Netflix Orders New Live Variety Talk Show With John Mulaney Staff, 10/11/2024 Netflix has announced a new live variety talk show hosted by John Mulaney, marking another attempt to succeed in a format it has struggled with. The show will debut next year as part of Netflix's broader investment in live programming, joining its existing successful stand-up comedy offerings. (Bloomberg) -- Netflix Inc. has ordered a live variety talk show from comedian John Mulaney, a new spin at a genre that has bedeviled the streaming giant over the last decade.
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Mulaney will host and serve as executive producer of the as-yet unnamed show, which will debut on the streaming service next year, Bela Bajaria, the streaming service's chief content officer, said at the Bloomberg Screentime Conference Thursday.
While late-night talk shows have been a staple of TV for decades, Netflix has struggled with the format. It commissioned programs by Chelsea Handler and Norm Macdonald, as well as newer talent including Michelle Wolf and Hasan Minhaj. None lasted more than a few seasons.
Talk shows rely on immediacy and topical humor, neither of which translates as well to an on-demand service. Netflix has had far more success with stand-up comedy, where it is the largest player by far, and the new show will have a wider range of material.
Yet the company is now investing billions of dollars in live programming, including two NFL games scheduled for Christmas Day this year and World Wrestling Entertainment under a long-term deal that begins in 2025.
Mulaney, 42, is an obvious choice for Netflix's latest attempt at a comedy talk show. He came to prominence as a cast member on NBC's Saturday Night Live and is one of the most-popular stand-up comedians working today.
Mulaney already has a relationship with Netflix. He produced the live, six-episode show John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in L.A. as part of the company's Netflix is a Joke Festival. He's also recorded stand-up specials for the service.
Bajaria also said Netflix was renewing the hit show Nobody Wants This for a second season and The Diplomat for a third season.
She said that reports that Netflix is making sweeping changes to the way it compensates actors, writers and producers are inaccurate. The company struck just a handful of agreements with filmmakers who sought to take on more risk. Their pay is lower upfront but higher if their programs achieve significant viewership.
(Updates with series renewals and compensation comments in final paragraph.)
