The hairs on HBO’s neck must be bristling today because Netflix (NFLX) is now one step further to crossing over into the world of cable TV.
This week, Sony Pictures Television announced that it would produce a psychological thriller for Netflix, making it the first major Hollywood studio to work with the streaming service. That’s a big coup for Netflix, which has enjoyed enormous success with its original shows like House of Cards and Orange is the New Black but hasn’t yet been able to secure a deal with any of the big studios.
Netflix’s new show with Sony comes from the creators of the FX legal drama Damages and will span 13 episodes released in bulk, perfect for instant binge-watching. Sony also produced AMC’s Breaking Bad and currently works on NBC’s The Blacklist, but it doesn’t own any cable networks so it has no qualms about helping the company compete with them. News of Netflix’s negotiations with Comcast and others to offer its service directly on cable-TV boxes became public yesterday, and cable providers certainly have reason to worry about Netflix.
Accessing Netflix without needing a special device sounds like a fantasy situation for many Americans—cable providers aren’t known for their convenience and tend to inspire as much customer satisfaction as the airline industry—but it’s already a reality in Sweden and the U.K., where two cable companies agreed to make Netflix accessible through their customers’ Tivo boxes. As Netflix becomes more like a premium cable channel and more like cable provider, it will remain to be seen who feels more threatened.