After offering early previews of Survivor's Remorse and Outlander, Starz is employing a similar strategy for eight-episode limited series The Missing — but for the entire season.
Instead of sneak peeking the first episode one week before the Saturday, Nov. 15 at 9 p.m. TV premiere, Starz is giving subscribers the choice to watch each new episodes a week ahead of their intended airings via On Demand and Starz Play app. In the case of the final two hours, episodes seven and eight, they will be available two weeks prior to their January 2015 airdates.
Starting Nov. 8, the first episode will be free for multiplatform sampling across Starz's various online destinations, including Starz.com, Starz's YouTube page, On Demand and Starz Play, along with cable, satellite and Telco affiliates in the U.S.
“This new scheduling strategy optimizes the value of our digital platform offerings as we increase viewer flexibility for viewing the suspenseful series, giving Starz On Demand and Starz Play viewers early access to episodes prior to our Starz linear network,” said David Baldwin, executive vp program planning, network operations for Starz. “The cliff-hanging conclusion of each episode of The Missing will leave viewers wanting more, and by offering the episodes on Starz digital platforms in advance of their linear STARZ premium channel premieres, we satisfy that need.”
The Missing, which premiered Oct. 28 on U.K.'s BBC One, centers on the psychological fallout and ensuing years-long manhunt resulting from the 2006 disappearance of 5-year-old Oliver Hughes while on holiday with his parents in France. The story is told over two timeframes simultaneously. Directed by Tom Shankland and written by Harry and Jack Williams, The Missing stars James Nesbitt and Frances Conroy.
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