Following a second quarter that saw slower-than-expected subscriber growth, Netflix’s letter to shareholders touted the progress that the company has made in original content and its future plans. Perhaps most interesting is its intention to expand beyond TV shows to stand-up comedies and feature-length documentaries.
That’s not entirely new information — Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos had already stated his plans to expand into comedy in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter. And it has already streams John Hodgman’s comedy special Ragnarok exclusively. However, as far as I can tell, the company hadn’t previously mentioned its documentary plans.
“Netflix has become a big destination for fans of these much loved and often under-distributed genres,” the letter states. (I’m guessing that Netflix can also produce this content at a relatively low cost.)
As for its other content plans, the company also noted that it has renewed every single one of its shows for a second season, and that it would “be delighted to produce a fifth season of Arrested Development, if possible, given fan reaction.”
Updating
