HBO Max has made headlines this year, as the platform is overhauling the lengthy list of shows in its catalog ahead of its merger with Discovery+. In the process, the platform has removed notable titles, many of which were original offerings produced by the streamer itself and may not be able to be viewed by the public at all after their removal. This has led to backlash from showrunners and filmmakers alike. Recently, showrunner Brig Muñoz-Liebowitz, spoke out about the imminent removal of her own show, The Gordita Chronicles, from the service.
The Gordita Chronicles is a critically acclaimed sitcom about a Latino family leaving Santo Domingo to pursue the American Dream during the 1980s. Despite the positive reception from critics, the show will be leaving HBO Max on December 19. In response to the decision on the coming-of-age series, Brig Muñoz-Liebowitz tweeted her thanks to the cast and crew, and asked audiences to watch their production before it's gone. You can see her Twitter post below:
Just got the very sad news that #gorditachronicles is being pulled from the @hbomax platform. Binge it one last time before our sweet little show is gone. Thank you to everyone who loved and supported our show. ❤️✌🏽December 8, 2022
As mentioned, The Gordita Chronicles is one of many shows to be removed from HBO Max. Fellow series like Generation and The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo have or will disappear from the platform, along with a number of unspecified Sesame Street specials, and animated shows like Summer Camp Island, as noted by NPR. There have been a various questions swirling around the streaming platform, which even decided to cancel the much-anticipated Batgirl film ahead of its release. The DC Comics movie was set to star Leslie Grace, along with Brendon Fraser and Michael Keaton. Needless to say, it's been an interesting time for the brand.
It's clear that the company is attempting to move in a direction that best suits it. However, what creatives seem to be taking issue with even more than sudden cancellations is the fact that their content may not see the light of day again after its cut. As some might be aware, the bulk of these titles don't see physical media releases, so there's essentially no legitimate way for a viewer to preserve the content moving forward.
In addition to causing content to be dumped, the Discovery/Warner Bros. merger has resulted in a lot of shakeups behind the scenes. Reports allege that once HBO Max merges with Discovery+, it will be called “Max.” In addition, 14% of staff at the later company was laid off in response due to the changes. Only time will tell how will tell what other shows might suffer the same fate as Brig Muñoz-Liebowitz. But what can be said right now is that you might want to carve out some time for rewatches of your favorites just in case they get the boot.
You can watch The Gordita Chronicles, for now, using an HBO Max subscription. Also, be sure to keep up with CinemaBlend's list of the HBO titles that have been removed from the platform.
