Shining Vale has secured a new streaming platform in the form of Max. The horror-comedy series, co-created by Jeff Astrof and Sharon Horgan, features Courteney Cox (known for her roles in Friends and Scream) as an author whose family relocates to a haunted home. The impressive cast also includes Greg Kinnear, Gus Birney, Merrin Dungey, Dylan Gage, and Mira Sorvino. Unfortunately, less than three weeks after the conclusion of its second season, the show was canceled and subsequently removed from the Starz streaming service.
With its debut now on Max, Shining Vale has officially re-entered the streaming landscape after over a year of absence. Its removal from Starz occurred at the end of December 2023, and although it remained accessible for rental and purchase on various video-on-demand platforms during this hiatus, its arrival on Max represents a significant move. This transition is likely facilitated by the fact that the series is co-produced by Warner Bros. Television Studios, whose ownership also extends to Max through Warner Bros. Discovery.
Implications for Shining Vale
Despite this new opportunity on Max, it does not necessarily imply that a third season of Shining Vale is imminent. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that the show will maintain a permanent spot in the streaming library. In 2022, Max made headlines by removing numerous titles as part of a strategy focused on optimizing content costs, jettisoning projects that failed to perform, even in the absence of alternatives. Notable casualties of this content pruning included series such as Generation and Summer Camp Island.
Other streaming services, including Disney+ and Paramount+, also engaged in similar strategies around the same time, discontinuing their own lower-performing original content, including the Willow series and Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.
The platform has also been at the center of several other high-profile cancellations post-merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery. Noteworthy examples include the axing of the Batgirl movie, which was already in post-production, along with the animated sequel Scoob! Holiday Haunt, and the live-action/animation hybrid comedy Coyote vs. Acme.
Our Perspective on Shining Vale’s New Streaming Home
A Potential for Growth
While Max has a history of cancelling or removing its own proprietary titles, Shining Vale now has a chance to attract new viewers. Its presence alongside other popular HBO and Max horror-comedy originals such as Los Espookys and Velma could enhance its visibility and longevity if it resonates with the same demographics. With a respectable Rotten Tomatoes score of 71% from critics and a robust 84% from audiences, the show has the foundation needed to engage viewers effectively.
Source: Max
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