In the end, the quickest bite of all was the one that the viewing public collectively took of Quibi’s video offerings before declaring a resounding “Wow, no thank you!”
Yes, folks, after six rather rocky months, Quibi is shutting down. The service began life when fading mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg and enterprising entrepreneur Meg Whitman had a beautiful dream: “What if TV, but short? You know, for the kids?”
What followed was a meticulously documented $2 billion boondoggle, from the cringey name (short for Quick Bites), to the choice to pursue B-minus material from A-list talent almost exclusively; from the anti-screenshot tech, to the peak pandemic rollout, it was a nonstop disaster fest from conception to ignoble failure. The book that will inevitably be written about Quibi will be leagues more entertaining than most of what the network had to offer.
But what about those shows? Ironically, they were among the least discussed aspect of the show-generating service. As the executives scramble to salvage any remaining revenue from the Quibi debacle, some of the network’s IP might be up for sale in piecemeal at other streamers. (Katzenberg apparently found no takers when trying to shop the whole kit and caboodle.)
Here are nine projects that might find an afterlife elsewhere.
#FreeRayShawn
Quibi got an unexpected Emmy win out of this Laurence Fishburne-starring drama about a young Black Iraq War veteran (Stephan James) caught in a standoff with a SWAT team and asking social media for help. The Emmy attention and timely emphasis on the criminal justice system make this show worth a look.
Reno 911
This revival of the most radical cop comedy in history deserves another shot. As we reported back in August, the creators have plenty more ideas in store too.
Die Hart
Not that the concept of Kevin Hart trying to become a bona fide action star with the help of his famous friends necessarily justifies its existence, but considering the demand for all things Kevin Hart, you can expect to potentially see this one resurface.
Dishmantled
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4fx6V7ura0
It’s Titus Burgess in a comedic cooking show. Come on, if it weren’t on Quibi, you’d probably have already watched it. This one seems like a natural contender for HBO Max.
Gayme Show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NI1XOJESRQ
And speaking of HBO Max, the new streamer is already home to Haute Dog, the other show from rising talent Matt Rogers of Las Culturistas podcast fame, so it might as well pick up Gayme Show too. Adapted from the long-running live show from Rogers and comic Dave Mizzoni, Gayme Show was a funny, inclusive showcase for a rotating lineup of some of the funniest comics around.
Flipped
Combining America’s fascination with house-flipping shows and the natural desire to see Will Forte and Kaitlin Olson play a married couple in trouble with a drug cartel, Flipped seems like a natural fit to combine into a movie-length package and sell somewhere.
The Fugitive
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=9&v=jyyERzQViQU&feature=emb_title
A Kiefer Sutherland remake of The Fugitive seems like such a line drive down the middle, I’m scratching my head as to how this thing isn’t at Fox already.
The Most Dangerous Game
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=8Zo4qTgfox0&feature=emb_title
This latest take on the ages-old people-hunting concept also seems like it would appeal to late-night audiences willing to take a gamble on a Hemsworth-starring action vehicle (Liam, if you’re wondering) that isn’t broken up into 10-minute chunks. (Seriously, how did they ever think that idea was going to work? The mind reels.)
Nikki Fre$h
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=cs2flsz0D4w&feature=emb_title
Nicole Richie’s mostly joking (but not really joking) attempt to follow father Lionel Richie’s footsteps with a music career earned probably the most notices of all of Quibi’s comedic offerings. And for good reason! Richie is a dynamic and winning performer, and the show had bops, joke-related and otherwise.
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