Netflix is Breaking Ground Once Again

Netflix is on a roll when it comes to its original programming. At least, that's what it seems like, since we've never actually seen the ratings. They seem pretty confident in it, though, which is now resulting in Netflix has a new series headed by the creators of Damages .

This year's been a good one for Netflix: House of Cards may not have swept the Emmys, but it was nominated for a ton, people are still talking about Orange Is the New Black, they brought back one of the most beloved sitcoms of the past decade (Arrested Development, helloooo), and they seem to be one of the only "channels" that actually appears to have a healthy and accurate understanding of pirating, youth-viewing habits, and what will stop (or at least limit) the pirating of their content.

All of these aforementioned assets of Netflix have lead to a certain amount of confidence in their endeavors (we're just gonna ignore that Hemlock Grove is a thing that happened), which is why their newest series, a psychological thriller by Damages dudes Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler, and Daniel Zelman, seems in fitting.

House of Cards nailed their political drama quota, Arrested Development its wacky comedy quota, Orange Is the New Black its... wacky prison comedy/drama quota? Anyway, it seems like this is a place with some room for a thriller thang.

The writers expanded on the series in a statement reported on by Deadline:

We’ve always wanted to put our spin on a family saga and examine universal themes of family in a way that has never been seen before on television. The series is a tightly wound thriller that explores the complex bonds between parents and children, brothers and sisters, and the rivalries, jealousies, and betrayals at the core of every family.

Cindy Holland, the VP of original programming at Netflix — and therefore the woman to thank and/or blame for all the hours you spent binging their original shows — also seems pretty psyched about the series:

We were spellbound after hearing Todd, Glenn and Daniel’s pitch, and knew Netflix was the perfect home for this suspenseful family drama that is going to have viewers on the edge of their seats. Their work on Damages was truly ahead of its time.

Apparently, this show is also breaking new insider-y Hollywood ground, as it's being produced by Sony TV, which according to Deadline, means that it's "the first [deal] on a new series between the streaming company and a major Hollywood studio, which required the creation of templates for auxiliary revenues, back-end and all other elements of a traditional network agreement."

Blah blah blah, but basically: Netflix is functioning more and more these days as another cable channel, despite its technical lack of connection to actually streaming on traditional television airwaves. And that's kind of a big deal.

What an era we live in, folks. New frontiers.