What will happen to HBO in the wake of the Warner Bros. Discovery/Netflix merger?

With the Warner Bros. Discovery/Netflix merger now on, there are a lot of questions, including what happens to Warner Brothers’ actually successful theatrical distribution model—which, why is everyone so hellbent on destroying Warners’ theatrical model? First it was Jason Kilar and his day-and-date scheme, now it’s Netflix, why will no one let this perfectly functional economic model that supports an entire industry, including a robust middle class, just work like it has done for 100 years?—and what about HBO?

What ABOUT HBO? This is not an insignificant question. HBO is the gold standard of prestige TV, which they practically invented with The Sopranos. Netflix, meanwhile, is better at “must-see TV”. It’s not necessarily good, but boy, does it hook you (see also: The Hunting Wives, The Beast In Me, pretty much their whole 2025 TV slate, inclusive). The question is will this new merged entity let HBO exist on its own. Will The Pitt be allowed to continue weekly episode releases—the major factor in propelling it to the top of TV culture this year—will Casey Bloys and his development team be allowed to work independently? Or will HBO be sacrificed to the second screen gods? Nobody knows but plenty of reasons to be cynical.

Speaking of HBO, though, Task is their latest big hit, a propulsive crime drama defined by Delco accents and Tom Pelphrey’s outstanding performance. The Critics Choice Award nominations were just announced (full disclosure: I am a voting member of CCA), and Task picked up three nominations, for Best Drama Series, Best Actor, Drama – Mark Ruffalo, and Best Supporting Actor, Drama – Tom Pelphrey. All deserved nominations in my opinion. (The Pitt banked four nominations, also deserved.)

Team Task, including Mark Ruffalo, Tom Pelphrey, and Emilia Jones, were at an FYC event today in New York. Is this the last generation of HBO as we’ve known it?

What else happened today…

Anthony Ramos is getting into the wellness game. Hm. (Popsugar)

Hollywood is so cash poor Saudi Arabia is back on the menu as a funding source. Hmm. (Go Fug Yourself)

Princess Kate hasn’t had a stylist or dresser for months and apparently has no plans to get a new one. She is “confident” she can dress herself—I mean, technically she can—and withstand the scrutiny of the world’s opinions on her style. Hmmm. (Celebitchy)

I’ve been trying to keep it from trickling through, but it’s been a pretty tough year. Not a lot of good news in 2025. As it is December and we are approaching my favorite time of year—the liminal space between Christmas and New Year’s—I am desperately clinging to the last vestiges of my temper to get through. Which is to say, now is the perfect time for a Fran Lebowitz interview.

If you’re not familiar, Fran Lebowitz is a writer, speaker, and professional New Yorker, as in, being from New York is her profession. I love Fran Lebowitz. When I am grumpy, I turn to her for validation. And readers, I am grumpy. So here is a new Fran interview. Every inch is quotable. (Variety)