Go90.com to Stream B5!!

[Jan]

From Variety:

http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/veronica-mars-fringe-streaming-go90-1202020644/

Deal includes 'Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,' 'Almost Human,' 'Babylon 5,' 'Believe,' 'Stalker'

Verizon is punching the thriller and sci-fi buttons with a pact to bring all seasons of seven Warner Bros. TV shows — including “Veronica Mars” and “Fringe” — to the free Go90 mobile-video service.

The deal with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution makes Go90 the exclusive streaming outlet for the series, which also include “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” “Almost Human,” “Babylon 5,” “Believe” and “Stalker.” Besides theoretically appealing to Go90’s millennial target demo, the shows were more affordable for Verizon to license than more recent TV hits. A source familiar with the pact indicated that it runs for one year or less.

The three seasons of “Veronica Mars,” starring Kirstin Bell as the titular teen private eye, will hit Go90 sometime in May. (Previously, the show was streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video; that deal expired in January.) The other six WB series will be available to stream on Go90 starting April 4.

Anybody know anything about the service? ETA: REading the article, it's a fledgling service. Typical for WB...

[Looney]

Anybody know anything about the service? ETA: REading the article, it's a fledgling service. Typical for WB...

I don't know anything, but I certainly hope this is not a long term deal. If the rights were cheap then why didn't Amazon, Hulu, or Netflix grab them up? This could be good or bad. It could be good if people watch it, then Verizon gets behind a new project. It could be bad if this becomes another entity that claims rights to B5 for a long time.

[Jan]

I don't know anything, but I certainly hope this is not a long term deal.

Pssst...from the article:

A source familiar with the pact indicated that it runs for one year or less.

[Milkman]

Not sure im a fan of their description of what B5 is...

“Babylon 5” (5 seasons, aired 1994-98 on Prime Time Entertainment Network and TNT): In the year 2257, the Earth Alliance places massive space station Babylon 5 into a stationary orbit in a neutral corner of a distant galaxy. The goal: to provide an apolitical oasis for humans and the four alien races who are fighting to control the galaxy."

[Looney]

Oh good. I only read the quote. I just signed up. Says it is free if you are on WIFI. Watched Schitt's Creek. It worked fine and it was commercial free. They do only have one season of Schitt's Creek so that is kind of annoying. There is also an annoying graphic in the lower right corner of the player. I searched B5 and nothing came up, so I guess we'll see what happens tomorrow.

[Ubik]

I don't know anything, but I certainly hope this is not a long term deal. If the rights were cheap then why didn't Amazon, Hulu, or Netflix grab them up? This could be good or bad. It could be good if people watch it, then Verizon gets behind a new project. It could be bad if this becomes another entity that claims rights to B5 for a long time.

From what I can tell, it's a mobile only service? The platform looks to have gone through some massive changes and seems to be struggling to find its market.

https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/12/wtf-is-verizon-doing-with-its-streaming-app-go90/

I honestly don't know why you'd choose a mobile only service over Netflix. Still, I am glad to see they've picked up B5, but how many people use the service, is another question entirely. Anyone know more about it Go90? It's definitely not something that is used here in the UK. Unsure if it's even available in the UK tbh.

[Looney]

From what I can tell, it's a mobile only service?

I signed up on my tablet. Watched on both my tablet and laptop. Searched for it on my Roku with no luck. I will be adding it to my iPhone next.

[Jan]

I honestly don't know why you'd choose a mobile only service over Netflix.

This isn't the first time they've tried to put B5 on mobile devices. ISTR JMS posting that he worked on doing some 'tasters' for something along those lines that (as usual) never happened.

[Jan]

AHA! I'd been wondering how B5 managed to sneak out and get streamed. This post from JMS explains it.

[Triple F]

This is no doubt going to sound thick on my part.

Warner Domestic Distribution commissioned B5 originally, as part of PTEN. OK, got that. Warner Domestic Distribution is now letting it be shown on this streaming service. . . . . so who could release it to the likes of Netflix or Amazon for example.

Those two streaming services are international. But B5 has been playing in one foreign market or another ever since the original transmission. So someone is clearly allowing at least some international tv channels to show it.

Then there’s the Lost Tales. As I understand it Warner Video commissioned and paid for that.

I’m having trouble understanding where Warner Television is fitting into all this. . . . . and how it can stop Warner DOMESTIC Distribution from distributing it domestically. . . . . and who the hell has been distributing it internationally all these years.

[Jan]

My understanding is less than perfect (to put it mildly) and gleaned mainly from things JMS has said in posts and at cons. The most complete explanation of some of the whys and wherefores can be found in this video from the Phoenix Comic-Con Fandom Endures panel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-EMkLJNJog&t=6s Start around the 44 minute mark.

JMS has said many times that WBs corporate culture is for departments and divisions to compete rather than cooperate. What seems odd to me is that an inter-division feud could still be around after so long.

Internationally there would be a different division to deal with I'm pretty sure.

[Looney]

Watching Midnight on The Firing Line, 1.1, on my tablet now; LOOKS GREAT, SOUNDS GREAT. Of course, I am a push over. The fact that it is there at all could be clouding my judgement. All Five Seasons are listed.

[Ubik]

Watching Midnight on The Firing Line, 1.1, on my tablet now; LOOKS GREAT, SOUNDS GREAT. Of course, I am a push over. The fact that it is there at all could be clouding my judgement. All Five Seasons are listed.

So, is this an App based streaming service, or does it have an online login that I could use on my desktop?

[Looney]

So, is this an App based streaming service, or does it have an online login that I could use on my desktop?

I logged in yesterday on my laptop and watched Schitt's Creek, but their FAQs section says it is not available internationally.

And I forgot to mention that it is just the five seasons; so no Gathering or other movies.

[Jan]

So, is this an App based streaming service, or does it have an online login that I could use on my desktop?

'Fraid it's US-only from what I've heard. But I was able to get it on my desktop FWIW.

This seems to be a fledgling service. The benefit is that people can discover the show without a major monetary investment in DVDs or the per-episode streaming cost.