TCA: Starz To Let Viewers Binge On Two Series

Starz will make all episodes of the final season of Da Vinci’s Demons and of freshman series Flesh and Bone available online before each show debuts on the channel, Starz CEO Chris Albrecht said Friday at the Television Critics Association tour.

The final 10-episodes of Da Vinci’s Demons will debut on Starz Play and Starz On Demand prior to returning to Starz on Oct. 24, while eight episodes of Flesh And Bone will be offered for binge viewing before its Nov. 8 network debut.

“It’s fun to try to do different things with [original] programming because we can,” Albrecht said. “Starz has had a fantastic year with original programming in 2015 and we are rewarding our Starz subscribers with two special opportunities to immerse themselves into quality series and enjoy them on their own schedules."

He added said the premium network would consider implementing the binge-viewing strategy with other shows, although he would not say which if any shows are being considered.

Starz also said it ordered up a fourth season of pirate drama Black Sails and  greenlit a new drama series, Havana Quartet, starring Antonio Banderas.

Overall, Albrecht said that Starz will offer 75 to 80 episodes of original series content in 2015.

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.