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HBO Max has been on the warpath lately against… its own content? Recent changes in Warner Bros’ (HBO’s parent company) leadership is resulting in even bigger changes at the streaming service. Numerous ongoing shows and startup projects have been canceled and cut down mid-production. To make matters worse, HBO is removing these canceled original shows.
Let’s make that clear. They’re not removing shows they only had a license for, like The Office leaving Netflix, which is normal. They are removing their own original content, which they have full rights to keep on their platform forever, and making it impossible for fans to access. Lately, it seemed like they may be done cutting down their own content, but that’s not the case. They’ve slashed yet another show on their service, and this time it’s a legendary classic.
Bye Bye Bedrock
The Flintstones is the latest TV series to meet the wrath of the new HBO Max leadership and their cost-cutting efforts. The popular platform used to boast every season of the vintage cartoon. And now there are three seasons missing. Specifically, Seasons 4 through 6. That’s half of all the seasons the show ever produced spanning all of the content from 1963 to 1966.
This isn’t the first time they’ve cut a classic cartoon series, either. Looney Tunes, a show that HBO Max has proudly boasted in the past, has had its catalog cut down significantly in recent months, as well. In general, animation has taken the biggest hit of all the genres being cut down on the streaming service right now. From classics like The Flintstones and Looney Tunes to HBO Max cult hits like Close Enough and Infinity Train. Cancellation is one thing, but completely removing the shows from availability to the fans is a slap in the face.
The Fall Of HBO Max
Just over the last 6 months, HBO Max has quickly fallen out of favor as one of the public’s favorite streaming services. They’ve removed everything from Westworld to Raised By Wolves and all of the aforementioned animated content.
Their claim behind all of these shows’ removals is that it is for “cost-cutting” purposes. As far as cancellation goes, that makes sense, but there’s no monetary incentive to completely take a show off the platform. Actually, it should be the opposite. In reality, it appears the plan is to move these lost shows and seasons onto other streaming platforms, licensed out by Warner Bros. Platforms that are free to use but loaded end-to-end with ads. In other words, this move isn’t good for HBO Max, and it isn’t good for the consumers, but it is good for the Warner Bros corporation.