Hulu will develop Atwood's new novel The Testaments into a TV series

The Handmaid's Tale based on Margaret Atwood's novel of the same name has been Hulu's flagship original series for the US-based video on demand provider.

New TV series planned

Thanks to The Testaments, Atwood's sequel to her Handmaid's Tail, Hulu is looking to develop the new novel also into a TV series with the cooperation of MGM television. As Deadline reports: "A follow-up to the award-winning The Handmaid’s Tale is in the works. MGM Television and Hulu are developing The Testaments, Margaret Atwood’s sequel to her best-selling dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale."

The Testaments

Plot details of Atwood's new novel are still under wraps but it is known to be set a full 15 years after the ending of the Handmaid's Tale. It is narrated by three female characters. Wherever the story goes MGM and Hulu are wanting to adapt it for TV.

The Handmaid's Tale series has already expanded beyond the scope of the original novel. The Testaments set long after the Handmaid's Tale could continue the story as future seasons of the Handmaid's Tale or it could be a sequel series. The book is to be published in just a few days September 10 so details of the plot will soon be available.

Atwood has collaborated with MGM before

As a recent article reports: “Margaret Atwood is a literary icon who continues to delight and challenge readers through her provocative and compelling prose,” said Steve Stark, President of Television Production at MGM. “She has been an incredible creative partner and resource to MGM throughout the production of Handmaid’s and we look forward to working with her on the story’s exciting next chapter.”

The new series will mark the third time that Atwood has worked with MGM Television. She worked on the The Handmaid's Tale series. MGM acquired the rights to Atwood's 2015 novel "The Heart Goes Last" which is the story of a young couple who were hit hard by job loss and bankruptcy in the middle of a nationwide economic collapse.

The Handmaid's Tale series was a hit

With its premier in April of 2017, the series became an instant hit. It was the first streaming show to win the Primetime Emmy Award. It has gone on to win several Emmy and Golden Globe awards, a Peabody Award and been honored by multiple Guilds.

Although there is no indication as yet when the new series will begin on Hulu or even when production will start it is obvious that MGM and Hulu are committed to expanding the existing series using the new material from The Testaments hoping for a continued success.

Published previously in the Digital Journal

More Americans are "cutting the cord" but many also are keeping their cable

In spite of the availability of many digital streaming services such as Hulu and Netflix, 85 percent of U.S. households have traditional cable TV. Yet, market analyst TDG Research predicts that by 2030 up to 40 percent of Americans will have cut the cord.

TDG Research or Diffusion Group was founded in 2004 and focuses on predicting the future of the "connected consumer". Another example of their research can be found here.

The recession and the rise of streaming services

TDG predicted a decline in subscriptions to traditional cable TV in 2010 after the recession. Many Americans were looking to cut expenses. At the same time, digital streaming services such as Hulu and Netflix offered cheap alternatives.

The TDG predictions proved correct with the number of U.S. households paying for cable dropping every year since 2012. TDG predicts if the trend continues over the next 13 years the number of U.S. households having cable will drop to 60 percent.

Is the future of TV as an app?

Joel Espellen, Senior Analyst at TDG notes: "TDG said early on that the future of TV was an app. Unfortunately, most incumbent multi-channel video providers weren't taking notes. The question is no longer if the future of TV is an app, but how quickly and economically incumbents can adapt to this truth and transition to an all-broadband app-based live multi-channel system."

While this may be true it is only in the very long run. After 13 years, the number of U.S. households having cable will still be at 60 percent if TDG predictions are correct. TDG's own research shows that if all those who have both a streaming service and cable TV were forced to chose only one service the majority would actually choose cable. Many households will no doubt have both streaming service plus the cable TV.

The report argues that now the Internet is a must have while cable is often a luxury add-on for Americans. The report notes that the number of broadband households is now greater than those that have pay-TV. However many may be adding the Internet while keeping their pay TV.

The generational divide

Cost is a major factor in cutting the cord and changing to streaming services. Two thirds of those who cut the cord or never had cable TV in the first place said that the cost was the main reason they do not use traditional cable TV.

However, there is a large generational gap between younger adults and other age groups especially those over 65.

61 percent of adults 18-29 said online streaming services were the primary way they watched TV. This was the only group in which a majority watched TV through streaming media. In every other age group a majority watched via cable TV or an antenna according to a recent Pew Research poll. Cable's significance increases within older age groups.

Overall, 59 percent of U.S. adults say cable connections are their primary means of watching TV. Only 28 percent cite streaming services while 9 percent say they use digital antennas.

My personal experience

I decided to cut the cord some time ago. I am in a minority of just five percent of those over 65 who use streaming media as my source for watching TV.

One disadvantage of streaming devices is that there are sometimes pauses to reload and it may take time to load. Interruptions may be quite common especially when downloading live broadcasts. In this respect, cable TV is quite superior. For those who have the money or are just happy with cable they may see no reason to cut the cord.

Previously published in Digital Journal