topic Re: Sky 'Original' Drama in What's On

Sky 'Original' Drama

Angel_Aka — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:50:25 GMT

Oh come on Sky. Why are you doing this?

https://www.skygroup.sky/article/sky-commissions-original-drama-series-the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-based-on-stieg-larsson-s-globally-bestselling-millennium-novels-

Why can't you commission something new and interesting? Something 'ORIGINAL.'

Not another re-hash of something that's already been done.

I'm so bored of Sky Originals being all the same level of mediocre or worse...

I'll stick with my Apple TV subscription - they are knocking it out of the park with fresh, exciting drama.

Re: Sky 'Original' Drama

TimmyBGood — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 16:53:42 GMT

@Angel_Aka wrote:

I'll stick with my Apple TV subscription - they are knocking it out of the park with fresh, exciting drama.

Being backed by one of the most profitable hardware companies in the world does of course mean that Apples original content department has a rather substantial commissioning budget: probably something over seven billion dollars in 2025. Even with Comcast behind them, Sky is spending maybe 15% of that.

Re: Sky 'Original' Drama

Angel_Aka — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 16:58:23 GMT

@TimmyBGood wrote:
@Angel_Aka wrote:

I'll stick with my Apple TV subscription - they are knocking it out of the park with fresh, exciting drama.
Being backed by one of the most profitable hardware companies in the world does of course mean that Apples original content department has a rather substantial commissioning budget: probably something over seven billion dollars in 2025. Even with Comcast behind them, Sky is spending maybe 15% of that.

I just wish they'd spend it on better scripts. Take some risks, try some younger, cheaper, and potentially better talent. I'm so bored of the same old stories being regurgitated badly.

Re: Sky 'Original' Drama

Yoghurt — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 21:26:07 GMT

@Angel_Aka Well said 👍

Re: Sky 'Original' Drama

Plektrum — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 19:30:23 GMT

Granted it's to varying level of success but Sky have put a lot of "original" and new to you stuff in recent years - Gangs Of London, Sweetpea, Brassic, Mary & George, Tattooist of Auschwitz, Atomic, Chernobyl, Strike Back, Brittania, Zero Zero Zero, Art Of Joy and so on... there's a fair bit of actual original stuff in their slate even if it hasn't always been successful...

Reality is however that pre-branded and resurrected IP cuts through in what is now a pretty competetive marketplace - Day Of The Jackal, Das Boot & Gomorrah all likely got a boost from having been new versions of previous films... and it's not as of the major global streaming businesses are immune...

Amazon have resurrected a ton of old IP (and developed an early version of Dragon Tattoo); HBO themselves have talked about how pre-existing IP like 'It' and Dune have helped their business in the absence of a robust pay tv movie slate and let's not forget we're getting another go at Harry Potter.

Plus Apple are no different! Amongst all the original stuff we still have the likes of Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters, Presumed Innocent, Mosquito Coast and Amazing Stories...all based on pre-existing IP... and they were close to making a new tv version of Metropolis and even resurrected the corpse of Cape Fear and are turning a perfectly serviceable film into 6-8 hours of tv! IP has it's place in the marketplace.

Yep it would be nice for more big ticket original stuff but if you're Sky, this one feels like a strategic no brainer? It's based on a huge book franchise, coming off the back of that terrible 2018 movie there's an opportunity to try and do something fresh in an expanded format and it's title alone ensures a strong level of buzz and interest when it does eventually land...

Re: Sky 'Original' Drama

Mr+Ripley — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:39:58 GMT

@Plektrum wrote:
Granted it's to varying level of success but Sky have put a lot of "original" and new to you stuff in recent years - Gangs Of London, Sweetpea, Brassic, Mary & George, Tattooist of Auschwitz, Atomic, Chernobyl, Strike Back, Brittania, Zero Zero Zero, Art Of Joy and so on... there's a fair bit of actual original stuff in their slate even if it hasn't always been successful...

Reality is however that pre-branded and resurrected IP cuts through in what is now a pretty competetive marketplace - Day Of The Jackal, Das Boot & Gomorrah all likely got a boost from having been new versions of previous films... and it's not as of the major global streaming businesses are immune...

Amazon have resurrected a ton of old IP (and developed an early version of Dragon Tattoo); HBO themselves have talked about how pre-existing IP like 'It' and Dune have helped their business in the absence of a robust pay tv movie slate and let's not forget we're getting another go at Harry Potter.

Plus Apple are no different! Amongst all the original stuff we still have the likes of Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters, Presumed Innocent, Mosquito Coast and Amazing Stories...all based on pre-existing IP... and they were close to making a new tv version of Metropolis and even resurrected the corpse of Cape Fear and are turning a perfectly serviceable film into 6-8 hours of tv! IP has it's place in the marketplace.

Yep it would be nice for more big ticket original stuff but if you're Sky, this one feels like a strategic no brainer? It's based on a huge book franchise, coming off the back of that terrible 2018 movie there's an opportunity to try and do something fresh in an expanded format and it's title alone ensures a strong level of buzz and interest when it does eventually land...

@Plektrum Nice to read a well-written & well-thought-out response. I do partly agree with the OP, as in Sky does play fast & loose with the word original. I'm sure I wrote a post about that very thing some time ago on here. Maybe Sky should take its lead from the Oscars. They have separate categories for Original Screenplay & Adapted Screenplay. Perhaps Sky could have a new strand known as Sky Adaptations.

Re: Sky 'Original' Drama

Mr+Ripley — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 13:11:35 GMT

I replied to @Plektrum's post yesterday ( Friday ), but it has disappeared. Can it be placed back on this thread, please? No doubt it's the filter again, but I don't know why.