Showtime has pulled several series from its streaming platform, becoming the latest banner to analyze its digital library over the past year. Sources close to the situation say that most of the removed titles will be able to be sold to third parties.
Among those removed are “American Gigolo” and “Let the Right One Go,” both of which were not renewed for a second season, as Showtime announced earlier Monday afternoon. Both seasons of “Joke” starring Jim Carrey are also no longer available to watch on the platform, as are one-season series “American Rust” and “Becoming a God in Central Florida.”
The first season of “Super Pumped” was also axed. The business anthology series was renewed in February 2022 with plans for a second season to focus on the story of Facebook. Few updates to the project appeared in the following months, however.
Other series affected include acquired content such as “The End” and “Wakefield.” The full list of removals from Showtime’s streaming service is currently unknown.
Earlier Monday, Paramount CEO Bob Bakish announced plans for an upcoming switch to the Showtime banner. The cable network will be renamed “Paramount+ With Showtime,” while its streaming service will be absorbed into Paramount+. The changes will be introduced later in 2023.
In recent months, removing titles from streaming libraries has emerged as a viable business technique for cost-cutting studios. HBO Max first quietly removed several original features from its library in August 2022, which has been followed by an ongoing series of cuts in its range of TV content. The removal of fully produced series allows streamers to take a tax cut, while opening up the opportunity to sell under-represented titles to third-party buyers.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the removal of various series from Showtime’s streaming platform.
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