All year long, studio executives have been trying to figure out the solution to the vexing problem of Rotten Tomatoes. The movie review aggregator has perhaps been given too much credit as the reason why major blockbusters and sequels underperformed domestically, with the studios still not quite wrapping their heads around the fact that maybe “Baywatch” and “The Mummy” sucked, and audiences didn’t really want to see them. But if industry’s grousing bothers Rotten Tomatoes, they’re not showing it. In fact, they’re doubling down on their popularity.
Next month, the site will be launching the series “Rotten Tomatoes See It/Skip It,” which will air through Facebook’s Watch tab on mobile, desktop and connected-TV apps (you know, for kids!). Critic Jacqueline Coley from Black Girl Nerds and entertainment commentator Segun Oduolowu will host the show, which will see the pair talk about the latest movie news and trends, engage with Facebook viewers, and then drop new Tomatometer Scores at the end of each episode.
If Hollywood wasn’t already aggravated by the supposed weight a Fresh or Rotten score carries, Rotten Tomatoes actively moving to broadcast them on social media through a new show will only further stoke the flames of discontent. What this means for the average moviegoer, however, remains to be seen. The Rotten Tomatoes scores are things we generally look up quickly and move on. Do we really need a whole entertainment program that builds up to a reveal of the Tomatometer Score? I’m not sure I see the point, but since everyone is pivoting to video these days, I suppose it makes sense.
“Rotten Tomatoes See It/Skip It” launches on November 1st, and will arrive every Thursday at 12:01 a.m. ET. [Variety]