2017 Will See 20 Unscripted Series Headed to Netflix
posted Sunday Dec 11, 2016 by Scott Ertz
Since Netflix announced its intentions to offer 50% original content, we have seen some big, but sometimes confusing, moves from their original content divisions. Just a couple of weeks ago, the company gave $40 million to Chris Rock to return to the stage after a long absence, bringing 2 new specials to the platform.
If you think that is strange, wait until you hear this week's move. The company will be bringing 20 new, original series to Netflix in 2017. The downside is that they are all "unscripted series," meaning that Netflix is joining the reality show/competition show bandwagon in a big way. This new catalog includes a series from the The Biggest Loser EP and Sylvester Stallone titled Ultimate Beastmaster. IMDB describes the series, saying,
Touted as the first international competition show of its kind, "Ultimate Beastmaster" will feature six country-specific versions, with local languages, competitors and hosts from each country: the U.S., Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Germany and Japan. All 10 episodes will launch at the same time worldwide on Netflix. The series will feature 108 competitors, 18 from each country, with each hourlong episode featuring 12 contestants - two from each locale. The athletes will run a demanding new obstacle course known as "The Beast," and each episode will crown a "Beastmaster," with the nine individual winners competing against each other in the final episode of the season for the chance to become the Ultimate Beastmaster.
If this sounds familiar, it's because it is - they are describing the Japanese series Sasuke, known in the US as Ninja Warrior, adapted for G4TV, and then NBC, as American Ninja Warrior. Hopefully this is not a sign of the things to come. If Netflix is going to get into the unscripted world, hopefully the majority of these series (we can't say all) will actually be original. Where Netflix has shined in their original programming is when they work with entirely new IP, like Stranger Things, or working with established IP for new concepts, like Marvel.
Will all of the Netflix unscripted series be direct copies of existing IP, or will we see some truly unique content? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
