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TV TATTLE

Ryan Murphy is now 0 for 3 with his Netflix shows, at least in terms of critical acclaim

  • The recently released Ratched joins Hollywood and The Politician in being critical disappointments -- even though Murphy has touted that Ratched has been No. 1 on Netflix in the U.S. and many other countries. "Murphy is now 0-for-3 in partnerships with his latest patron," says Alison Herman. "(Critically speaking, that is—Netflix’s stubborn secrecy makes it hard to know whether he’s delivered new subscribers.) At Fox and FX, hits like American Horror Story and Glee became standard-bearers for TV’s larger sea change, a future where anthologies could usher in star power and teen musicals could command the national conversation. At Netflix, Murphy’s oeuvre thus far is part of something much less exciting: the quantity-over-quality content firehose that’s become the streamer’s M.O. Ever prolific, Murphy has proved capable of turning out three new series in the space of a year. That may be just fine for Netflix, if not for fans who’d rather not see (Sarah) Paulson’s talents go to waste. Following The Politician’s fuzzy allegory and Hollywood’s insipid fantasia, Ratched’s misfire doesn’t come as a surprise—just more proof that the size of Netflix’s investment has yet to correlate with the quality of Murphy’s output. Compared to his past heights, they’re still a disappointment."

    TOPICS: Ryan Murphy, Netflix, Hollywood, The Politician, Ratched