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Star Trek: Picard Helps CBS All Access Break Streaming Records
CBS All Access broke a new record for subscriber sign-ups in January of 2020, and the company partly credits the premiere of Star Trek: Picard for the boost alongside a promotional ad that ran during the CBS broadcast of the 62nd Grammy Awards. The previous record for subscribers was set in February 2018, when the company ran a similar ad during their broadcast of the Super Bowl.
Picard follows up on the titular former captain of the Enterprise 18 years after his last on-screen appearance in the 2002 film Star Trek: Nemesis. Actor Patrick Stewart reprises the role of Jean-Luc Picard, joined by returning castmates from Star Trek: The Next Generation like Brent Spiner and Jeri Ryan as well as newcomers to the franchise like Alison Pill (Vice), Michelle Hurd (Ash vs. Evil Dead), and Isa Broines (American Crime Story). Picard, created by Akiva Goldsman, Michael Chabon, Kirsten Beyer, and Alex Kurtzman, is the second Star Trek spin-off to hit the streaming service following Star Trek: Discovery which is set roughly a decade before the events of the original Star Trek series. Discovery premiered in 2017 to then-record breaking numbers for CBS All Access, and while CBS doesn't disclose the total streaming numbers, at the time it bested the mark set by the 2017 Grammy Awards.
Star Trek: Picard is an even bigger hit for the streaming service, according to a new report from the network (via ComicBook.com). The show pulled in a record number of viewers, propelling it to achieve the highest volume of subscribers streaming an original series. Streams for the new series were up more than 115% than Discovery, and subscriber streaming leaped 180% beyond Discovery's metrics. Marc DeBovoise, the chief digital officer of ViacomCBS, and president and CEO of CBS Interactive said, “We’ve seen tremendous continued growth in the service, and the new records we’ve experienced due to Star Trek: Picard, the Grammy’s and a fantastic season of football are a phenomenal way to kick off what will be a fantastic year for CBS All Access.” The Grammy ad helped to drive 80% more new signup than the previous year and 30% more unique viewers.
"CBS All Access continues to build upon its great mix of programming – from original series to sports and special events – and we’ve strategically programmed 2020 to bring subscribers an ‘always on’ calendar of must-watch series and events,” DeBovoise said. Much of the record-setting that Star Trek: Picard managed is thanks to the highly anticipated return of the fan-favorite captain, now a retired Admiral, and the promised return of characters like Data (Spiner), Seven of Nine (Ryan), Dianna Troi (Marina Sirtis), and Jonathan Frakes' William "Number One" Riker. The show has scored high ratings with fans and critics alike, holding an impressive 95% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, thanks to the creator's focus on moving the character's story forward and not trafficking in too much nostalgia.
CBS All Access releases new episodes of Star Trek: Picard every Thursday and has already renewed the show for a second season. That's great news for fans of the show since it has already established several ongoing mysteries, teased the return of the Enterprise-D, introduced new connections to old characters and, as fans recently learned, Whoopi Goldberg has been asked to reprise her TNG role as Enterprise-D bartender Guinan.
