Technology has altered television production and consumption in the fourth stage. According to Amanda Lotz (2017), three main advancements made it possible: technological convenience, which allows viewers to decide where, when, and how to watch programmes through accessibility on different devices; mobile television, which allows viewers to control viewing; and theatricality, which refers to the ability to display high-quality images with lots of detail and reality.

These factors ended the network era. Changes in TV transmission due to expanding cable and satellite TV owners (in USA and UK) and time-shifting technology. It opened niche channels. Although, channels produced a little fraction of production.   Instead, networks screened movies and TV shows to save money.

Creating more niche programmes became a great marketing strategy, referred to as The Long Tail, a phrase coined by Christian Anderson. The long tail represents the rise of specialised markets and the shift from massively successful commodities to more modestly successful commodities that develop value over time (McDonald, 2016). Netflix is a prime example of this Internet business model, which one of the symptoms is a sector of adult animation.

As evidenced by a diverse class of freshman series, the term “adult animation” no longer connotes anything specific (Bramesco, 2021). What was formerly considered a genre has evolved into a medium, bringing in tremendous profits. The covid outbreak and subsequent lockdown prohibited the creation of live-action programming, giving animated alternatives a significant advantage. Digital artwork and vocal recording sessions were finished in relative seclusion, and the delayed surge is now fully operational. Rick and Morty became so famous that any new sci-fi-infused series must be seen in connection to that crossover phenomenon. The series is distinguished by intellectual reflections as well as dark humour. Rick and Morty have been one of HBO Max’s most popular shows since its inception, both domestically and globally. Rick and Morty have been viewed over 10 billion times internationally across traditional, digital, and streaming platforms (Bramesco, 2021).

Reference:

Bramesco, C. (2021) Life drawing: why is adult animation bigger than ever? Available on: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/oct/21/why-is-adult-animation-bigger-than-ever

Lotz, A. D. (2017). Linking industrial and creative change in 21st-century US television. Media International Australia

McDonald K. & Smith-Rowsey D. (2016), The Netflix Effect: Technology and Entertainment in the 21^st Century. London; New York: Bloomsbury

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