Ted Sarandos: 28th Hall of Fame Honoree

Ted Sarandos accepted his Television Academy Hall of Fame induction, thanking Jerry Seinfeld and praising his fellow inductees, including Ted Danson and Sheila Nevins. He recounted a 1983 meeting with Ted Danson and a deal with HBO to put documentaries on DVD for Netflix. He credited his mentors, including Reed Hastings, and praised David Fincher for Netflix's first streaming Emmy win for House of Cards. Sarandos highlighted the success of Arrested Development as a binge-watching phenomenon and Stranger Things as Netflix's most watched show. He thanked his family and the over 13,000 Netflix employees, emphasizing his personal story of growing up with TV as a source of structure and values. He argued that Netflix changed television by giving audiences control and releasing all episodes at once, and he reaffirmed the enduring power of professionally told stories.

Key takeaways

1. Sarandos credited Reed Hastings for allowing him to run and shine, calling it unprecedented among entertainment company CEOs.
2. He highlighted House of Cards as Netflix's first streaming series to win a Primetime Emmy, and The Crown as the first to win for best drama.
3. He noted that Stranger Things is the most watched show on Netflix ever.
4. He emphasized that Netflix changed TV by releasing all seasons at once, citing Arrested Development as an early success.
5. He expressed pride in the over 13,000 Netflix employees and thanked them for their work.

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