Whatever happened to Quibi's expensive, very short television shows?

In April 2020, Quibi launched with deep pockets, Hollywood talent and a theory about the future of entertainment: people wanted premium shows designed specifically for quick viewing sessions on their phones. Its name was a contraction of quick bites. The launch also arrived into a world suddenly staying home.

The service became a spectacular cautionary tale almost immediately. Amid disappointing subscriber traction, Quibi announced in October 2020 that it would wind down its business; the app shut down that December. The industry's attention moved on to the next streaming war.

But the program library had not evaporated along with the app. In January 2021 Roku announced it would acquire distribution rights to Quibi's shows. The Roku Channel would make them available without a subscription, supported by advertising.

Roku's own annual filing confirms that the company used those programs to introduce Roku Originals in May 2021. Its initial Roku Originals slate drew from the acquired Quibi library, and the company said it subsequently ordered additional seasons of some titles.

That creates a useful distinction. Quibi, the standalone subscription platform, failed. Its content, made by hundreds of working writers, directors, actors and crews, did not necessarily fail with it. Some of those shows found a second audience once the distribution model changed.

The original bet was that premium television ought to live primarily on a phone. The afterlife involved viewers watching Roku Originals through The Roku Channel, including on actual TVs. The irony is fucking immaculate.