Assessing Broadcast/Cable TV’s Streaming Strategies For Adult Animation: Adult Swim/TBS (2021)

For the next several weeks, we’re going to analyze broadcast networks and their strategies as it relates to streaming their original adult animation series for the widest possible audiences. With all of this talk about a “BOOM” in the industry, it’s high time we evaluate whether or not the networks are taking this industry seriously or is it all just a bunch of guff for shareholders. This week, we check out Adult Swim and TBS, both of whom feature original adult animation on their networks, but is there a streaming strategy in place? 

 

STRENGTHS

As long as TBS or Warner Bros. isn’t the studio, adult animation on TBS actually does quite well in the ratings. In fact, on most nights, American Dad gets better overnight ratings on TBS than FOX does with The Great North, Bless The Harts, and sometimes Duncanville…combined. Arguably, Kevin Reilly’s biggest mistake was jettisoning this series and then his biggest achievement was subsequently picking American Dad to series multiple times when he moved to Turner Broadcasting (and later been let go when the company rebranded to that of WarnerMedia). Because American Dad is a 20th Century FOX series, the franchise streams on Hulu the next day, making the streaming strategy sound.

For Adult Swim, the brand is everything. The brainchild of recent retirees Mike Lazzo and Keith Crofford, the TV network has firmly placed itself as a leading destination for adult animation on television and, from all accounts, appears to continue this trend at least through the upcoming year with Michael Ouweleen, now President of the network. Clearly, some changes can already be seen. Toonami had a quick brand refresh, and appears to be doubling down on original series in the next year or so. Network proper seems to be slowly transitioning away from quarter-hours to that of full-on half-hour series which can be seen as evident with the likes of Birdgirl, Rick and Morty, Tuca & Bertie, and Final Space. But, where is Adult Swim streaming?

---

WEAKNESSES

There is no Adult Swim streaming. At least with Adult Swim Streams we would occasionally get premieres and next day viewing of episode premieres. Now, everything is cable-gate and there is no next-day streaming strategy for Adult Swim. Hell, HBO MAX only JUST got the second half of Primal’s first season and that first aired in friggin’ September. The irony is, Adult Swim’s parent company WarnerMedia, has a streaming service called HBO MAX, no not HBO, not HBO Go, not HBO NOW, not Cinemax, not CinemaxGO, just HBO MAX. That service DOES get next-day streaming for Comedy Central’s South Park. A longtime rival of Adult Swim, Comedy Central has successfully sold more of their own IP than Adult Swim has for original premieres. As part of a bevy of orders earlier this year, HBO MAX has picked up a reboot of Clone High, whereas Adult Swim fans can’t even convince HBO MAX to get them more Venture Bros (and no, Netflix isn’t getting any of WB’s licenses for animated content). Want to stream new episodes of Momma Named Me Sheriff? Tough. Want to check out Final Space season three? Too bad. Even TBS’s “Animation Situation” portal on TBS.com features mostly cable-gate mixed in with the ill-fated Tarantula. 

Hulu used to be a great place for Adult Swim streaming. They still kinda are if you’re OK with just a glutton of older episodes, but no new episodes are expected to be found from Adult Swim anytime soon. Even the select offerings on Hulu are expected to leave the service sometime later this year. At times, Adult Swim will dish out episode premieres on Youtube, most recently having done so with Birdgirl, an idea that other cable nets without streaming services have also employed including Syfy.

---

OPPORTUNITIES

HBO MAX is planning some sort of cheaper subscription offering with commercials and is also exploring AVOD opportunities ala PlutoTV and Tubi. Whether or not that decreases the amount of time it takes for Adult Swim content to appear on HBO MAX is unclear, but something needs to be done. Final Space is clearly a streaming series that was always on the wrong network. With a brand as strong as Adult Swim, it’s hilarious that HBO MAX is continuing to build out it’s adult animation portfolio essentially on the back of South Park, much in the same way Hulu did with Solar Opposites and other promising IP like Crossing Swords, MODOK, and Koala Man. 

Adult Swim has the content, one of the deepest libraries of adult animation anywhere. The network will be losing all syndicated 20th Television series by the end of the year not named American Dad, so series like Family Guy, King of the Hill, and Bob’s Burgers will all vacate the Adult Swim/TBS premises by September 2021 and I’m not even worried about that because hopefully that means the network will just air marathons of their rich IP.

HBO MAX has it’s own adult animation landing page. How the streamer would potentially differentiate originals to that of acquisitions from Adult Swim in terms of importance, really hasn’t been figured out yet. But, Adult Swim needs a streaming partner, if it has to be HBO MAX, the streamer needs to get in on next-day streaming of Adult Swim content sooner, rather than later.

Aside from Adult Swim, sibling networks TBS and TruTV were once avid in getting new original adult animation. TruTV was flirting with a series called This Functional Family with Jo Koy which had loads of promise, and TBS had four original animated series in development only to get new destinations. With TBS launching Animation Situation, maybe this could provide a glimmer of hope that the network wants to continue to work that format for the foreseeable future. TruTV, to be honest, I haven’t a clue what TruTV does other than Impractical Jokers marathons which I’m still not going to watch.

---

THREATS

South Park leaving in a few years, Netflix, elitism, an already awful PR department, the list goes on and on in what could potentially erode the Adult Swim brand name of streaming relevance. One could even argue that HBO MAX being the main point of importance could maybe see the Adult Swim network struggle to remain relevant in the distant future. I mean, if Final Space is the template on how this network plans to treat it’s original programming in the future, I’m not sure up-and-coming producers will want to come here anymore. Adding in the fact that producers behind the network’s flagship series Rick and Morty have headed to FOX, CBS, and even Marvel deals, which begs the question why is the network not being more aggressive in keeping the talent that they cultivate?

I wasn’t the biggest fan of Adult Swim Streams, even despite the fact that I was a guest on one of their original series, but I can’t help but think that the streaming strategy has become increasingly murkier since the days of Lazzo/Crowford. The streaming space is becoming ever-more volatile, Adult Swim needs to be there or be square.