Touting 142 Emmy Noms, Casey Bloys Talks ‘Penguin’ and ‘White Lotus’ Futures, ‘Duster’ Demise, HBO Max Re-Re-Brand

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On Tuesday morning, the competition for Primetime Emmy nominations swung back towards HBO and HBO Max, as they received a total of 142 nominations for their impressive lineup of 23 original productions, marking a resurgence in their historical dominance.

Casey Bloys, head of HBO and HBO Max content, had an enlightening conversation about the impressive performances of limited series “The Penguin” (24 nominations), drama “The White Lotus” (23 nominations) and comedy “Hacks” (14 nominations). The chat delved into unexpected successes (“Somebody Somewhere” with two nods), lower-than-expected recognition (“House of the Dragon”) and shared insights on several nominated originals like “The Penguin”, “The White Lotus”, “The Pitt” and upcoming projects such as a new season of “The Gilded Age” and “The Chair Company”. He also graciously addressed the intriguing idea of appearing in future episodes of Apple TV+’s “The Studio”.

The Penguin was surprisingly popular with the nominations. Don’t you think there might be a desire for more from your side?

It’s a question we frequently encounter, and I must admit, it brings a chuckle. To set the record straight, our showrunner, Lauren LeFranc, indeed has some concepts in mind. She and Matt Reeves have discussed these ideas. However, at this moment, Matt is engrossed in the production of the film “The Batman Part II,” hence there are no recent updates. Nevertheless, there’s a great deal of enthusiasm, desire, and anticipation surrounding the possibility. Unfortunately, I can’t promise anything just yet because there are numerous factors to consider and tasks to complete. But rest assured, if we manage to make it work, we would be equally thrilled as you!

What’s the takeaway when a less popular series like Somebody, Somewhere manages to achieve success in its third and last season?

The heartfelt television series is garnering well-deserved acclaim, and witnessing this recognition brings warmth. Moreover, we retain the power to endorse such a wonderful program. As producers, I must say, their diligence was remarkable. The production was executed within a budget that enabled us to remain committed to it, which was crucial. It’s not just that they are skilled writers, but they were also savvy producers who made our jobs effortless.

The show we’re working on is receiving its due recognition, and it feels good. We can still promote this great show. As the people behind the scenes, the producers were really responsible. They managed to make it work financially, which was important. They are not only talented writers but also smart producers who made our jobs easier.

I recently had a conversation with John Wells, the producer of The Pitt, about how crucial it is for us to plan our budgets strategically to ensure the longevity of our show.

John excels at this particular craft, and there’s simply no one better. “The Pitt” truly showcases the talents of John, Scott [Gemmill], and Noah [Wyle]. It was a fantastic creative endorsement to see a series produced in this format achieve success, as it’s quite challenging. They aim to produce 15 episodes per year consistently, whereas some of our own shows only manage seven to eight episodes, with breaks between seasons lasting anywhere from 18 months to two years. The fact that season two of “The Pitt” is currently in production and set for release in January is a remarkable achievement. It’s an inspiring tale not just for us, but for television as a whole.

A series, The White Lotus, that won’t air for a year since its last season, garnered a lot of nominations today. How did you respond when Mike White informed you he would be filming Survivor instead of immediately starting on season 4 of The White Lotus?

Mike is a man who tends to thoroughly think through his ideas before presenting them. This means that when he brings an idea to us, it’s already well-developed and often requires minimal changes. We don’t usually need to go through extensive revisions because he has it so meticulously planned out in his mind. I trust him implicitly for our project, The White Lotus. Although I do worry about his physical safety during his time in Fiji, I am confident about the creative process for season four. In fact, I believe this project may even stimulate his creativity. Whenever he returns, we’ll be eager to hear his thoughts. I already have a rough idea of what the upcoming season will look like. Then he’ll move on to scouting locations, which is a crucial part of the process for him as he finds inspiration in the physical setting. I hope he succeeds on Survivor, but I have no concerns about The White Lotus season four at all.

Have there been additional talks on location, though? Do you feel like you’re close?

He seems to favor “Europe” as a potential location, but the final decision isn’t set in stone until he personally checks out the options. His choice could shift depending on what appeals to him more – one city or another, one hotel over another. So even if I hint that it will be in a specific country, his preferences might change based on a different location or accommodation. We’ll follow his lead on this.

Even though you switched from HBO Max a week ago, you still see the “Max” label in today’s nominations. When can we expect everything to be consistent and without this label?

The branding for the platform is finished, and it’s now known as HBO Max. I appreciate having the freedom with “The Pitt,” which is an original Max production, to explore ideas that might not typically appear on HBO. This provides us with greater flexibility to innovate. Prior to the release of “The Pitt,” I would describe this approach as somewhat experimental, similar to what you’d see on a network or basic cable channel. Essentially, we were trying something new. Labeling it as a Max Original allows us a bit more creative leeway. However, I’m happy that we are now back to HBO Max, and I believe it has a long-term future ahead. I’m also pleased with the preparations we made prior to today.

As a devoted fan, I must admit that my knowledge might be a bit hazy here, but it seems that season two of “The Pit” won’t carry the label of an “HBO Max Original.

Instead, we’ve opted to simply refer to it as a “Max Original.” While the full title can be a tad lengthy, we found it more convenient to use this abbreviated version. Regardless, you can find it on HBO Max.

The TV series “House of the Dragon” was indeed nominated, although not as many times as one might expect. I understand that release schedules and delays can impact this, but what does this trend tell us?

Despite being well-represented in nominations, “House of the Dragon” didn’t get as many as expected. I wonder if timing issues could be a factor, but what does it mean overall?

With the Emmys, nothing is set in stone from one season to the next. Just because you’ve been nominated once doesn’t guarantee a nomination again. The timing of when your show airs and how long it’s been since it aired can both influence the outcome. It’s always uncertain, but the nominations do serve as recognition for everyone’s hard work. However, they are not the primary motivation behind our creative endeavors. We remain passionate about all of our shows, whether or not they receive a nomination.

How did the fast pace of Mountainhead’s project affect your work, and what insights did you gain from managing a tight deadline?

Jesse Armstrong had a tale he felt compelled to share, and its relevance couldn’t have been more apt. Reminiscent of the creative hurdle posed by The White Lotus during the COVID-19 pandemic, they were filming in a single location, essentially within a protective environment. His determination to release it promptly was strong. Furthermore, being his initial directorial project, working on an expedited timeline seemed advantageous.

Creatively and performance-wise, how are you feeling about season three of The Gilded Age?

I’m doing really well! The feedback has been exceptional, as you can tell from the reviews and ratings. Interestingly, we are reporting live three days later rather than on the night of, but it’s showing an approximately 20% increase compared to the last season. This is quite unusual for a drama series to gain viewers upon its return. Typically, there’s a more natural decline as other options become available. It’s truly heartening to see our show, a drama, increasing by 20% in viewership.

Anecdotally, I feel that show has benefited a great deal from word of mouth.

I share your sentiments. At times, I sense when we’re discussing something, and I receive unexpected phone calls or messages saying, “I really enjoy this period.” And I’ve been receiving a lot of that recently. It may not be scientifically sound, but I find it heartening.

Can you tell me about the relatively quick decision to not move forward with Duster?

Making tough decisions isn’t enjoyable, but every production needs to succeed – both in terms of its budget and overall appeal, even if it was entertaining. I believe they did exceptionally well. Josh Holloway proved his star status with this performance, reinforcing my belief. However, a show must accomplish something significant, like gaining positive reviews, high viewership, or generating buzz. Unfortunately, despite our affection for the show and our hopes for its success, it didn’t manage to achieve any of these benchmarks.

Was it made clear in the SpinCo announcement whether Magnolia, owned by Chip and Joanna Gaines, will continue to report to your network or if it will instead join other cable networks?

I’m sorry, but it seems it won’t be with us. Since it’s a cable network, it’s bound to link up with international broadcasting networks instead – which isn’t great news. It was quite enjoyable working on it.

Would you consider a guest appearance on The Studio season two?

I don’t think I have a high enough profile or the acting skills, to be honest. (Laughs.)

OK, before I let you go, I need to know when The Chair Company is coming out.

October. It’s great. You’re going to love it.

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2025-07-15 23:27