseries The Hollow Crown. How can a platform that has been installed in the territory for four months have losses in its catalogue?
SkyShowtime therefore joins recent maneuvers by Warner Bros. Discovery, which even removed Westworld from HBO Max, or The Walt Disney Company, which withdrew a series of content including the television sequel to Disney's Willow, with the aim of save residual costs and see if they placed the content on another content platform, streaming channel or conventional channel. It should be remembered that, for example, Warner Bros. Discovery sold Westworld and The Nevers to Tubi and its Nordic production to SkyShowtime.
To these cancellations and eliminations must be added that Paramount Global has announced losses of more than 550 million dollars. In fact, he is restructuring the company accordingly, turning the premium channel Showtime into a hub within Paramount in the United States. Isn't it ironic that the company took advantage of the Showtime march to launch a European service when the brand is taking a secondary role in the company's US strategy?
For its part, Universal doesn't even seem to trust this joint venture, refusing to exploit Peacock's own titles, its solo platform in the United States. You just have to look at Poker Face, which was broadcast between January and March to the unanimous applause of critics, which is yet to come, and The Resort, another strong bet on the same platform, has been sold directly to Movistar. What future can SkyShowtime have with this lack of direction four months after disembarking?
