Amazon Instant Video and Apple TV

Jenelle Riley, writing for Variety: “Golden Globes Winner Amazon Is Hollywood’s ‘New Best Friend’”:

With two major wins at the Golden Globes, Amazon Studios is now a contender in Hollywood. The digital network earned its bona fides as a competitive force in TV by landing trophies for best comedy for its critically praised “Transparent” and actor for series star Jeffrey Tambor.

Like its SVOD rival Netflix, Amazon has been surprisingly quick to field awards-bait fare. The ecommerce giant only ramped up its original programming activities in late 2013 with the launch of comedies “Alpha House” and “Betas.”

“Transparent,” which bowed as a series in September after its pilot debuted in February, has been the most talked-about and critically praised entry from Amazon so far. Tambor’s no-holds-barred portrayal of a transgender person ensured the show would get attention at a time when transgender issues are gaining prominence in mainstream media.

With their just-announced untitled project by Woody Allen, Amazon is set to have an even better line-up of shows. Which makes me think about how Amazon Instant Video is conspicuously missing from the “channels” on Apple TV. I realize Amazon is one of Apple’s corporate rivals, but so too is Google, and YouTube is on Apple TV. You can watch Amazon Instant Video on Apple TV over AirPlay, but that’s a second-rate experience.

★ Thursday, 15 January 2015