On Tuesday we reported that Jonathan Frakes began work on directing the second episode of Star Trek: Discovery’s second season. And today he got some familiar company in the form of his Star Trek: The Next Generation co-star Marina Sirtis. Frakes revealed the moment in a tweet heralding the “surprise visit to the set” from his “Imzadi,” evoking the term of endearment used by Troi and Riker’s throughout the show. Sirtis replied back with a simple “I love you Johnny.”
Surprise visit on the set of @startrekcbs my #Imzadi @Marina_Sirtis pic.twitter.com/SqvDEZvMVP
— Jonathan Frakes (@jonathansfrakes) May 5, 2018
SATURDAY UPDATE: Marina Sirtis followed up with a message about spending time with Mary Wise (Ensign Tilly) on Friday, extolling her talent, which garnered a reply from Wise admitting her nervousness at meeting the veteran Trek actress.
It was surreal and amazing to meet you @Marina_Sirtis !!!! Thanks for being so cool about how sweaty and nervous I was! You were always my favorite character don’t tell Frakes.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ https://t.co/Zwwippoydq
— Mary Wiseman (@may_wise) May 5, 2018
Earlier this week Sirtis announced on Twitter that she was headed to Toronto, where Discovery is shot, but was “not responding” to any questions about what she was doing there because “everything is a secret these days.”
Off to Toronto today and before you all start asking what I’m shooting up there, I will tell you now, I’m not responding to any of those tweets. I know, I’m so mean but everything is a secret these days.🤫
— Marina Sirtis (@Marina_Sirtis) May 2, 2018
Mount gets some action
Speaking of big moments on the set this week, actor Anson Mount (Capt. Pike) announced on Twitter that he had his first stunt work, and once again he used a Star Trek meme to emphasize the point. Perhaps the use of the Sulu-with-a-sword scene from “The Naked Time” indicates a little melee weapon action for Pike?
First major stunt work today in @startrekcbs and I’m all like… pic.twitter.com/WzKqzuxe1J
— Anson Mount (@ansonmount) May 3, 2018
Moonves highlights Star Trek and outlines All Access plans
Yesterday CBS corporation held its quarterly earnings call with investment advisors, and while he didn’t report any Star Trek news, CEO Leslie Moonves did talk a little bit about Discovery and the future of CBS All Access, outlining plans for the rest of the year.
The season finale of Star Trek: Discovery, the return of The Good Fight and big events like The Grammys led Q1 signups to be 100% year over year. Next month we’ll premiere our new drama Strange Angel from director and producer Ridley Scott. After that we will launch the psychological thriller from Kevin Williamson, called Tell Me a Story. We will also have the return of the Will Farrell comedy, No Activity. And in addition to all of this, our studio is producing a limited series for All Access called 8 Fights: The Life of Mohamed Ali, produced by Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman. And of course we will also have he highly anticipated reimagination of The Twilight Zone, from Academy Award-winner Jordan Peele.
Kwok-Choon hyped over Season 2 scripts
Actor Patrick Kwok-Choon (Lt. Rhys) didn’t have any spoilers to share, but wanted the world to know that the scripts he has seen from season two so far are so good. And, he got a little help with a Chris Pratt meme from Parks and Recreation.
these scripts are SO GOOD!!!
… pic.twitter.com/cyzaKJeWV8— Patrick Kwok-Choon (@KWOK_ROCK) May 2, 2018
Star Trek: Discovery is available exclusively in the USA on CBS All Access. It airs in Canada on Space and streams on CraveTV. It is available on Netflix everywhere else.
Keep up with all the Star Trek: Discovery news at TrekMovie.
Who thinks it’s a non-Discovery secret? Like she’ll be on Murdoch Mysteries or something (and is just keeping it a secret from her agent).
There is a lot of TV and movie production in Canada. Chances are high she was going there for something else and just took the opportunity to meet up with Frakes while both were there.
My own hometown of Winnipeg has a solid film business too. The Grudge reboot
Will be filmed here in June.
There’s a shoot happening right now for a film, I can’t recall the name, about a true story of two boys who fall through ice.
The thought flashed within me just now that, should there be a crossover between DISCO and Murdoch Mysteries, it would be a source of ecstasy for the fans of both. MM could easily be a holodeck-type fantasy, for example (and I think the USS Discovery would probably have a fairly advanced holodeck, despite not being in the 24th Century).
Add Data as Sherlock to the mix, and I think we have a movie of the week!
To the Powers That Be, if you are reading this, I am ready to provide a spec script. ;)
@Jack — I hope so. She’s got to be one of my least favorite actors and characters from Trek. Definitely don’t want to see her and Frakes together again onscreen. Their subplot together in NEM about did me in.
I liked them during TNG but film relationships always annoy me because often times it requires the characters to be really unprofessional.
But that’s what I loved about Riker and Deanna, is that they were pretty mature about their feelings and acted as coworkers most of the time who learned to become friends. Until Worf entered the picture we never saw any soap opera love triangles and they both dated a lot of people when they served together. There was some jealousy here and there but it was handled well. Thats how a mature break up should be but we know even in the real world its rarely that mature lol.
Yes I agree. Should have been the example for Spock/Uhura in the JJ films but I guess a mature relationship isnt enough drama for a two hour film.
My guess is that Marina’s going to replace the late Majel Barrett as the voice of the computer on the Enterprise.
Hopefully she will make some kind of appearance on Discovery if she went to the trouble to trek all the way out there.
There’d be a nice synergy there given that Majel was her onscreen mother and I think it would be popular with fans.
She did say she wanted to be the computer voice on Discovery for this reason. Maybe the producers become aware of that through Frakes and are going to give her a role along these lines?
Be nice but I doubt it. Anything that is related to a cross over is heavily promoted and announced when it comes to Trek like Frakes directing for instance. If she was the new voice my guess is we would’ve known about it long ago. But wouldn’t mind being proven wrong.
I don’t even recall Pike’s computer in the 1st pilot talking? About the only computer interaction I remember is Spock slicing his hand through the air and images changing on the screen.
I don’t think that would be a dealbreaker.
And this gesture-oriented interface was postulated in the late 1960’s! Trek truly was prescient, in that the movies have only in the last ten years or so built upon this method of interacting with devices. And, furthermore, I think we are in Real Life actually moving toward gesture-based devices.
Great observation.
In any event, I foresee that by the 23d Century, interacting with computers (whether verbally, through facial characteristics, gestures, etc.) will be little different from interacting with human beings — and perhaps less stressful in certain circumstances.
Still waiting for technology to catch up with Trek’s prediction in the pilot that we’ll have fax machines (again) in the 23rd century. As for motion sensors for computers, I think LiS had that nailed down. Just rewatched the pilot, actually. Why is Nimoy limping? Very noticeable when they first beam down and around the time he plays with the singing money plants.
Spock is limping because he was injured in their previous mission on Rigel VII, where the Kalar killed 3 crew members and injured others, including Spock.
LOL, okay, so I’m not an LIS (original series) expert. Maybe they had gesture-controlled machines in LIS, I’ll take your word for it. And as far as fax machines — what’s old is new again, as the world of tie (narrow, wide, narrow, wide) fashion could attest. I probably have ties somewhere that I could wear today without looking like a total 1950’s dweeb.
Hat Rick,
STAR TREK’s first pilot finished principal photography in November of ’64. LIS’ first pilot didn’t start principal photography until January of ’65.
But LIS was the first to get the gesture based tech interface on the air with their second episode, THE DERELICT, in September of ’65.
why LIS? dont u mean TOS?
JarMa13,
LIS started airing in September of 1965. TOS didn’t start airing till a year later in September of 1966. But even at that, Irwin Allen showed gesture based interfaces in his earlier previous SF shows too which predated both LIS and ToS.
Lol and remember how weird that seemed? And now, not so much
Fun fact: though the finished film of “The Cage” makes it appear that the screen changes in response to Spock’s “cutting” gesture, in a wider outtake from the scene you can see that he was actually gesturing to an offscreen yeoman who was seated at the adjoining console.
Michael Hall,
Are you sure she wasn’t there merely because the production needed someone to operate the real world slide projector as the computer? Because that irrational sexist Pike tells Yeoman Colt on two different occasions that she’s banned from the bridge for being a “woman”; so it stands to reason that’s why they cropped her out of the shot, i.e. she’s not supposed to be there.
I found nothing in Gene’s and his secretary’s copies of the scripts to indicate that the Yeoman was supposed to be in that scene and interacting with Spock.
Would she be in costume as a yeoman if she’s just there as a set technician to operate the projector? It’s just a guess, of course, but if she is there in costume then they probably at least considered having her in the shot.
DIGINON,
Many people in the entertainment industry get the opportunity to wear many hats.
It could have been her stunt double.
Bob May was a stunt double for Red Buttons who was rehearsing and Irwin Allen liked his body language in the rehearsal so Allen offered May the LIS Robot gig provided that he was able to fit in the suit.
The bridge screen images on the first pilot were slides rear-projected under the control of a union projectionist, which would have been prohibitively expensive for a series, thus the simplified static displays we unfortunately got later on. So costumed or not, the extra seated at the console had nothing to do with the change on the screen.
More than likely you wouldn’t find such directions in a script in any case. Pike’s chauvinism aside there’s at least one shot of an unidentfied female crewman (not Colt) seated on the bridge. Besides, I’ve read the script for “The Cage” and there’s no reference whatsoever to a gestural interface–the tight framing has just misled everyone including myself for the past fifty years that something is going on with the bridge tech that really isn’t.
Michael Hall,
I’ll defer to your greater experience in the industry. But in my limited experience hanging around extras while they actually sign up for studio cattle calls, it is not unheard of for actors to make ends meet by having more than one type of skill set and/or union card. I mean even Harrison Ford while seeking acting gigs worked as a carpenter which directly led to his work for THE DOORS as a stagehand and cameraman, and his eventual movie career.
*L* Disinvited, I don’t have “greater experience” in the industry, trust me–aside from working on a segment of “New Voyages” that has yet to see the light of day, I have no experience at all. But I do happen to know about that scene in “The Cage,” having stumbled onto the information online and knowing some of the background (as many TOS fans do) of how the two pilots came to be shot. Nothing more complicated than that, really. :-)
THE DOORS was released in 1991. Are you sure it’s Harrison Ford you meant to refer to?
Michael Hall,
No, Ford worked for the actual rock band, itself – NOT the movie.
Awesome factoid, given that I’m a big Doors fan. Thanks!
FWIW, in this interview:
http://www.startrek.com/article/catching-up-laurel-goodwin-yeoman-colt-from-the-cage
Laurel indicates that she was in the throes of divorce that cost her half of everything she made at the time. She got her nursing degree and went into home health care, so she does have an ability to adapt and possess alternate employable skills.
Re: there’s no reference
True. But by the same token we have no info on the reason the crewperson was cropped out after shooting was set up to include her. It could have been for prosaic technical reasons such as the lighting was wrong on that part of the set, or it could have been to make the operation of the computer seem more mysterious. Until someone digs up memos on how the scene was set up and edited, we simply don’t know.
Michael Hall,
Check for yourself:
http://www.knowitalljoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Star-Trek-the-Cage-Roddenberry-Copy.pdf
http://www.knowitalljoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Star-Trek-the-Cage-Secretarial-Copy.pdf
Yes, I’d read these, thanks. Your point?
Interesting thought, but if that were the case, she likely wouldn’t be there now, on the set. That would be done in post-production,, later.
Marina is looking good!
Maybe Sirtis will hold master classes on plexing to the DSC crew?
Enterprise computer, perhaps?
I’d be fine with that. Although I believe Majel recorded her voice for use. They could use it for the enterprise computer
If majel’s recordings are not suitable for whatever reason, Sirtis would be a nice option.
Question is: Did she record her voice for Paramount or for CBS? Whoever paid for it may have exclusive rights to use it.
CBS holds the underlying copyright to all of it. But there are both SAG and producer royalties payable regardless of who owns the actual recordings. If recorded for the movies then Paramount owns the physical recordings, and CBS would have to license them. Both companies would have to pay the SAG new-use payments. If recorded for ENTERPRISE by Paramount TV, then that became CBS, and they would own both the recordings and underlying copyrights, and still have to pay SAG. There might also be payments due to Berman depending on his producer deal. Any license fee is likely contractually negligible since Paramount couldn’t do anything with those recordings even if they owned them, without license from CBS to use the underlying copyright. Since this kind of control is far more extensive than denying or overcharging for the use of any given item for which they have ownership, there’s likely no serious deterrent to anyone using those recordings if they really wanted to.
I was watching the S.T. Generations episode where Tasha gets killed by the oil Alien. My favorite Star Trek series. All are incredible, but my generation was Picard and crew.
“Skin of Evil.” Watched it on Heroes and Icons the other night. Classic.
She’s looking better than she did on NCIS a few years ago.
Yep “on Netflix everywhere else”, which is exactly why so many of is have opted to wait for when it airs on a different medium. We have no interest in funding CBS’s fledgling streaming experiment. The arrogance of CBS “assuming” they can dump the cost of their endeavour on the backs of a built-in Star Trek fandom while everyone else gets to watch it on their Netflix subscription – except us.
I adore and respect Frakes and Sirtis and every other Trek alum and I certainly respect those working on, in and behind ST:D and I can’t wait to enjoy their work, but it won’t be on CBS CBS All Access.
The least they could do is offer Discovery on ITunes for purchase, but No. All they’re doing is encouraging people to torrent it.
iTunes sucks. You do know CBS still gets your money right? You people are beyond bizarre.
The picture quality between iTunes and CBS AA is like night and day. Saying iTunes sucks shows ignorance. Of course if you’re watching CBS on your tablet or Walmart special TV, then your not concerned about paying for quality anyway.
LOL, oh boy.
The arrogance of assuming that the viewers will pay for what they watch? How is this different than HBO? Or Netflix? Are you just complaining because they don’t have a ton of programming? Because that’s how things always start.
I mean, you’re talking about CBS being arrogant, but it really feels like you’re the one expecting everything to be perfectly catered to you?
People like that want everything handed to them. They think CBS owes them for being a fan. I remember watching Netflix streaming back when you needed windows media player to stream it. Boy was it bad.
This is an old argument and it is absolutely STUNNING that people STILL do not understand what the irritation is really about. It’s not about paying for TV service. It’s about paying for YET ANOTHER service. And a service that has but ONE and only ONE bit of worth while programming at that. People do not want to be “dollarded to death” It seems that no matter how many times it gets explained there will always be those who refuse to understand the concepts.
@ML31 — how exactly is signing up for CBS ALL ACCESS, any different than signing up for HBO with your cable subscriber to get GOT? Just because it’s all on one bill? If that’s the issue, just sign up for it as a “channel” through Amazon. At least with CBS AA, I don’t have to call customer service to drop it once the show I signed up for is finished. If the argument that there’s no other worthwhile programming, that’s on you. There are numerous shows on CBSAA now, all ready when DISC ended. To say nothing of THE GOOD FIGHT which was already on the service, and has its own strong following even if you don’t personally think of it. If your claim is that HBO has a lot of other programming, then substitute any other cable channel which requires an additional subscription or payment through your service provider, for which you otherwise have no interest. So yeah, I guess I don’t see the difference. You remember direct to video movies? This isn’t a lot different than going out and renting a direct to video movie at Blockbuster. If someone’s a fan, they’re going to pay for the thing — the means by which that payment is made and entertainment acquired is irrelevant. The fact that CBSAA does offer other programming makes DISC a far greater value than that direct to video movie you rented at Blockbuster, unless they had a promo which gave you free microwave popcorn I suppose.
OK. So again, it seems for some the concept remains unclear. It’s not the idea of paying, for example, for HBO just to get GoT. It’s the idea that one is already doing such things and is being asked to add YET ANOTHER one. And it doesn’t need to be HBO. It could be other services. Pick any pay service. Where does it end? For some it seems it ends with CBSAA. Obviously that is not where it ends for you. That’s not even where it ends for me. But I understand people’s frustration with this trend. One does not even need to agree with said frustration to understand it. And it is still stunning to me that people are not understanding it.
@ML31 — so general frustration? I mean, this has been going on for years with Pay and Basic Cable packages. Want HGTV? Then you have to buy a new tier of programming. Want Fox Sports Regional channels? That’s another tier of programming. Showtime, Starz, HBO, and even Cinemax used to be a separate package. Frankly, I’d rather pay a la cart for specific shows I want, and not get sucked into the cable TV model, racket. I suspect most people will prefer the new paradigm as well, once they understand it better and get up to speed with streaming. And just like the cable companies which began to bundle more packages into the basic offering, companies like Hulu, YouTube and Apple are starting to organize it all in bundles as well. Amazon offering “Channels” is another way to consolidate that monthly bill. Like it or not, this is the same model that’s been around for decades, and streaming is where it’s all headed for the future. I’m not sure we’ll ever get a la cart programming, but at some point we’re likely to get “network” packages from different brands, like Disney, Paramount, WarnerBros., which will allow us to pick and choose simple bundles.
Cadet, not the same. You are describing tiers of service to adding an entire OTHER service. That can be frustrating on another level but it is not the kind of frustration of asking people to continue to dollar themselves to death. I’d like to pay ala carte too. I’d love to pick what shows I’m willing to pay for to avoid paying (indirectly) for so much crud I will never watch. Sadly, even streaming doesn’t do that for us. So that is no different. It is unlikely customers will EVER get to go ala Carte. The frustration of people about having to pay for YET ANOTHER service remains even with all this.
I always get piss when I have to pay for food each week. I bought it once already the week before, why the hell do I have to pay again?
HN4,
Piss? Is that some homeopathic thing?
And yet again, someone showcases that they do not understand. It’s not that you have to pay continually. People do that for their existing services already. It would be as if you paid a flat fee to take all the food you like from a store on some sort of annual basis. But suddenly not all the items in that store are there. And you have to get them at other stores. OK. So you pay the fees for another store. Not a big deal to get that one or two cool items. But then more things drop from your main store and you have to start paying for more and more other stores. THAT is what is maddening. NOT the fact that you are paying to begin with.
I strongly suspect this concept will still not be understood.
Rather then waste my time explain why you’re wrong, just know that I’m embarrassed for you. It’s okay if you don’t understand streaming and people will gladly explain it if you’d like
Trust me, it’s a good thing! If you compare CBSAA to Netflix you’re not even trying. Netflix was fledgling once too.
Who’s this “WE” you’re talking about? I’m still paying for CBS AA, and I’m loving it. I bet you’ve seen every episode of Discovery. Nice try.
I figure as big a fan of Star Trek as I am, what is $10 a month? I’ve even enjoyed After Trek much more than I thought I would.
I really like After Trek. I’ll gladly pay to support Star Trek, I would have been really worried if the show was broadcast on regular TV.
Wow, never expected this!
It’s good to see two type cast actors doing work on a project outside of Star Trek.
Ummmm, it IS Star Trek (Discovery) that they’re shooting right now.
Malaka’s comment was sarcasm Alan.
1. Great to see that Marina Sirtis is on such good terms with Jonathan Frakes. I’ve always like the chemistry between the two as actors and as characters.
2. Exciting news about the action we should anticipate seeing in Season 2.
All in all, Trek is moving forward so quite well, I’m confident and delighted in its future (no pun intended).
You heard it here first: These are the Voyages, Part 2!
That would be awesome and hilarious at the same time!
The sad thing is I could totally see this current bunch actually doing it. After the tire fire that was season one nothing can be considered too silly or dumb.
This is all wonderful, but speaking of Majel Barrett…has anybody heard anything about the character of Number One? Would like to see her in the new Discovery episodes.
That has me wondering if that could be the reason Marina Sirtis is in Toronto. Although she might be too recognisable to cast in the role.
Although if they’re going to double cast ANY role…
Love seeing Frakes and Sirtis like that, great chemistry there. Good TNG memories.
Again, Mount posts a great Tweet. That guy is making me consider joining Twitter. But then again, probably not.
CBSAA sucks, imo. I joined long enough to binge Discovery (and even then felt ripped off), and canceled. $20, not well spent. Impress me, Season Two…please. Anson Mount’s Pike and Frakes directing again are the keys to making me tune in again.
$20 for the entire first season and you’re complaining? Hahahahaha
I know, TUP. This is something you and I will never agree on, which is ok –
It just doesnt make sense. Like if you really believe its not worth it, dont subscribe. No one is making you. To keep subscribing and then complain about how its not worth it, thats not on CBS, its on you.
How much does it cost you to go see a film? And when you see one you dont like, do you stop going to films?
I really don’t go to movies much, unless it’s a Trek film, TUP. That’s not a cost thing, I just like the ability to watch a film from the comfort of my home, the ability to pause, make food, get a drink, etc. Like I said above, if Discovery were available on ITunes, I would happily pay for it and be on my way. Then I would own the season, with great Apple quality. I just don’t like having to sign up for a whole separate service to see the one show they have I’m interested in. At the end of the day, not a big deal, but just my opinion. I’m a Trek fan of over 40 years – so I’m along for the ride regardless. Unless the show becomes so bad, I find it unwatchable. I hope season 2 improves on things.
Oh please. Cry me a river.
The funny thing about the CBSAA news is that not once have we heard how many people bailed out during the STD break or after the SDT finale. Only about “new subscribers”. I get that they are compelled to not report the bad but this kind of reporting just reeks of misinformation. Please tell us “net subscribers” each quarter. That is, new ones minus the ones who jumped ship. Something tells me those are figures we will never get.
Agreed, I very much doubt we will, ML.
Will we ever see “Star Trek Discovery” on Regular T.V.?
We can’t read the Captions if there are any on the streaming!
Come on an Respect us Star Trek fans who are begging to see it on Regular T.V.
Streaming sucks!!!!!
@Ken — Why can’t you read the captions? Of course there are captions available in streaming. To access them, I swipe down on my Apple TV Remote, select the language I want and they magically appear. Or I can turn them on by default in the device settings.
You better get used to streaming. It’s here to stay and everything will eventually be delivered that way
I recently handed my second streaming package. I had Netflix for years and now have Amazon Prime as well. I love the glorious picture quality and sound I get from both.
I refreshed myself on westworld by binging it On Demand via HBO streaming through my set top box. Looked amazing.
Plus as a Trek fan streaming is so great. Studios don’t have to be reliant on ad money and the ups and downs of live viewship. It’s a whole new model that gives shows like Trek their best chance of long term success.
True. I don’t even watch OTA TV live anymore. I don’t even have cable, don’t need it.
The worst take ever on these forums is the few people living in the 90’s who equate their lack of comfort with streaming with a sense that everyone agrees and that streaming is a poor technology.
Even better, most of those people have Netflix. lol
Don’t hold your breath. I doubt you will ever see it on TV outside of the first episode that was shown. I am surprised its not on Blu-ray/DVD though. I thought once the first season was over it would show up a month or two later on that format. Star Trek is all about box sets.
Who buys Blu-rays and DVDs ? I don’t even own a DVD player.
Considering hit films still sell blu rays in the millions when they are released clearly someone does.
And for the record I don’t own one anymore either, not counting my lap top. But I know some still do and a poster here in particular who has been waiting for it to come to blu-ray since they hate streaming. I’m really talking about those people. I stream most stuff today but I still prefer to watch stuff on regular TV when possible because no buffering issues, which I have had a few times on All Access and its frustrating as hell. At least with Blu-rays it plays clearly all the time if you can’t record it on TV.
I buy blurays for the Special Features and commentaries.
@DataMat — those are increasingly available with streaming content. What you can’t get just yet is full bandwidth, HQ picture. 4K UHD 24p HDR streaming is pretty good, but BlueRays are still noticeably better. There’s also the idea of ownership. If my connection goes down, the best I may have is 1080p downloaded files. Where I have ripped streamed 4K content, the cost of the media to store it, combined with the time and effort, really is no match for the legit commercial BD in many cases.
I hate owning things.
I remember reading somewhere that most people never watch the special features or listen to the commentaries and a lot of studios have stop doing them for their movies. Why spend the money on something hardly anyone sees.
HN4,
Re: a lot of studios have stop doing them for their movies
As long as they lower the price, I’m cool with that.
And I’m sure the Criterion company couldn’t be more elated too if the studios exit as their competitors. I see a win-win for everyone.
” and a lot of studios have stop doing them for their movies.”
That is absolutely not true. They have only stopped it on the rentals. The purchased ones still have all the bonus content. Universal even does something I find particularly evil. Their discs still have all the bonus menus but when you navigate to the content and try to start it a message comes up about how you need to BUY the disc to access the bonus materials.
ML31
That’s only what I read. I’ve never bought a movie on DVD before. My only DVD experience comes from back in dark old times when Netflix mailed out DVDs.
HN4, Netflix STILL mails out DVD’s. And Blu Rays as well. A few years ago the just eliminated the discs and streaming combination from their subscriptions. But both are still there. And it still accounts for a very large percentage for their revenues. They’ve even spent money on apps and promotional materials. And they’ve been celebrating their 20th anniversary. Since it sounds like you don’t subscribe I imagine you have no idea about any of that.
“And it still accounts for a very large percentage for their revenues.”
If that was true Netflix wouldn’t be closing down their DVD distribution centers all over the place. There’s just not much demand for Netflix DVD anymore. I doubt it will be around in the next couple of years. Most people like me switched to streaming when Netflix splitted the service. Losing DVDs was no great lost for me.
Here’s a few quotes from a recent CNBC article. Just google “What it’s like to work at Netflix’s dying DVD business” to read the whole thing.
While Netflix’s streaming service is booming, its DVD-rental service continues to bleed users, losing nearly 200,000 subscribers in the last three months and 4.8 million in the last five years.
The company now has 17 DVD distribution hubs around the U.S., down from 50 in mid-2016, and a former employee tells us internal projections see DVD.com surviving until 2025
“They’re just trying to slow the bleeding and allow it to die off naturally,” that employee said.
Except, what you are failing to realize is that the disc service provides a substantial hunk of revenue. According to BGR, “Netflix’s streaming service — and original content especially — are the star of the show without a doubt, but the DVD subscriptions still provide the company with a nice cushion of cash. As the AP reports, the company spends absolutely no money to promote its DVD service, but its millions of subscribers still allow it to rake in a 50% operating profit, which is a margin that any company would envy.” This was reported some 15 months ago but combine that little tidbit with the fact that Netflix will soon be losing content left and right as media companies continue to create their own streaming services (discs are not a part of the streaming deals, btw. Never have been) and the disc side of the business will become more necessary for them to continue. I used to think that the disc side would die off soon too. Until I uncovered the revenue it generates and saw the trend for media providers to start their own services. The discs may indeed die off one day. All formats do eventually. But this arm of Netflix certainly looks to be around longer than some might predict.
This information is pretty easy to find. An article in the Motley Fool confirms, “Logic would dictate that Netflix has nothing to lose until its DVD rentals start losing money. Netflix is holding up just fine on that front. It scored $60.2 million in contribution profit from the $120.4 million in revenue that it received from DVD subscriptions during the first quarter. In short, the business is incremental.” Again, this data is a year old. But it does not paint the dire picture you are presenting.
I buy BD’s only of movies or shows I want to have repeat viewings of. The sad thing is that the recent discs for rentals have been dropping their bonus content. This is disappointing as I have always liked the bonus content. That said, even without the bonus material I still find the discs superior to streaming. Perhaps I would feel differently if I was totally down to watching movies and TV on my phone. But I don’t. (For people who say they have cut their cord and/or no longer have a disc player I wonder… Do they even still have TV’s? If so, why? My son doesn’t watch much on a TV himself and my nieces have graduated and do not even own TV’s in their home.) I like watching on a larger screen with superior sound. Yes, my kid doesn’t seem to care one way or the other. And yes, I know where things appear to be headed. But until the things I like to watch are no longer available on the easy and convenient and superior format that I prefer, I will continue to enjoy them in that fashion. Of course, if the day comes when that is no longer possible I will adapt. But by then perhaps the new format will be just as good.
PS… Another reason to use the discs is because I do not like my viewings to be dependent on whatever licensing deal studios happen to have with streaming providers that particular month. I KNOW my owned content isn’t going anywhere.
Some of us can’t get high speed internet and have to buy DVDs.
That sounds horrible. I would move, I can’t live without my high speed internet.
HN4,
Re: That sounds horrible.
I felt the same when I lost my eidetic memory, but I learned to live with it and it turned out there’s a bright side to not being able to relive horrible events in my life in vivid Sensurround technicolor detail
Why are you surprised?
Discovery is a Netflix Exclusive!
Season 1 might be released on Blu-ray shortly before season 2 comes out. I’ve heard that several shows are released like that.
I’ve seen that with “premium content” shows. I think GoT releases right before the new season comes out so you can binge.
It makes sense because they want to leverage the series as a reason to subscribe. But the people who will want the Blu Rays will be able to get them, Im sure.
Since Netflix controls it outside of the North American Continent, I expect to be able to import BD box sets before I see them on the retail shelves in SoCal.
Tiger, one of the reasons I went ahead and bought the streaming device (CBSAA never made a smart TV app)and subscribed to the service was because I was doubting season one would ever be made available on disc. I thought it might be possible considering their partnership with Netflix. But that hope has been fading for some time. Even Netflix has been delaying their own content to disc. Delaying an absurdly long time. Generally GoT comes out on disc soon before the next season arrives on HBO. That is when I see it. I have no problems waiting. The only drag was that as the show got more popular avoiding spoilers has gotten more difficult. If STD does come out on disc, it might be just before S2 arrives to stream. Whenever that will be. And if it does finally make its way to Netflix, I will have a choice to make. Pay to see it earlier or wait for the disc. Sadly, since I’m a Trek fan I will likely just pay to see it earlier anyway. Trek is the only thing I would do that for. GoT is far better than STD and I wait 10-11 months for that.
@ML31 — CBS never made a streaming app for YOUR smart TV. My Android based Sony has a CBSAA app. Also, you can subscribe to CBSAA through Amazon Channels, which has apps for all smart TVs as far as I know. So that’s no longer a requirement to the extent it once was. A subscription to Amazon is, though that’s a much greater value than CBSAA alone. FOr those who only want to subscribe to Netflix, and no other streaming services … well I’m not sure what to say.
Cadet, Yes. I already said there was no CBSAA smart TV app. Would have been nice, however. And never having subscribed to Amazon I have no idea what the Amazon channels are. As far as I know, there is no good reason to subscribe to Amazon Prime. Myself, I have yet to find a streaming service that is worth their fee. And remember, I am already paying for other services on that front. So they would need to tell me why I should pay still more to add their streaming options. Thus far, with patience, most things I am interested in eventually seeing I do see using the services I already have.
@ML31 — Amazon Prime is the worth its weight in gold, and it has nothing to do with the video/entertainment package. I don’t even order that much online, yet for $120 a year ($10/month) I get free two-day shipping on almost everything I order (two day shipping on most items will cost more than $10 from any other source). I’ve easily gotten my monies worth and more, just from shipping gifts to friends and relatives throughout the year. The video service comes free with it, and there’s some excellent original programming on it as well. It’s actually better than Netflix in some respects as you can purchase movies through it and access the library via the interface, anytime you want, not just when the streaming service has license to it. “Channels” is a service through which you can add HBO Now, or CBS AA, as an add on service to Prime, so that you can easily turn it on or off within your Amazon Prime account, and have all of your entertainment services billed to one payment source. The quality is generally higher as well. It’s basically serving as a traditional cable company in that regard. In addition, Prime offers a streaming music service, and various other perks too numerous to mention. Best deal going as far as I’m concerned.
OK. Glad you enjoy it. I do not order enough items from Amazon to make it work my while. I do not need 2 day shipping. Regular shipping works just fine and I normally get things within 5-7 days. There are a couple of things on Amazon Prime I would be kinda interested to check out. But not at $10 a month. Just not worth it. So the “channels”, from what you describe, are basically “portals” to enable easier purchasing of other streaming services. Hmmm… No thank you. When you say “purchase movies” do you mean purchase the actual physical disc or the ability to play off the internet whenever you want? There is a HUGE difference. One you don’t need to pay Amazon Prime for. The other still leaves you at the whims of licensing deals. From what you describe it doesn’t sound like a worth while service to me in any way shape or form. My cable provider gives me everything I need. I get the use of a DVR. And there are tons more programming available that route that I have an interest in than all the streamers I do not pay for combined. The real problem I personally have with the streamers is that while they are producing original content left and right, there just is not all that much worth paying the fee for. Yes, there are a few things I’d be curious to see. But not at the fees they charge. Especially the fees for the multiple services I’d have to add on top of what I already pay to get them. If I could add Hulu, CBS, Amazon, and the upcoming Disney and DC streamers for about $10/mo for all of them, I would start to consider if it were worth it. But not for $10 each. No way no how. Major league rip off. Again, this is based on my personal use. Not saying it is for you or anyone else.
@ML31 — your cable provider is nothing more than a portal to other services through their service — and with worse quality than most premium streaming services. The compression in a cable signal is the worst signal going. I’d have to see how much you’re paying on shipping in a year to be able to debate whether there’s value for you on Amazon. As I said, merely buying birthday gifts for may family via amazon throughout the year more than justifies the fee, to say nothing of Christmas, Anniversaries, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentines, etc. As for buying movies — yes, you can download the digital movies you buy, like any service, and access them from anywhere at any time. Cable is the biggest scam going. I wouldn’t pay for cable unless it were the only thing available to me. I once paid over $180/month for cable and satellite service, which I wrote off on my taxes as an investment for my Air BNB rental. All of that was to gain access to all of the cable packages offered, all the movie and sports channels, and all the basic cable programming. And I had Netflix as well. I wasn’t watching half of it. Talk about a rip off. I discovered that if I subscribed to only what I wanted on the streaming channels, I could get everything I wanted for MUCH LESS than the cable bill. My guess is you could too, but you’re choosing to pay for the convenience of the cable set-up you have and are locked into it, possibly because of one show or network, making the leap to lower cost streaming impossible for you.
Cadet, the cable provider has a rather large and extensive line up that I, and my family, do indeed take advantage of. It is absolutely worth it for the convenience alone. But as I said, there is not enough in the streaming world worth paying a bunch of fees for. You think there is. I disagree. Sounds like you do the bulk of your shopping through Amazon. I do not. For the most part I still like to go to the store and buy what I want. No shipping fees and I get to actually see the item before I buy. Plus returns are WAY easier. There are precious few items I buy on line. Therefore, Amazon Prime would be an enormous rip off. Add the fact that I do not care about next day or two day shipping. So explain again why I should hold your opinion regarding Amazon? I do not see cable as a scam. I see it as a tremendous value. You get far more bang for your buck with cable than with any, and I mean ANY streaming service. Personally, I have never ever paid $180/month for cable. No wonder you feel ripped off. I would too if I paid that outrageous fee. My fees don’t even come near that. I felt ripped off buying CBSAA with two friends for one month. All I ever looked at was STD. Nothing else was worth it. Talk about a scam. Glad you get everything you want via streaming. We have different values and TV needs. Your guess is 100% wrong. I have already looked into cutting the cord. It is currently impossible to get what I get from cable via streaming. Not for any price. Period. It’s not because of one show or one network. Please stop making baseless assumptions about why I have what I have. Especially when I have already explained why. I’m not asking you to agree. This is subjective. At best with streaming I could pay a little more than half of what my cable charges for a bunch of services and in return get a fraction of the programming I actually watch without all the conveniences or image quality. How is that a good thing for me and my household? You are happy with streaming. Streaming doesn’t give me the programming, quality, or extras I want. Period.
I agree, Ken. Cable, over the air and BD’s are still more reliable and have better qualities than streaming. I can’t tell you how many glitches I got watching that show. And a couple of them were unacceptably ENORMOUS. But I am also forced to say that the service I was using did indeed have captions available. It was a bit of a song and dance to activate and deactivate them. But they were there. I am also forced to admit that the quality of streaming has improved. But it still has a ways to go to be as good as BDs or as convenient as cable or over the air.
@ML31 — I would actually disagree that cable is in any way more reliable and better quality than streaming. I cut the cord a few years ago, one of the reasons was the horrible service through Time Warner Cable, now Spectrum. And the quality is substantially sub-par due to over compressed signals and limited bandwidth compared to major streaming services. These issues are magnified by today’s modern 4K TVs. No question about OTA antenna broadcasts, but then I don’t have the convenience to watch those whenever I want. They too can be affected by weather. Only BD will I agree are the highest quality and most reliable medium presently available. But that’s not really the issue, since in almost all cases, BD are after broadcast purchases, requiring the viewer to see them initially over a far lower quality standard.
Cadet, when you say “horrible service” did you mean the people you dealt with or the actual service they were piping into your home?
I have considered cutting the cord myself. But so far there is no replacement service available that gives me what my cable gives me. None. This is, of course subjective as different people are interested in different services. I pay for one provider that gives me the channels I want. I have a DVR that has never failed me. I do not get the glitches that I get when streaming. The image quality is still higher due to the limitations of bandwith and whatnot that hamper streaming. I’ve never had weather issues. (Once a neighbors tree got in the way. That has been it.) And, of course, when I watch discs the image and sound is just much better than anything on line can give me.
Once again, I am pleased you are happy with the results of your cord cutting. I will be there too once the tech improves and I find something that can give me everything my cable provider gives me at a similar or lower price.
@ML31 — Both!
Ive had more DVRs fail and replaced than I care to discuss, or had to replace when upgraded, or switching service providers, taking with them all the programming I was storing on them. And, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but some programs now come with expiration dates on the DVR, so they are automatically erased. I don’t know what channels you need, but I’ve yet to find a channel I must have I can’t access online.
If bandwidth is an issue for you, then you have a lousy ISP. I have 30mbps download which provides a much higher picture quality than any cable or satellite service provider I’ve ever had (and I’ve been with a few over the years). I never have glitches while streaming.
Either way, to each his own. I wouldn’t pay a cable company another dime, unless it was literally the last option available to me. From my conversations on AV forums, my take is that only sports programming requires cable any more to get exclusive content licensed to cable-only networks. But I get all the OTA games in much higher quality than cable, and even Hulu now offers Sports packages in much higher quality than cable or OTA.
Cadet..
I will give you the service when talking to people. That is my only real complaint about cable. Nothing ever gets done unless the customer is a jerk. But I honestly do not need to deal with them much at all. So it is not as big a problem as it could be. Netflix, on the other hand, seems to have the absolute BEST customer service. When I have called they have always given me a little more than was necessary.
Sorry you have had such bad luck with your DVR. Yours is the first I’ve ever heard of such a thing. I’ve never once had an issue with mine. Through the two cable providers I’ve used since the service has been offered. The provider I had before the one I currently had, did indeed erase something I had recorded. It was about 8-9 months later. That was irritating but the DVR really isn’t meant to hold something forever and ever. Buy the disc if you want to do that, IMHO. That said, with my current subscriber I have intentionally left one thing on the DVR to see if that might happen. It has been some 14 months and its still there. So I really don’t consider such a thing an issue. I can access most channels on line, sure. But they all come with commercials. That’s what the DVR is for. Further, a number of them won’t even show their stuff unless I tell them who my provider is.
Bandwidth is not an issue for me. It’s an issue for those doing the streaming. Usually the first thing to get sacrificed is sound. The last pay service I have streamed was STD. I did not get one episode without at least 5 glitches. The things I’ve streamed through other means, like the free YouTube sports and the occasional network show (the only DVR issue I had was when my kid was mad and erased things) I’ve never had a glitch. Not one. Only glitches I’ve ever got were from CBS and to a lesser extent, Netflix.
Glad you are enjoying your cable free world. There are indeed, however, plenty of channels that require a cable subscription. I see it all the time. And sports, yes, are indeed still the realm of cable. There are precious few games available over the air if you aren’t an NFL fan. Anything else, you pretty much need cable. Unless you are an LAFC fan. Who have an exclusive deal with YouTubeTV. And that is only in the LA area. Which I am not. Either of them.
@ML31 — You seem to be basing your bad streaming experience exclusively on CBS AA — which is a startup service hit with a massive number of subscribers for which it was unprepared. It has improved. Moreover, I cancelled CBS AA and do not intend to go back as I can add it on Amazon as a “channel” and get much higher picture quality, and sound, plus it’s one less bill I have to pay as it will be included in my Amazon account payments. Again, everyone’s use case is different. But streaming glitches aren’t universal. I only had one glitch with CBS AA. I have more glitches with Netflix on a daily basis than I personally had with CBSAA, even though I know other’s experiences were different. You seem to have no trouble with Netflix.
Cadet, conversely you seem to be basing your bad cable experience on your one time when you overpaid. You could have cut back on services that more fit your needs or even gone with another provider. There is competition. CBSAA represents my most recent experience with a pay service. Ironically, the free stuff works way better than the pay stuff! Go figure. I’m glad you have a bunch of excuses for CBS and their shoddy service. Regardless, it’s unacceptable. Iron those things out before you launch. It’s pathetic. Funny that you accept all the shortcomings for streaming but not for cable. But that’s OK. It’s your preference so it’s natural to ignore the problems. If you add CBS as an add on through Amazon, then you are indeed going back to it. At least, that is how you explained the Amazon channels to me. I have had issues with Netflix from time to time. Most of them were from a few years ago. CBS on the other hand… TONS of glitches. Tons. According to a number of posters I am not alone in that, either.
Books are great too. I love my Kindle.
HN4,
Nothing beats the Kindle’s OED.
Look at that photo… did she have her arm amputated?
WTH😲
I thought something looked amiss when I glanced over the photo. Taking another look… YES! Where is her arm?
First Picard now her.
I don’t know about you all, but I’ve always found Sirtis disarming.
I live in Toronto. I wonder if I “tweeted” them, would they come over for dinner? I’d promise not to talk about Star Trek.
We’d watch Bill Maher episodes on HBO and bash Trump.
I changed the oil in the deep fryer last week. I’d soooo make amazing wings for them. I’d bring out the good beer. The whole 9 yards
My mother-in-law grows her own tomatoes in the backyard. They want authentic Italian cooking? We could go to my in-laws in Woodbridge…
What if they like Trump and dislike Maher?
????? madness
I dislike both.
Maher gets it wrong a certain (fairly small) percentage of the time, but that’s a good thing in a way, because folks should always work to keep and earn their viewers, and that means not playing it safe. But his pragmatic liberalism is largely in line with my own, even if he often doesn’t take it far enough left.
A friend of my best bud in high school was once playing with a pile of black powder (yeah, you know where this is going already, right?) He drops a cigarette while my friend does a “NO, LEE!” a la THE BIRDS with the guy at the filling station … WHOOSH! All hair on his face gone, singed right up to his scalp. When he goes home, he tries the line on his horrified mom, ‘I found a funny match.’ That’s what I think of most of the time when Trump says anything at all … just more made-up evasions, even when the truth is staring you in the face.
Kmart
I took you as a tRUMP voter 🤣
Now you’re just posting for the sake of posting.
I don’t think there’s anything I’ve ever written (or even thought or said aloud) that could place me in such a camp. Those Bush the Second and Reagan years were the worst ever, and this promises to be remembered as Bush the Second TIMES Reagan in its negative impact on most aspects of life here.
Anyway, I’m pretty sure I’m the one who first started calling him T-Rump (about this time last year), and not in anything remotely like an affectionate way.
Just joking. :P
Some may indeed dislike both. Personally, Maher isn’t always my cup of raktojino either. But I think you’ll find very few, if any, Trump fans on the Trek staff.
I live in Toronto as well. Sounds like the making of a party!
“Johnny”? That’s a new one for me. John and Jonathan are not the same name.
I doubt she’s on the show if she refused to admit it earlier in the week and is now so open about it.
I know plenty of Jonathans who like being called Jon, as Sirtis has known him for many years I’m sure she has been calling him Jonny for a long time. After all James & Jim are not the same name, nor does Bill & William make much sense :).
Honest question – how many usernames that comment on this site are CBS moles? “Why would I ever cancel CBS All Access when I love it more than life itself? The streaming quality is sheer perfection. And what a bargain for such excellence. Discovery? Nope, definitely nothing abjectly stupid about that show. Maybe the finest show ever produced. Spore drive? Genius. I heart Tilly. Remember not to cancel your subscription.”
Who do you expect to answer this? It might seem completely alien to you but it actually makes sense that people on a Star Trek fan site are positive about a Star Trek production. And if you’re wondering: No, I’m not a CBS mole. I don’t even live in the US or anywhere near it.
Honest retort: are you unfamiliar with the concept that just because *you* have a certain opinion or world-view, others may not share it? That it is indeed possible for contradictory information to exist?
I’m sorry this has been an uncomfortable exercise in cognitive dissonance. :)
I get you, Galt, but then again, I also think Craig’s CASINO ROYALE was an utter wading pool of manure and a disservice to Fleming. A minority view, to be sure, but a sincere one. Why people love a movie about a guy who kills incompetent spies with no memories for their cell phone data (because they store all that secret stuff on a device!!!!), I dunno.
And I really like TFF too, but I love FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE far more than any trek flick.
CBS pays me with free bubble gum.
Are you kidding? Your post is trolling.
Since no one on this site, ever, has stated that they loved CBSAA more than life itself, or that the experience of streaming shows on it is flawless, or that Discovery‘s first season was anything like perfect, your question was anything but honest–indeed, it wasn’t even a question. Just another tired attempt (in a seemingly endless series) at trolling, an unfortunate habit you seem uninterested or incapable of breaking. Well, that’s a problem for the mods and not myself, fortunately. But it’s all getting to be very old, very fast.
And hopefully at the end of the episode it turns out Discovery was just another bad Holodeck program for RIker and Troi.
YES!!!! The last episode of the series should be revealed to be a holodeck recreation. That would explain all the inconsistencies and dumb plot holes. Please or please do that, STD show runners!!
In the last episode of Discovery, we find out that TNG, DS9, and Voy was a Holo program created by Tilly. That would make so much sense. Why eles would the Enterprise D look like a Ramada Inn from the 80s.
Back in 1987 when my friends and I first sat and watched TNG, we ALL HATED the Enterprise D and constantly referred to it as the USS Hilton. Then when that Las Vegas Star Trek thing popped up it was in the, wait for it…. Hilton!
LOL. The ship even had carpet. Who cleaned it?
NanoDysons. Or Exo-Dysons.
Makes sense.