The ‘Merlina’ series is a Netflix success that we could regret
The ‘Addams Family’ spin-off series surpassed the record that ‘Stranger Things’ had set, and cemented its status as the streamer’s next hit. But its success could spell trouble for the future of television, predicts Jacob Stolworthy.
Do you hear that? That distant clicking sound? It’s the sound of Netflix bosses popping a bottle of champagne. On Tuesday, it was announced that the streamer’s series based on the Addams Family character, Merlina, had become a hit. According to the data that Netflix published, it surpassed the record of Stranger Things as the most viewed title on the platform in a single week. Said results claimed that the series had aired for a total of 341.2 million hours after just seven days. Great news for those involved in the series, but not so good for the future of the small screen.
Merlina is a perfectly presentable type of television entertainment. It has an upbeat soundtrack (Danny Elfman), indelible costumes (Colleen Atwood), and an excellent cast (John Papsidera and Sophie Holland); Without its fascinating main star Jenna Ortega, Merlina (Wednesday in English) risked being as boring as a sad Monday. But even with Ortega, she can’t escape certain pitfalls, namely the fact that she’s essentially Gen Z’s version of the Addams Family mixed with Riverdale. For a series about an adored kooky female sharpshooter who has been the inspiration for Halloween costumes everywhere since 1992, Merlina lacks flavor and has been described to me as a “decent” television series by more than three people since its premiere. ” to have in the background.
Suddenly, those 341.2 million hours start to make sense.
However, the mediocre quality of Merlina is not what worries me. I am more concerned with its success and the consequences these numbers will have in the future. The popularity of Merlina, whose level is unheard of, could have an adverse effect on the approval process for new series. In other words, original ideas could end up hiding at the bottom of the stack.
Shortly after popping those champagne bottles—enjoy them, by the way, they’re well deserved—there’s going to be a meeting to discuss ideas on how to replicate the success of Merlina. The obvious conclusion will be to scour existing film franchises for characters with their own series potential. There will be no bad idea, any word will end up written on the blackboard: Íñigo, a prequel that traces the early days in the life of fencing master Íñigo Montoya from The Princess Bride, could be considered. There will be talk of Farbissina, a series that explores the rise of Dr. Evil’s henchman Austin Powers, from Fraulein to Frau. Perhaps Shrek’s Lord Farquaad is being considered for a spin-off, with eight episodes exploring how the diminutive villain came to despise fairy tale characters. (I don’t know why, it occurs to me that Tom Holland would be perfect for the role.)
Tim Burton is credited with a large part of Merlina’s triumph, which is somewhat unfair considering he only directed four episodes. The minds behind the series are Smallville duo Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. But it certainly looks like Burton found a new home after cutting ties with Disney in October. There is no doubt that they will explore his catalog. If they dismiss the idea of Lydia, a series dealing with Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz after the events of Beetlejuice (she would see it) for not looking much like Merlina, a series based on Edward Scissorhands would be viable. Screenwriters everywhere will be frantically working on an answer to the longstanding question: “How does she go to the bathroom?” Or perhaps Burton will team up with renowned Netflix maestro Ryan Murphy for a Feud-style Ed Wood spin-off based on the life of Dracula actor Bela Lugosi. Surely David Harbor should wait for the call.
Because of Merlina, every character of anything with even the slightest hint of a hobby will be in the spotlight, with pundits unscrupulously exploiting the audience potential. This notion is even more disappointing considering the current state of cinema. With virtually every successful release being reserved for a sequel, prequel, or spin-off, originality is increasingly being pushed aside in favor of existing intellectual property. Fortunately, television can provide a home for the most unproven and risky ideas. The writers are able to use their number of episodes in imaginative ways to introduce new worlds, characters, and situations.
But Netflix, which is prone to scrapping ambitious projects when there isn’t enough audience, clearly operates on the “don’t change what already works” method. This means that Merlina’s status as a smash hit will be an unintended nail in the coffin of originality. While it sounds like a labor of love for those involved, Merlina’s success is one that TV fans, not to mention screenwriters working with innovative ideas, could regret for years.