After being dropped, the lesser received Xbox-game-turned-TV show has been picked up by Netflix — coming March 1

[Windows Central]

After being dropped by Paramount, Halo is being brought to Netflix, so at least more people can see it now.

After being dropped, the lesser received Xbox-game-turned-TV show has been picked up by Netflix — coming March 1 : Read more

 

[GraniteStateColin]

I liked the Halo show quite a bit. Unlike many Windows Central and Xbox followers, I didn't have much experience with the game (I mostly limit my scarce gaming time to open-world RPGs). So I went into the show fairly blind, other than knowing vaguely about the characters just because people talk enough about Halo that we all pick some of it up.

As a stand-alone action science fiction show, I thought it was very good (maybe not great, but at least very good). I think most of the negatives about it relate to it failing to meet expectations from Halo game fans, which is completely fair. I agree that writers should support the fans and source material, otherwise you get things like Star Wars: The Last Jedi (possibly a fine stand-alone piece for the non-Star Wars fan, but not a compatible entry with the rest of the series).

But for anyone who has not seen it yet, if you don't mind that it may not be well rooted in the Halo game lore, the show itself has intriguing science fiction mysteries, exciting action, and highly engaging acting by Pablo Schreiber as the Master Chief.

I hope Netflix does deliver a third season.

 

[Sergio526]

I love the Halo games and the books which don't have a ton of story overlap and are frequently contradictory, which hasn't garnered too many complaints over the past 23+ years. Even the I Love Bees ARG explored different stories in the Halo universe and I don't remember it being super faithful to the source material, but it was no less enjoyable. I think Forward Into Dawn was trying to be like the game, but I couldn't get more than 10 minutes into it, so boring!

All that to say, the show took a very different path from the other mediums and I enjoyed it quite a bit. The biggest complaints people seemed to have was that John took his helmet off and has real conversations with people instead of just running and gunning. Maybe it's just easy for me to accept different interpretations of the same property on their own. I even enjoy when a foundational element is changed, makes the story less predictable and gives me different "rules" to theorize on.

Anyway, season 2 ended with quite a few major story changes, a lot of which feel like they were done specifically to address complaints and bring the show more inline with the games (which would truly be impossible to do completely at this point) which makes me a little worried, but I would still love to see a season 3. Fingers crossed!

 

[Lurking_Lurker_Lurks]

The best comparison I can think of for this show is the 1998 Godzilla movie. Paramount wanted something with name recognition to help get their new streaming service off the ground, but they also made it very clear with the show that they weren't interested in making a Halo show as much as a generic sci fi show that could appeal to the masses. Much like the 1998 Godzilla, the creators thought that a faithful Halo adaption wouldn't have widespread appeal with general American audiences. As a result they made something that's okay, if not enjoyable, television, but unfortunately angers an entire fandom which tarnishes the very existence of the adaption. The Halo TV show is worse off being a "Halo" IP TV show. Much like 1998 Godzilla or for that matter Ninja theory's DmC Devil May Cry. Recognizable IP is more of a weight on the shoulders than corporations and people seem to understand (at least sometimes). On that note, I think Fable and Perfect Dark will have their work cut out for them. This is also likely another reason why a Banjo game isn't super likely (especially if Rare themselves don't want to open the can of worms). Yes Microsoft has this treasure trove of IP, but modernizing the IP in a way that will make it a success in the current landscape AND be respectful to its legacy is hard. Especially for these franchises that have cult followings.

 

[jester_albus]

To be honest. I hope Netflix recreates the show. Gives the fans something they need, not give them what they didn't ask for. And pull together a writing team that knows anything about the world of halo. As soon as I heard that the writers never touched the video games and only read a few of the books. I tried getting into it but they basically butchered it and I just couldn't finish it.

 

[ferlucio]

On it's own it's a passable if not mediocre sci-fi, but with a Halo sticker on top of it: It's an atrocity against mankind. John Halo (usually this joke doesn't make sense like with John Doom) just doesn't feel like a supersoldier trained from birth.

 

[Ron-F]

I enjoyed the show for what it is, an adaptation, not a recreation of the game. I wouldn't stand a show in which 95% would be action with lots of CGI aliens. In the game, I am Master Chief, but in the TV show he is a character I must relate to in some form. That's why he took the helmet, so that the audience could interpret his emotions better -- BTW, I think Mandalorian is a worse show because the main character rarely reveals his face. I don't think all the showrunners' decisions were good, but that's life. I liked many of them and i wasn't much bothered by the ones I didn't like. It was an expensive show; I don't think it will be picked by another streamer.

 

[YaruSP]

"Halo was a Paramount+ exclusive. That'd be like Metallica playing their only show of the year in Greenland. The people, they just aren't there."

Most new shows are exclusive to a service. Does Netflix Wednesday or Stranger Things on other services? No they don't.

Also Paramount+ has 71.5million subs. That's more than twice Peacock's 36 million and almost three times Apple TV+'s 25million.

It ain't no Disney+ (150mil) or Netflix (300mil) admittedly but hardly Greenland.

Halo TV Series failed because it sucked, plain and simple.

 

[JetpackJesus]

I just checked, and Halo is still available on Paramount+ here in the US.

 

[fjtorres5591]

"Halo was a Paramount+ exclusive. That'd be like Metallica playing their only show of the year in Greenland. The people, they just aren't there."

Most new shows are exclusive to a service. Does Netflix Wednesday or Stranger Things on other services? No they don't.

Also Paramount+ has 71.5million subs. That's more than twice Peacock's 36 million and almost three times Apple TV+'s 25million.

It ain't no Disney+ (150mil) or Netflix (300mil) admittedly but hardly Greenland.

Halo TV Series failed because it sucked, plain and simple.

The difference isn't how many ad-supported subs each service has, but the regions that can't get PARAMOUNT+ because they can't sell ads to it. And I live in one.

Netflix is everywhere.
Max, Peacock, even Apple is everywhere and they were here from day one.
Paramount+ plus? Try to log in and you get an email sign up sheet after FIVE years.

Also consider how many subs are the lowest, ad supported tier used for next day CBS. Historically, CBS is the single worst platform for SF and it has the oldest demographics. The number that matters isn't the 75M but how many of those were interested in HALO instead of BLUE BLOODS, NCIS, FBI. Even Dexter reruns do better on NETFLIX that Paramount.

HALO on Paramount was always going to fail for lack of audience, regardless of whether it was good or not. Netflix understands this which is why they picked it up.

Third season? The bar is set low: they actually invested good money in the worst SF show ever: ANOTHER LIFE. Not even Katee Sackoff couldn't save that mess in space.)

(if you haven't watched even one episode don't bother. Save the lifespan.)

 

[Tatorthetot]

The best part about watching Paramount+'s Halo TV series was when just one Spartan died during the fall of Reach. That was the point I rage quit and started watching something else. Pretty sure Netflix only has plans to try to milk this thing for views before deleting this **** from their servers, not a season 3.

 

[Tj Werner]

Entire reboot or flop