HBO Max is definitely flexing its muscle to let everyone know just what it’s bringing to the game when it finally launches and really, it’s looking pretty stacked already. From the original shows to the movies that a lot of people still enjoy and more content to come once the studios can get back to production, there’s a good chance that HBO will be one of the heavy hitters when it comes to contending with other networks. Julia Alexander of The Verge has more to say on this matter. Of course it’s already bringing forth an entire slew of content that makes it a worthy competitor, and the fact that HBO has been around for so long is another credit to the name since for as long as any of us can possibly remember, HBO has been a part of life, at least since the early 70s. Remember those days when having HBO on your cable bill was a big deal? There was a time when it was extra and was insanely expensive, and would only be something that those who had the money were able to get and keep around for a while. Then eventually it became part of several package deals as other movie channels started popping up and gave HBO a real run for its money. At one point hotels were deemed to be something special if they had the HBO channel since again, for a good long while this was a channel that was dedicated to bringing quality movies and other content to the people and was seen as something unique and special.
Then came the internet, and then came Netflix, and then came the streaming channels that followed until today it’s become an ever-expanding morass of options and different channels to pick from, more than a lot of people could ever possibly need and more than can be easily watched given how much content each one has. But HBO has remained pretty strong throughout it all, offering up the same quality movies and, as time has gone on, some extremely worthwhile original shows. There’s even more to come as it’s being shown however and as the streaming wars continue HBO is bound to be on the front lines doing what it normally does, which is giving the people what they want and making certain that it’s bound to stand up to whatever competition is bound to come. So far in recent years HBO has been firing on all cylinders, at least until the fiasco that came from the final season of Game of Thrones, which sent a lot of fans into an uproar as it felt way too rushed and not at all as epic as it should have. After the constant buildup and weaving net of plots and intrigues that came about in earlier seasons one might have thought that at least a few fan theories would have been realized, but the ending we got for GoT was kind of, ‘meh’, and in some cases infuriated the fans so much that they sought a petition to get it changed. Yeah, feel free to roll your eyes at that one.
At the moment the return of Westworld is a bright spot in HBO’s lineup since the popular program is currently six episodes in to the third season and has already been renewed for a fourth, meaning that whatever happens at the end of season 3 is going to hopefully set up an even more epic season that will come after it and possibly send the show out with a bang unless there’s another idea to continue the story. As of right now it feels as though HBO is only picking up steam as it goes, and has no intention of stopping its forward motion. Other companies such as Netflix and Disney+ are looking to remain as massive competitors and have the content and the funding to do just that despite the effects of the current pandemic, but it’s fair to say that HBO is going to be a big contender when it comes to really taking on some of the bigger names in the streaming wars, as other challengers such as Apple TV+, Quibi, and several others are also going to be stepping into the ring to get a piece. Ben Travers of IndieWire has more to offer on this topic. At this time it’s not really about who’s the last company standing when it’s all said and done since a lot of people have expressed a desire to subscribe to more than one service, but there are plenty of folks that have their favorites, and for many, HBO has been and still is one of them.
Given all the options that people have these days when it comes to movies and original shows it’s hard to see any one network really dominating the streaming game, but HBO has definitely shown that they have the clout and the influence to get in the ring with just about anyone.
