Bird Brains

Netflix warns against Bird Box challenge as dangerous trend goes viral:

Netflix has warned fans against participating in a potentially dangerous online challenge that’s inspired by its recent original horror film Bird Box.

The challenge takes the core concept of Bird Box — wearing a blindfold at all times while wandering around outside — and applies it to a certain period of time. Some people, like YouTube creator Morgan Adams, have tried to go about their daily lives for 24 hours while blindfolded, while others have attempted the challenge for a shorter period.

Netflix’s social media team called out the challenge on Twitter, asking people to not hurt themselves while performing the act.

Seems I already have contenders for my 2019 Darwinism Awards.

Yay humans!

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Down with DVRs

For the first time, more people subscribe to Netflix than have DVR:

Netflix reached another milestone that will worry traditional cable companies even further. According to a study by Leichtman Research Group, Inc., more people in the US report subscribing to Netflix than having a DVR in their households. Netflix narrowly eclipses the service offered by most cable providers, with 54 percent of US adults reporting they have Netflix in their households compared to the 53 percent of US adults that have DVR. This is the first time this shift has happened—Leichtman notes that back in 2011, 44 percent of US adults had a DVR while just 28 percent had Netflix.

Not surprising. The only people I know who record stuff on a DVR are my mother-in-law (she records The Ellen Show), and my father (he records Judge Judy and Judge Milian).

Everything I watch is on either iTunes, Netflix, or YouTube, and I get my news online or from Twitter. I rarely watch TV news.

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“They all got addicted to crack.”

The Netflix Backlash: Why Hollywood Fears a Content Monopoly:

Still, at a time when business is tough all over in the entertainment industry, there is a lot of gratitude for a deep-pocketed buyer that is snapping up an array of material, much of which might not find a home elsewhere. Netflix and its chief content officer Ted Sarandos are at once a savior, offering a giant gush of money to license shows that in some cases were past their prime or even out of production, and a terrifying competitor to studios.

“Out of the blue Netflix comes into the market and says, ‘We’re going to give you a number [to license a network show],’ ” says one television agent. “For the studios, it was, ‘Holy shit. Do we even need a cable sale?’ They all got addicted to crack. Nobody really thought they’d be a competitor on the originals market. They used stuff from the studios and became important. Now you see the backlash.”

It’s important to understand who’s not scared of Netflix: the actors, writers, directors and everyone else behind the great shows Netflix is buying. Creative people with talent who create great content have nothing to worry about.

From interviews I’ve seen with people who have worked with Netflix, they all say it’s great. Netflix gives them free rein over everything and they don’t meddle in the process (as it should be).

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Business, Entertainment

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Narcos was good, but still not as good as Breaking Bad.

I burned through season 2 of Narcos this weekend with my wife. Pretty good, but not as good as Breaking Bad (Breaking Bad is my benchmark). My main issue is with the depiction of Pablo Escobar. He was not as solemn as they made him in the show. He was a jovial, fun guy when he wasn’t bashing guys’ faces in.

I think Digital Kitchen did a great job with the main title graphics:

Season 2 is done, Pablo is dead (fuck you, he died in 1992, that isn’t a spoiler), but there are still plans for a season 3. Interesting.

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Entertainment