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There Has Never Been a Better Time To Get Into Star Wars
Two great games have helped me see the light
Detroit Red Wings drowned by Seattle Kraken offensive attack
DEtroit Red Wings score: William Wallinder and Michael Brandsegg-Nygaard scored their first NHL goals, but the Kraken pumped in 5 against John Gibson.
Detroit Red Wings drowned by Seattle Kraken offensive attack
DEtroit Red Wings score: William Wallinder and Michael Brandsegg-Nygaard scored their first NHL goals, but the Kraken pumped in 5 against John Gibson.
Atrium Health brings new lifesaving technology to Pineville campus
ECMO kept blood and oxygen moving while her heart couldn’t.
Nobel Prize for “Asymmetric Synthesis”
Every year, the first week in October, I eagerly await the announcement of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. If Louis Pasteur were alive today, he would be thrilled with the 2026 honour being bestowed on
Netflix’s Summer of Bummer
(Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a newsletter on the entertainment industry and business strategy. I write a weekly Streaming Ratings Report and a bi-weekly strategy column, along with occasional deep dives into other topics, like today’s article. Please subscribe.) Today, I’ve got a guest post from longtime friend of the newsletter, Brandon Katz. I’ve been trying to find time all summer to look at Netflix’s straight-to-streaming film slate, but between a pre-planned trip and Nielsen moving up their streaming data timeline, I’ve been swamped. So I reached out to Brandon, one of my favorite fellow analysts, to write about it. And I feel like he captured the tone and data focus of the newsletter perfectly. You can connect with Brandon on LinkedIn and Twitter. Enjoy! Don’t worry, folks. You’re in safe hands with me. To ease any anxieties about an interloper in ESG’s domain, I’ll start by stealing one of his best framing devices: headlines. Box office flops are covered in the same way the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles eye pizza: with cartoonish insatiability. I would know. I’m a former reporter who wrote nearly identical headlines: Yet, intentionally or not, streaming misses get treated with kids gloves, filtered through a rosy lens: In the last six years, U.S. streaming viewership has become nearly as transparent as the box office, but the data often arrives weeks later, in a number of less intuitive metrics, and with nary an official budget to be found. This plays into the Wall Street-whispering narratives major streamers have been cultivating for years. They get a pass in a way that theatrical studios simply don’t. Subscribe Netflix’s Summer Slate Not a single Netflix original film released between May and August this year opened above 20 million U.S. TV hours, per Nielsen. That benchmark usually serves as the EntStrategyGuy’s floor for a streaming hit on Netflix. None of these films enjoyed a hit-cementing single week of 20-plus million hours during their runs. Netflix’s two best films were true crime docs, Maternal Instinct (16.5 million hours) and The Crash (19.7 million), the best overall week for a film this summer. Great for most other streamers, but not necessarily what we’re used to seeing from Netflix. For an overly-dramatic comparison, Happy Gilmore 2 opened last summer to around 47 million hours (celebrity cameos, baby!). Zooming out, the picture looks even worse. In 2026, Netflix’s five biggest scripted summer films posted the lowest average (28.6 million hours) and median (28.8 million hours) eight-week viewership totals of the past four years. Now, it’s unrealistic and unfair to expect Netflix to deliver a _KPop Demon Hunters-_sized hit every year. But it’s also not ideal to see the size of their hits shrinking over the last few summers. Let’s quickly run through some of the notable summer misses. Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein’s perfectly fine romcom, Office Romance, fell off the charts after 20 million hours in its first two weeks. Top films usually last for four-plus weeks. Starry titles ideally don’t decay that fast either. Homegrown star Millie Bobby Brown couldn’t prevent the snappy Enola Holmes franchise from diminishing returns. At 14.3 million U.S. hours, the third film posted roughly half of what the first two films did in their first two weeks. What’s on Netflix calculated that per-day global views were down nearly 60% from the second movie. The Whisper Man did okay with more than 36 million hours over its first four weeks. But I expected a little more juice from a film featuring Robert De Niro, Michelle Monaghan, and Adam Scott. Kevin Hart’s Ladies First collected just 11.2 million hours total across two weeks. That’s a big miss for one of Netflix’s go-to stars. Plopping into the same bucket are Sunny Sandler’s Don’t Say Good Luck (10.3 million in two weeks) and John Cena’s Little Brother (17.5 million). Meanwhile, English-language originals Color Book (June 19), In the Hand of Dante (June 24) and Heartstopper Forever (July 17) never sniffed Nielsen’s Top 10 at all, despite needing only 2 to 5 million hours to land in the top ten most weeks. (By my count, eleven English-language scripted original films released between May and August did chart). It’s only fair to mention that Swapped (1-May) posted nearly 42 million U.S. hours over five weeks (the longest Netflix original run this summer) and is currently their eighth most-watched English-language film ever worldwide. Remarkably Bright Creatures (37 million, 4 weeks) and Voicemails for Isabelle (27 million, 4 weeks) weren’t bombs either. Still, overall, I think it’s fair to say this was a quieter summer season than we’re used to seeing from the market-leader. You might not realize that given the language commonly used in public analysis. The Twist Despite the starkly black-and-white tone of the coverage, here’s the twist: when many box office bombs arrive on streaming, their viewership looks a whole lot like many of Netflix’s supposedly successful summer releases. Hmm, where have we heard that one before? Masters of the Universe topped out at $65 million stateside against a $170 million budget_._ I’ll admit, Skeletor ripping sleeveless curls as a gym bro and bodyslamming Adam’s co-workers was funny. But, much to the chagrin of my bank account, my laughter doesn’t launch franchises. Yet the He-Man reboot opened to 19.6 million hours (from a Wednesday five-day opening instead of just one weekend), on par with Hoppers on Disney+ (19.4 million). It put up nearly 47 million hours over its first six weeks, bigger than all of Netflix’s summer releases. Pretty darn healthy and likely to land among the 25 most-watched movies on streaming this year. Sticking with Amazon, The Sheep Detectives just barely broke even at the box office with $133 million worldwide (and only $66 million domestic). I never expected cloven-hooved, cud-chewing mammals to be able to bring me to tears. Yet that’s exactly how I found myself at the end of this surprisingly affecting movie (#NoShame). It was likely the unexpected quality in a family-friendly film that powered its streaming over-performance. Sheep Detectives delivered a solid run for Prime video netting 26.2 million hours! How about franchise IP? Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu had the lowest opening ($81 million) and lowest-grossing Disney-era live-action Star Wars film ($178 million domestic). One day before release, its Heat score (19.8%)—audiences who list their interest as a 7/7—fell behind blockbusters Wicked (21%), Superman (23%), Fantastic Four: First Steps (23%), Michael (23%), Toy Story 5 (26%) and Avatar: Fire and Ash (27%), according to Greenlight Analytics. The urgent enthusiasm just wasn’t there. On streaming, Mando opened to weeks of 12.1 million, 6.1 million and 2.7 million hours (21 million total) over its first three frames. Not the numbers Lucasfilm was hoping for nor the numbers of a streaming hit. But they’re in the same vicinity as some Netflix summer releases with $345 million at the global box office to offset a smidgen of the pain. Final Thoughts So why oh why does this nuance gap exist? Four key reasons: Data Literacy: A “$100 million opening” just makes sense. After decades of box office reporting, even casual movie fans are well-versed in the benchmarks of hits and home runs. There’s an immediate shorthand. But “16.5 million” hours doesn’t land nearly as cleanly. Despite leaps of progress, the streaming ratings era is still in its infancy compared to theatrical. The EntStrategyGuy and I met thanks to a late 2010s group chat of data nerds hungry to find a shred of certainty in nebulous streaming performance. I’m not surprised to see “No. 1 on Netflix” still getting misconstrued out in the wild. Timing: By Friday morning, we have the box office’s Thursday night previews totaled, allowing us to better project the weekend’s expectations. From there, ticket sales are reported daily. By Sunday, the film’s fate is usually finalized, at least in terms of public perception. In streaming, Nielsen recently improved its delay to…two weeks. The medium isn’t forced to contend with instant gratification as harshly. Financials: Theatrical film budgets are a mere Google away. Profit and loss is calculated in the cold and unforgiving naked light of day for all to see. But finding the vast majority of streaming exclusive movie budgets requires the forensic investigation skills of a Criminal Minds detective. Also, it’s very difficult to calculate how much revenue/value a straight-to-streaming films provides a streamer. This is why there are so few stories about streaming original movies “losing X amount of money”. On top of that, marketing budgets are far greater for theatrical movies than streaming exclusive movies, which leads to earlier and better awareness. This then translates to a wider pool of potential interest. Narrative Control: Netflix is the only major streaming service to publish weekly first-hand viewership data and annual engagement reports. Naturally, some headlines borrow their first-hand framing**.** Other streamers benefit from their comparative lack of transparency. They may occasionally announce vague performance platitudes such as Apple TV’s Mayday becoming its “biggest film debut on the platform to date over its first 18 days,” and that it ranked No. 1 with left-handed viewers in its first weekend. (Fine, I made up that second one). But, for the most part, they keep first-hand viewership shrouded in mystery to avoid bad press. Especially for outlets that demand multiple articles per day from their writers, it’s an easy (and understandable) way for some reporters to hit their daily article quota by just repeating what the streamers have told them. TL:DR version: Streaming-exclusive movies are asked to do different things than theatrical movies, but that doesn’t mean they should escape judgment. Both still need to draw enough eyeballs to justify their cost within the proper performance contexts. The more cleanly we can inject a little nuance into streaming analysis, the better we’ll understand the audience and content trends that drive this industry. And that’s what all of this is really about: knowing what audiences actually want! Brandon Katz is the Director of Insights & Content Strategy at Greenlight Analytics where he focuses on evaluating the ever-fluid media landscape to unearth understanding, opportunity and value. Greenlight Analytics is the entertainment intelligence consulting company redefining how Hollywood finds, understands, and activates audiences. Prior to joining Greenlight Analytics, he served as the senior entertainment industry strategist at Parrot Analytics, and as a full-time entertainment industry reporter covering the Xs and Os of Hollywood, most notably with TheWrap and the Observer.
Gears of War: E-Day's Strong Reviews Haven't Translated to Big Sales, Analyst Says
Gears of War: E-Day's strong reviews haven't stopped questions about sales, as estimates point to heavy Game Pass use and fewer purchases.
'GTA 6' Fandom Is Officially Shook After The Nude Jason Leak
A massive GTA 6 leak highlighting nudity sparks conspiracy theories about nude gameplay, cheats, and first-person mode
High Console Prices Push Playstation and Xbox Sales to New Lows
Circana data found that PlayStation and Xbox console sales are hitting new lows in 2026.
Main Line Health booked a $134 million increase in medical malpractice reserves in fiscal 2026
The large medical malpractice reserve helped turn what would have been a $75 million operating profit into a $33 million loss for the 12 months that ended June 30, Main Line officials said.
Mac & Read Talk Bears vs. Packers!
The latest Mac & Read Show is available everywhere you get your podcasts @2ndCityGridiron!
Rahm Emanuel returns to Chicago, talks mentorship, Bears stadium and political future
Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel returns to the city he led for eight years, touting his work to expand mentorship programs for local kids.
After 4 Hours, Phantom Blade Zero Just Became My Most-Anticipated Action Game
Get ready for the ‘kungfupunk’ era
Scaring up a new business: these UCI friends are all about the fright
UCI college friends look toward becoming professional creators of horror attractions and themed experiences. This month, they're running The Phantom Tower at Playground Mini Golf in Huntington Beach.
Buttigieg joins Ford at Las Vegas business to talk affordability
Buttigieg joins Ford at Las Vegas business to talk affordability
No More Missed Zygarde Cells! 5 Big Quality of Life Changes Are Coming to Pokémon GO
Scopely has announced a series of gameplay and quality-of-life updates that will be coming to Pokémon GO! They shared that they are intending to ‘make your adventures as fun, intuitive, and accessible as possible’, so let’s see what will be changing. Zygarde Cells discovered on a Route will now be received as a reward when […]
Every Big Official Announcement at the Triple-i Gaming Showcase
Indie games take the spotlight at the second Triple-i showcase of the year
Time to draw line through Spygate
Wrexham's Phil Parkinson believes it is time to draw a line under Southampton's Spygate scandal following the Football Association (FA)'s verdict.
William Shatner reflects on 60 years of ‘Star Trek’: ‘A phenomenon that can’t be repeated’
To celebrate 60 years of ‘Star Trek,’ William Shatner discusses the origins of the iconic franchise and his unforgettable run as Captain Kirk.
Open science is compatible with research security, says Canada’s chief science advisor
Open science is “not incompatible” with research security and science leaders and policymakers should “demystify” the false dichotomy between the two, according to Mona Nemer, Canada’s chief science advisor. More than a decade ago, EU policymakers were promoting open science, open innovation and open collaboration across the world. It was a political movement that aimed to make scientific research, data, software, publications and methodologies transparent, accessible and reusable for everyone.But that rhetoric has changed over the past few years. After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and Donald Trump came back to power in 2025, international partnerships have become more pragmatic. Countries are trying to implement protectionist policies and governments are increasingly worried about technology espionage. According to Nemer, science can remain open if the sector can come up with improved security protocols that would protect research data from undue manipulation by foreign actors. “If anybody can fiddle with the with the data, then [open science] is actually quite dangerous and quite useless,” she told Science|Business. Universities and research institutions are increasingly vulnerable to attempted espionage and other types of foreign interference. In September, the UK’s domestic counter-intelligence service MI5 issued a security warning against collaborations with the China General Technology Research Institute. And earlier this year, Germany’s Helmholtz Center for Information Security was criticised by federal research minister Dorothee Bär, who told a parliamentary hearing that “existing rules and systems” at the institute “were not suitable” for preventing leaks to China. According to Nemer, universities and research institutions should perhaps follow the example of the private sector, as companies have been able to safeguard their research while still publishing results. “I think that there is a level of research security hygiene that researchers and institutions need to just adopt,” she said. “You don't have to tell Sanofi or IBM how to safeguard their research, which they end up publishing anyway.”While certain areas of research will not be open for collaboration with certain partners, in other areas cooperation is necessary even with researchers based in adversarial countries. “I stress this because politics change,” she said. “Science and politics don't make for good fellows, and whether we like it or not, politics will influence certain things.”Researchers will play an important role in “protecting the integrity of science,” said Nemer. “I think that it's time that there's a commitment to a certain scientific compact, so that citizens don't think that science is actually an open door for espionage and for anti-nationalism.”New partnershipsNemer spoke with Science|Business on the margins of the Hamburg Science Summit on September 17, the day when Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called for increased cooperation with the EU, including in science and technology. Canada is looking to strengthen ties with partners in other corners of the world, after the Trump administration threatened to put tariffs on Canadian goods and services and even openly suggested Canada could become the 51st state. In parallel, the US government has indicated it wants to retreat from international science projects, including US collaboration with Europe’s CERN particle accelerator and other big science labs.Related articlesThe stats we need to better understand R&DCanada looks to deepen research and education links with the EUCan researchers trust that AI models won’t leak their ideas?Nemer said the US is still a science “powerhouse,” but Canada and Europe will have to work closely together on global challenges. “It’s important for both [sides], but I think it's also important for the rest of the world, because the cut in funding for development, in health, in regions like Africa and other places, have dramatic effects.” The Trump administration is also planning a review of the Nelson memo, a Biden-era document that mandated that results of federally funded research would be openly available. With that idea being called into question, Nemer said it could be “very disruptive” to scientific collaborations and could jeopardise research on climate change, the Arctic and global health. “When your collaborator suddenly tells you I'm not going to share the data with you as a researcher, if this happens, I think it's very worrisome,” she said. “I'm certainly hoping that a lot of the Canadian institutions, funders, researchers, have started looking at joining forces on databases and using more European research infrastructures,” Nemer added.
Google and Unity unveil gen-AI game-making platforms, and demonstrate one of them with depressingly rubbish "dream game" Space Corridor
It was only a matter of time. Google now lets you create simple games with AI text prompts. The Unity engine will also include text prompts and co-op creation.
Put communities before political parties
Elected officials must be willing to acknowledge and confront entrenched interests, political party pressure and cumbersome rules if they want to deliver on their promises.
Analysis | The October Surprise isn’t what it used to be
The idea of one news story remaking an entire election in the final weeks of the campaign might be from a bygone era.
Detroit Free Press
District 142 is expanding in downtown Wyandotte with District Sound Lounge, a music-themed space with food, drinks, memorabilia and entertainment. See link below ⬇️ 📸 Provided by District 142
Mental Health Facility for First Responders
Jordan Love backs plan for mental health facility for first responders
Digital Forensics - Global Strategic Business Report: Capitalize on 16.4% CAGR to secure share of US$37.6B by 2032 against Cellebrite, Magnet Forensics, Nuix, and Oxygen Forensics
Prioritize advanced forensic tools, cloud and IoT capabilities, and compliance services to capture demand fueled by cybercrime and digital evidence adoption.Dub
Iowa Business Council survey shows postive outlook on state's economy
The Iowa Business Council (IBC) has released its third quarter Economic Outlook Survey that gauges the outlook for the next six months. IBC President Joe Murphy says it’s based on a 100 point scale. “Our overall survey score was 64.91 index points, so just under 65 points, relatively flat, virtually no movement on the overall […]
Nonprofit provides free sports gear to youth athletes
A Baltimore nonprofit is helping children across the region by providing them with free sports and playground equipment.
12 Years Later, Canceled Kojima Game 'P.T.' Makes A Comeback
Before Hideo Kojima began developing OD for Xbox, he made an iconic PlayStation horror game meant to kick off a new Silent Hill era
Gold Coast retail space once home to Marcus Lemonis’s boutique heads to auction
Marcus, an upscale women’s clothing store owned by celebrity entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis and his wife shuttered its location there in August 2025.
No Estás Solo: A resource guide for Latinos seeking mental health support
Oct. 10 is World Mental Health Day. Though culturally competent care may be hard to find for Latinos, De Los compiled some mental health resources available in Los Angeles and beyond.
Google experiments with an AI-powered gaming platform
Google Labs is working on a new AI-powered game-creation platform called Playground for users to build browser-based games using simple text prompts.
Unity unveils a web-based AI game creation platform
Unity Spark will launch later this year on Google Playground
ICE agents chase immigrants in front of Metairie business
ICE New Orleans say agents arrested three immigrants at a busy intersection in Metairie Tuesday morning and chased one of them on foot across Airline Drive.
Calista Initiative builds curiosity using hands-on science
Founder says program lets kids explore water science for themselves
All 'Unsupervised Science' FBC testing facility locations in Control Resonant
How to shut down all FBC testing facilities
Hell Is Officially Breaking Loose For The Gaming Industry Thanks To AI
Viral games like Minecraft inside Elden Ring, PS5 emulators, and recent jailbreaks do not bode well for Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo
Forza Horizon 6's Community Is Fed Up With Playground Games, and the Studio Has Finally Responded
Forza Horizon 6 developer Playground Games has finally addressed its player community after months of constructive feedback about the game has been met with nothing but radio silence from the renowned British studio.
Susan Collins, a political survivor, tries to outrun Trump
In her bid for a sixth term representing Maine, Susan Collins has been beset by President Donald Trump weighing her down with constant controversy.
‘Crystal Lake’ star Linda Cardellini on tackling horror icon in her post-Emmy era (exclusive)
Linda Cardellini is Mother (Voorhees). The ‘Crystal Lake’ star talks about her biggest horror role to date, paying homage to Betsy Palmer’s ‘Friday the 13th’ character, and what’s next after her Emmy win.
Julia Stiles says it was ‘very wrong’ to play up dance training for ‘Save the Last Dance’ at the time
Julia Stiles said it was ‘very wrong’ of her to play up the dance training she had for ‘Save the Last Dance’ at the time while looking back at a 2000 interview she gave on set of the film.
LOCALIZE IT: As coding boom fades, computer science grads focus on AI skills in choppy job market
Computer science graduates face hiring challenges; artificial intelligence demand is shifting recruitment toward seniors
Senate passes bipartisan Health Care Cybersecurity and Resilience Act
First introduced in the HELP Committee in 2025, the bill would require healthcare organizations to meet some core cyber hygiene best practices while also offering guidance and assistance for providers.
We Got GTA V Running On Web Browser Before GTA 6
PlayGTA5.com briefly allowed users to play GTA V in a web browser, requiring only 700 MB to start before being taken down, possibly by Rockstar.
Saints under 'extra pressure' before derby
Nerves are buzzing around Southampton as they await to hear the outcome of boss Tonda Eckert's Spygate hearing amid a looming South Coast derby.
In this hospital, pulse oximeters went from overestimating to underestimating blood oxygen. Why?
Researchers found pulse oximeters went from overestimating blood oxygen levels to underestimating them; inaccuracies were worse in patients of color.
NBA 2K25 servers to shut down on December 31, single-player story mode will become unplayable
Decision to sunset 2K25 follows 2K's trajectory of delisting NBA games over the course of two years
Escape From Tarkov’s New PvE Update Officially Makes the Game Easier for Newbies
Exfil Brothers rewards veterans for helping newcomers
Jim Bakker, disgraced 1980s televangelist, dies at 86
Jim Bakker, pioneering televangelist, dies at 86. His wife Lori made the announcement.
GTA 6 Could Finally Fix Gaming's Huge Drug Problem
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should
Indoor playground Kid Mania closes Plano location
The indoor playground Kid Mania closed its Plano location on Chase Oaks Blvd. in mid-September, downsizing to its north Fort Worth location.
Multi-Stage Boss Fights Are the Worst Video Game Mechanic of All Time
Control Resonant is the most recent offender
Why I Don’t Think Ride Or Die Should Have Been Cancelled (And What Company Should Save It...)
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) So…I recently came across a Reddit thread, talking about films on streaming, wondering why there are no reliable sources out there for streaming ratings data. Sigh. Honestly, as annoyed as I am that so many still don’t realize that we have streaming ratings, I somewhat get it. Until now, there was such a long delay between when a show or film came to streaming and when we got its viewership data; I understand why people were confused. (But, as you know, this just changed.) Also, even back in the day, how many people knew how well films did on television? Luckily, as a reader, you’re in the know. Okay, on to this week’s issue. I want to take a look at Prime Video cancelling Ride or Die and whether I agree with that decision. Overall, we didn’t have any breakout hits (no TV shows landed over 20 million hours according to Nielsen) but we have a lot of steady performers on the streaming charts. Plus, we’ll look at where $50 million in missing box office dollars went. (Spoiler: straight-to-streaming.) All that, plus new episodes of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Supergirl heads to streaming, a new YA show does well on Netflix, the viewership for the Daily Wire’s $50 million fantasy show, what TV show hit-maker can’t make streaming hits, CD sales, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of September 7th to September 13th, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Television - Ride or Die Is a Hit…But It Got Cancelled? What The Data “Says” I hate the phrase “here’s what the data says”, even though sometimes I find myself using it. If data just told us everything, we data folks would be out of a job! Data is often messy, complicated and nuanced. When it comes to strategy, many of the best decisions can’t actually use “data”, since it’s vastly too complicated to model. Anyways, I’ve been singing the praises of Prime Video’s Ride Or Die this summer, a show that did very well for them. And yet…it got cancelled. Now, usually when a show gets cancelled, a bunch of websites say “a hit show got cancelled”... Here’s the thing, though: in this case, they’re right! The data “says” that this show was a hit. Specifically, out of 522 first seasons to make a week on the Nielsen charts since 2020, it’s the 75th biggest. On Amazon, Ride or Die is eighth out of 41 first seasons: That’s top 15th percentile all time, almost exactly, which is my definition of a “hit”! I mean, outside of Reacher, Amazon needed a hit this summer! (Admittedly, Off Campus did well for Amazon in the spring, but Ride or Die performed even better.) So what happened? Why did Amazon cancel one of their rare 2026 bright spots? Well, Deadline reported a reason—which I’ll get to—but I’d break it down into three relevant questions: What is a given streamer’s reasoning? Is that reasoning sound? Could the stated reason not be the real reason? According to Deadline, Amazon felt the show “over-indexed” in middle-aged women. (This was based on leaks from within Amazon.) The logic is this: Amazon already reaches this demographic because of unlimited two-day shipping bundled with Prime, so they don’t really need more shows like this. Now, it’s my job to ask if that’s a good reason, and I’ll be honest, in this case, I don’t think it is. Sure, this show may “over-index” in middle-aged women—I’ll just assume that’s the case here—but I think folks often oversell how important over-indexing actually is. When a show is a “hit”, it isn’t a bit bigger than its rivals; it’s usually multiples bigger. For example, Elle only made the charts for two weeks at 8.3 million hours each. So Ride or Die was 80% bigger in its first two weeks, and likely had a much stronger hold, with its terrific 13 million hours in week three. Ride or Die was nearly three times bigger than Sterling Point through three weeks too. And that means that _Elle, Sterling Point a_nd other Amazon YA shows need to not just over-index a little with younger women (assuming that’s who Amazon prefers over middle-aged women), but massively over-index. Otherwise, more people in that demo (and a bunch more besides) likely watched Ride or Die. (I’ll try to explore this concept more in a future article.) And don’t get me started on how Ride or Die did compared to a certain (very, very popular, possibly the world’s most popular) YouTuber’s reality show…which didn’t make the charts after its first week and likely cost much, much more than Ride or Die. All to say, Amazon-MGM Studios/Prime Video can tell reporters that this show didn’t reach the right audience, but that excuse feels weak to me. So this leads to the third question: could other reasons have come into play? Yes! Renewal or cancellation decisions rarely (I’m tempted to say “never”) boil down to one variable. At its simplest, it’s two things: budget versus viewership. But often factors like critical acclaim, ownership and, yes, personal opinion come into play. In this case, Amazon has a new executive running things, and this show isn’t owned by Amazon-MGM Studios (unlike Elle). And yes, it may not have indexed with the right target viewers, too. Likely all of those factors came into play.1 My guess is ownership ended up mattering most. Amazon doesn’t own Ride or Die. It’s actually produced by another major studio. Fortunately/allegedly, this show is being shopped around. I can think of one brand new CEO who should consider it for one of his two major streamers…especially if he wants to rebuild goodwill in Hollywood. His name is on this list of exec producers of Ride or Die… If David Ellison needs some goodwill—and he does—rescue this female-led show tomorrow and grab some good headlines for a day. The data justifies it. Quick Notes on TV We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… How The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives latest season did on Hulu, post-controversy... Whether Supergirl soared on HBO Max... Why the box office is losing money due to the streamers... The viewership for the Daily Wire’s $50 million fantasy show... Updates on The Gentlemen, Lanterns, Outer Banks, King of the Hill and more... What former hit-maker has three streaming flops in a row... Whether The Mandalorian and Grogu popped in week two... All the flops, bombs and misses... And a whole lot more... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. If you want an idea of just how much content you’d get in a full issue, check out this older issue. Coming Soon! Oh man, we’re almost caught up! We just have two more issues, then the streaming Ratings Report will be coming out just two weeks after a TV show premieres! Next issue, I’ll be looking at the first two weeks of the NFL Thursday night games on streaming, a huge new spinoff, Reacher’s Neagly on Prime Video, and the latest edition of Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story on Netflix, the return of Slow Horses on Apple and MobLand (quietly one of their biggest shows) on Paramount+, and Dancing with the Stars on both ABC and Disney+. Plus I’ll take a look at animation for adults in 2026. The week after, a ton of movies are coming to streaming: Toy Story 5 on Disney+, Backrooms on HBO Max, Jackass: Best and Last on Paramount+ and The Breadwinner on Netflix, plus a Unabomber film on Netflix and a romcom on Prime Video. Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey have a show on Apple, along with a game show inspired by Willy Wonka that everyone seems to hate. Long term, some crazy (but hopefully crazy like a fox) IP news. FX ordered a new Sons of Anarchy show from Charlie Hunnam, but it’s not about the biker gang. No, it features the show’s cast playing themselves in a new “meta-thriller”. Huh. And a lot of the cast is coming back. Next, Ryan Gosling is producing a Flintstones movie about a “grown-up Bamm-Bamm Rubble”. Also, huh. This one is in “early development” so we’ll see what happens. Both projects are based on IP, but also seem to have crazy takes on the IP, which I like.
Poor leaders can tank employees’ mental health (and the company); his business summit puts workplace culture
“I’m a big believer in human to human connection because there’s so much loneliness and isolation happening,” explained Ebrima “Abraham” Sisay, host of the You Gotta No! Podcast (YGN) and its annual YGN Summit. “That’s because we’re getting further away from what we are meant to do as humans.”
Overwatch Season 5 skins and Mythics Revealed by Blizzard
Get ready for a spooky season in Overwatch
Orlando Science Schools begins enrollment process for six regional campuses
Orlando Science Schools is accepting applications for 2027-28, including new 11th grade spots at Seminole Science.
CD Projekt Promises 'The Witcher 3' Remaster Fixes as Some Players Struggle
An upcoming patch will target performance issues
The Legend of Zelda: Master Collection Officially Announced
A partnership between Nintendo and Panini offers a new opportunity for collectors and fans.
What the science of memory tells us about sexual assault cases
Amid accusations of rape at Cornell University, a growing body of research is challenging assumptions about how victims remember details of their assaults.
YH Entertainment Warns of Investment Fraud Impersonating AND2BLE's Japan Management
YH Entertainment Warns of Investment Fraud Impersonating AND2BLEs Japan Management
Mobile area health systems receive grants from state rural health program
34 grants total nearly $55 million
Boston 25 News
A local college student’s auto detailing business has grown from helping family and neighbors to servicing the vehicles of professional athletes across New England.
Mark Cuban offers to help Sherrill fix state health benefits program
Gov. Mikie Sherrill is noncommittal on an offer from billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban to help New Jersey rein in the soaring cost of its troubled
GOTY 2026’s Final Nomination Is a Battleground of 8/10 Games
The year of 'good, not great' rages on
The Science Of Why Your Child Shouldn't Play One Sport Year-Round
Roughly 70% of kids in the U.S. have quit sports by age 13.
The Youth Sports Industry Has The Recipe For Athletic Success All Wrong
Roughly 70% of kids in the U.S. have quit sports by age 13.
Ace Combat 8 Secretly Has the Best Video Game Music of the Year
Give it up for Purple Magic
Resident Evil Dev Capcom Plans To Embrace AI In Game Development
The next iteration of RE Engine is being built so Capcom can make games "together with AI"
Ocean chemistry on ancient Earth could help scientists search for life on alien worlds
"Earth's history shows that oxygen, nutrients, and life evolved together. Understanding those connections gives us a more nuanced perspective on our own planet's future and what we might look for on other planets."
Ocean chemistry on ancient Earth could help scientists search for life on alien worlds
A new look at ancient rocks suggests that a self-sustaining nutrient cycle in ancient oceans helped keep Earth's atmosphere rich in oxygen for millions of years.
ABS-CBN News
The entertainment, creative, and lifestyle industry mourn the passing of Monchet Diokno Olives or more commonly known as the “Fanman.” Full story link in the comments section.
AI's race to transform the world before the money runs out
Never has so much cash flowed into a new technology as is pouring into AI, eclipsing the sums splurged on railways or the internet when those technological revolutions sucked in capital.
Trump's investment push hits Europe as Irish PM eyes next tariff break
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin eyes Kerrygold butter for tariff relief next after Trump's public commitment to lift duties on Irish whiskey exports.
Parliamentary government and political competition are the oldest traditions in Russian politics. Where did they come from, and why did they disappear? Writer Mikhail Zygar explains in a new film.
It’s hard to believe today, but Rus’ had a parliament before Britain did and a woman with the political stature of a prime minister five centuries before Margaret Thatcher. The Novgorod Republic was a state in which the prince was a hired manager, major decisions were made by the veche or popular assembly, and political culture resembled that of Western Europe in many ways. In his new film, Mikhail Zygar explains how this system emerged, why it lost out to Moscow, and why Vladimir Putin is so fond of Alexander Nevsky.
Merck business unit opens R&D facility in Sheboygan Falls
EMD Electronics, the North America electronics business unit of Germany-based global health care and biopharmaceutical company Merck KGaA, today announced
Embraer Soars with 41 Business Jet Deliveries in Q3
Manufacturer is on track to meet its forecast total
We’ve Been Told To Work With Our Cycles — But The Science Isn’t So Simple
Your cycle can guide you, but it may not need to run the show
GTA 6 Rating Officially Confirms Sex Will Indeed Be in the Game
Grand Theft Auto 6 is about to spice things up
Jason Priestley explains why he was No. 1 on the ‘90210’ call sheet: ‘Highest quotes’
Actor Jason Priestley, of ‘Beverly Hills, 90210,’ explains why he and Shannen Doherty were considered the stars of the show.
SpyGlass Pharma Acquires Advanced Vision Science, Securing Commercial IOL Supply, Accelerating Lens Portfolio Expansion
IRVINE, Calif.—SpyGlass Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGP), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on transforming treatment paradigms for patients with chronic eye conditions, has announced the acquisition of all the outstanding shares of common stock of Advanced Vision Science, Inc. (AVS), an ophthalmic medical device company and manufacturer of intraocular lenses (IOLs) and lens materials, for approximately $13 million in cash. This acquisition secures scalable commercial IOL supply and accelerates lens portfolio expansion capability for SpyGlass Pharma, the announcement noted.
Health policy experts weigh in on ACA refund checks
The refund checks come as health insurance costs have skyrocketed for many people after the enhanced ACA tax credits expired.
What Your Naps Might Be Saying About Your Health as You Age
Love a nap? You might want to read this first
Roper St. Francis launches mobile health care unit
Roper St. Francis Healthcare has launched a mobile care unit designed to bring medical care directly to communities that may have difficulty reaching a hospital or clinic.
Manitowoc, Sheboygan Week 7 high school football scores, live updates
A live look at Week 7 high school football scores from around the Manitowoc and Sheboygan areas.
Wilson Sonsini Advises SpyGlass Pharma on Acquisition of Advanced Vision Science
On October 1, 2026, SpyGlass Pharma, a late-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to transforming the treatment paradigm for patients living with chronic eye conditions, announced the acquisition…
Apple Shares Photos Shot on iPhone Duo
Apple on Instagram today shared a curated gallery of six photos shot on the iPhone Duo. The photos were shot by American photographers Jake Michaels and Jason Nocito, as part of a project commissioned by Apple.
How to buy or preorder Amazon's new Kindles and accessories
Most of them aren't out until late October, but two of the updated e-readers will ship immediately.
Steam's Giant Autumn Sale Is Officially Here To Destroy Everyone's Wallet
Valve's PC gaming platform is brimming with discounts on major new releases and old classics players can enjoy on top-of-the-line rigs and Steam Deck
One Feature Makes The Switch 2 The Best Way To Play These New 10/10 'Lord of the Rings' Games
The best LotR games ever made have have been missing a key component of the Nemesis System for years until the new Switch 2 ports came along
Ghost of Yōtei’s New DLC Should Have Been in the Game from the Very Start
Echoes of Sekigahara allows Atsu to be so much more than just the Onryō
Ana Navarro reacts to question about supposed rift with ‘View’ cohost Alyssa Farah Griffin (exclusive)
‘The View’ star Ana Navarro reacted to a question about a supposed rift with cohost Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump staffer whom Navarro isn’t following on Instagram and has clashed with on air.
These birds can match the earsplitting decibels of a chainsaw
New research measures the loudest birds known to science, with three South American species topping the chart
Mark Ruffalo blasts Paramount–Warner Bros. merger after judge approves settlement
Mark Ruffalo decries the recently approved Paramount–Warner Bros. mega-merger as an ‘incredibly disappointing outcome’ that will ‘weaken free speech, and cost people their jobs.’
Unfinished Business
“I’m invested in this group,” said Wild forward Nick Foligno last season after Minnesota lost to Colorado in five games in the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. On the eve of the season opener in Nashville, Foligno is true to his word and is gearing up for what
Local hemp and CBD businesses say new federal restrictions could force them to close
A new federal ban on hemp products is set to go into effect near the end of this year.
PlayStation Plus October 2026 Free Games Lineup Officially Revealed
PS Plus subscribers get three games in October
Iowa Association of Business and Industry members have postive outlook on the economy
Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) president Nicole Crain says 63% of members still plan to make capital expenditures in the fourth quarter. “We’ve seen that number this year be between 60 and 70%, which is really remarkable,” she says. “That shows that Iowa companies and Iowa manufacturing, they’re investing in their businesses, they’re […]