2010s in television

2010s in television
Decade	2010s
Start year	2010
End year	2019
Notable series	Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Mad Men, Stranger Things, The Crown
Notable events	Netflix global expansion, rise of streaming media, decline of linear television

2010s in television

The 2010s in television saw rapid transformation driven by Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, HBO, BBC and Disney as legacy broadcasters and new platforms competed with series such as Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead and Stranger Things while awards bodies like the Primetime Emmy Award and festivals such as Sundance Film Festival reacted to changing formats.

Overview and Industry Context

Networks including NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox and premium channels such as Showtime, Starz, HBO contended with technology firms Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu. Consolidation involved corporations like Comcast, AT&T, Walt Disney Company and Viacom affecting distribution deals with producers such as Lionsgate and Warner Bros. Television. Regulatory and market shifts prompted investment from conglomerates including Sony Pictures Television and platforms like YouTube and Apple to commission originals.

Notable Trends and Innovations

The decade popularized binge-watching through platforms like Netflix, energized anthology revivals exemplified by Black Mirror, expanded prestige television with Mad Men and The Crown, and normalized limited series exemplified by Fargo and Chernobyl. Diverse representation increased via shows tied to creators such as Shonda Rhimes, Jordan Peele, Ryan Murphy and Lena Dunham while international formats from South Korea, Mexico, United Kingdom and Sweden gained global audiences through remakes and adaptations. Technical innovation included high dynamic range (HDR) from manufacturers like Sony Corporation and LG Electronics, immersive sound standards promoted by Dolby Laboratories, and production shifts influenced by studios like Bad Robot Productions.

Major Series and Cultural Impact

Series such as Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Stranger Things, The Crown, Fleabag, The Handmaid's Tale and Black Mirror shaped social conversations alongside creators like Vince Gilligan, David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, Matt Duffer, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Margaret Atwood adaptations. Celebrity-driven talk programs featuring Oprah Winfrey and late-night hosts such as Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver and Seth Meyers intersected with political discourse involving figures and events tied to 2016 United States presidential election and international controversies. Fan mobilization through platforms including Twitter, Reddit, Facebook and Tumblr amplified fandoms such as those for Doctor Who, Sherlock, Supernatural and helped drive streaming renewals.

Changes in Distribution and Technology

Global rollouts by Netflix, platform launches by Apple TV+ and expansions by Disney+ disrupted carriage agreements with multichannel video programming distributors like Comcast and Dish Network. Cord-cutting accelerated as consumers moved from cable television subscriptions to over-the-top services, influenced by device ecosystems from Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast and PlayStation 4. Content protection and rights management involved companies such as Digital Millennium Copyright Act enforcement agencies and negotiations with rights holders like Warner Bros. Entertainment and Paramount Global.

Ratings, Economics, and Advertising

Traditional ratings measured by Nielsen ratings faced challenges adapting to time-shifted viewing, SVOD subscriptions, and ad-supported hybrids like Hulu and free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels. Advertising shifted toward programmatic buyers and platforms including Google and Facebook while upfront markets at events hosted by networks like NBCUniversal and ViacomCBS adjusted strategies. High production budgets for series such as Game of Thrones and The Crown drove negotiations between studios and financiers including Endeavor Group Holdings and private equity buyers.

Awards and Critical Reception

Ceremonies including the Primetime Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, BAFTA TV Awards, Critics' Choice Television Awards and festival competitions at Cannes Series and Sundance Film Festival increasingly recognized streaming originals from Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu. Critical discourse in outlets like The New York Times, The Guardian, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter debated prestige, representation, and finales such as that of Game of Thrones and the impact of auteur showrunners including Matthew Weiner and David Simon.

Regional Developments and International Markets

Markets in United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, South Korea, Japan, Mexico, Brazil and Nigeria saw local production increases funded by platforms like Netflix and broadcasters such as BBC and NHK. Non-English series including La casa de papel, Dark, Money Heist adaptations and Korean dramas achieved global audiences, prompting cross-border co-productions with studios like StudioCanal and distributors such as All3Media.

Category:Television by decade