Apple Streaming Service Being Described As "Expensive NBC" As Company Begins Neutering Various Series

Streaming is no longer the future. It is most definitely the present. With increased frequency, more and more viewers are skipping traditional network and cable TV, as well as the movie theaters, and sticking with watching content from Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and others on their own schedule, from whatever device they are holding. So now, we have begun to see other companies like Disney, Facebook, YouTube, and Apple attempt to carve out their piece of the streaming pie. But the real question is what all these companies can do to differentiate themselves from each other. In the case of Apple, it appears that they’re going with the entertainment equivalent of beige.

According to a new report by the Wall Street Journal, as Apple beings to flesh out its upcoming streaming service (scheduled to launch sometime next year…maybe), producers and various creative folks are starting to see that the freedom received at places like Netflix and Amazon will not be offered at Apple. The tech company doesn’t want to rock the boat at all. So that means, no harsh language, violence, religious imagery, controversial topics, or political stances. You know, forget purple, red, blue, orange, or green. Apple is all about the inoffensive beige.

There are a number of projects listed in the report that have had trouble figuring out their place at Apple. One of them is the upcoming Dr. Dre series “Vital Signs,” which is a semi-autobiographical story of the musician’s life. When Apple CEO Tim Cook sat down to watch the company’s first scripted series last year, he was shocked by the images of cocaine use, sexual situations, and drawn guns. He told his troops that it was “too violent” and Apple wouldn’t be able to air it.

Another example of Apple’s censorship came before production of M. Night Shyamalan’s upcoming psychological thriller telling the story of a couple who loses their child. Before filming could commence, Apple had a request — get rid of all those crucifixes in the couple’s home. The tech company made it clear that Apple will not be a home for anything that could be the center of a religious debate.

Some other series that have been affected by the new bland brand of TV at Apple is the highly-anticipated Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon series. The showrunner for that series was fired when Apple execs thought the humor of the series wasn’t what they wanted and were hoping for a more “upbeat” series. Steven Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories” anthology series also lost a showrunner when Apple said the series was too dark for its service.

No violence? Sorry, that’s a no. No dark/edgy humor? Absolutely not. No religious symbols? How dare you even attempt to include those?! Okay, but what about political topics? We got some bad news for you. Social issues and politics are off the table as well.

Whitney Cummings and Lee Daniels, both respected names in Hollywood, were in talks to set up a series at Apple about a college official that has to deal with the changing dynamics of student life during #MeToo. However, when Apple said that the sensitive topics were not going to be okay, talks broke down. The result? Apparently, Cummings and Daniels are expected to sign with Amazon.

Perhaps most damning of all is how a person who works for the tech giant in Los Angeles described the impending streaming service — “expensive NBC.” And that about sums it up, huh?

So, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and others tout how they are a place for creative people to flex their creative muscles like never before. And in doing so, those companies have shelves full of Emmys. Will this middle of the road, positively inoffensive strategy work for Apple? That’s yet to be seen. But now people will watch the shows and wonder “What If?”

What if Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston went to Netflix instead? What if Spielberg signed with Amazon? We’ll never find out.