In early August, The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale was cancelled by Netflix, along with another chat-centric series. McHale's show, which utilized the style he had perfected on his E! series The Soup, lasted for just around six months. In an interview, McHale was asked why the streaming giant cancelled his show and McHale had a humorous theory before getting down to brass tacks. McHale responded by saying:
I don't think they liked my sweaters. Obviously Netflix has trained their audience to binge watch, and we actually tried that, as well. But so far people aren't watching Netflix that way. . . . They are the king of the world right now, so believe me, I was very happy about the opportunity. I'm a desperate workaholic. I don't ever want to have to get a real job.
Using his trademark humor before delving into the issue surrounding any talk-style show finding its footing on the streaming platform, Joel McHale hit the nail on the head. In his interview on the Jim and Sam Show, McHale mentioned the method of content consumption Netflix is credited for popularizing among viewers. Even Guy Pearce says that Netflix does not like the term being used. But is the issue only binge-watching?
While Joel McHale and fans of his show may have wished that it would be the one to break the spell, Netflix viewers seem drawn to scripted series they can pick up at their own pace. With a show that revolves around recent events, or episodes of currently airing series, that makes a series like Joel McHale's a tougher nut for Netflix viewers to crack.
Unfortunately, a clip show may be one of the casualties of the ever-changing world of television. While Netflix may not have found runaway success with its topical talk fests, perhaps YouTube or paid subscription service YouTube Premium holds the key. Or maybe MTV?
In the interview, Joel McHale was also asked if he is relieved about not having to watch the reality shows his Netflix series had a lot of fun satirizing, to which McHale intimated that he would not miss them. He also had some rough things to say about The Real Housewives franchise and its plot points, which he described as consisting of drinking and fighting.
With The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale over, fans who are aware of reality television's more infamous moments will miss the chance to have a few knowing laughs about it. For fans wondering, McHale left the door open to a future opportunity that would find him making fun of reality television. If only Netflix would have held out on cancelling the series until Temptation Island returned, at the least. Imagine the things he would have to say about it!
The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale is over, but you can still relive the show's run on Netflix. For new television content set to premiere on Netflix this year, check out our 2018 Netflix premiere rundown. Wondering what else you can watch? Well, summer is still happening! Check out the new shows still on the horizon with CinemaBlend's summer premiere guide. For new television premiering this fall, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's fall premieres.
