It seems like everywhere you turn, streaming services, once considered the bastion for the “Golden Age of TV,” are striking down shows left and right. In some cases, they’ll even remove shows that have been a part of their catalog for years. The latest streamer to engage in a catalog cull is Paramount+.In the wake of its merger with Showtime, several Paramount+ originals, including theJordan Peele-hosted revival ofThe Twilight Zonehave been removed from the service. While this is baffling, especially considering that most of these series were complete, the shows may find new life elsewhere.
Pluto TV: A Haven For Lost Shows?
Paramount+ and Showtime were not the only streaming services to fall under Paramount’s wing; there’s also the matter of Pluto TV. Pluto falls under the “FAST” banner, or “free ad-supported streaming television.” Though membership is free, many of the television shows and movies on Pluto will often be broken up by ads, just like regular cable television. And like regular TV, most of its content is divided into channels. Said channels vary based on genre; for example, there are agroup of channels dedicated to moviesfrom the early 2000s, ’90s and ’80s.
RELATED:The Best Shows on Paramount+ Right Now
Pluto also carries Paramount branded movies and television, even dedicating one of its channels to highlighting “Paramount+ Picks.” In recent years, it’s expanded its catalog to include more of Paramount’s recent films such asSonic the Hedgehog.The Twilight Zoneand the rest of the shows could easily fit on one of Pluto’s numerous channels, providing viewers with even more viewing choices and more incentive to sign on for said service.
Paramount May Follow In The Footsteps Of Other Studios
If Paramount does decide to move these shows to Pluto TV, it would be taking a page from other studios' books. Warner Bros. Discovery announced that many of its canceled shows, includingWestworldandRaised by Wolves, would be moving toother FAST services like Roku and Tubi. Not only does this appease fans who were dismayed to see the titles leaving HBO Max, but it also benefits a cash-strapped WBD as it can renew those licensing deals to recoup the costs from its merger. Paramount is more than likely facing a similar situation, and will more than likely sign similar deals with other FAST services in addition to utilizing Pluto.
‘The Twilight Zone’ Has Already Found A New Home
In the case ofThe Twilight Zone, it has already founda new home with SYFY. The genre channel has programmed Peele’s revival to air back to back with episodes of its new original seriesThe Ark, starting this Wednesday. Considering thatThe Twilight Zonehas always veered into science fiction and horror, it makes perfect sense for the revival to air on SYFY. It’s also a bit of a full circle moment, as the originalTwilight Zonehas often played as part of the New Year’s Day marathons on the channel.
More concrete details about the fate of these shows is probably forthcoming. But with studios looking to FAST services as the next phase of the streaming era, andThe Twilight Zonehaving found a new home, it’s safe to say that they won’t be out of the spotlight for long.
