The Peripheral debuted on Amazon Prime Video last year, and while the series from Westworld creative team Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan initially generated a lot of buzz, that didn't lead to much.
The series came and went with mostly positive reviews and little in the way of fanfare, a shame considering the fact Kick-Ass star Chloë Grace Moretz leads the cast. In the show, she's an avid gamer who tests out a new system that allows her to unlock her dreams and, while the premise was unique, it wasn't groundbreaking enough to make The Peripheral a new mega-hit.
Despite that, the show has still been renewed for a second season, a surprise at a time when streamers are becoming increasingly ruthless when it comes to spending.
The Hollywood Reporter recently shared an inside look at Prime Video's streaming woes, revealing that the sci-fi drama cost a whopping $175 million for 8 episodes.
Sources have told the trade that audience engagement was lukewarm, with one insider telling them, "It probably should have been canceled. But they made a megadeal and the political capital they would lose with Lisa and Jonah would be too great. And they have other shows coming."
Fallout, Nolan and Joy's next Amazon project, is also "extremely expensive," adds another source.
The duo is doing well, though, as the deal they signed in 2019 is said to be worth at least $20 million a year. However, insiders believe this is a strong indication that Prime Video is investing too much in talent, with the return nowhere near as big as it should be.
In the case of The Peripheral, it's a show that had its fair share of fans, meaning there will be plenty of people happy the story is going to continue.
However, between this series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and Citadel, Amazon would be wise to curb spending, especially as subscribers become increasingly picky with the content they consume as the cost of living continues to increase.