The HBO Max changes are a slap in the face to the HBO brand

The network that put the prestige into prestige television has just been devoured by the artistic revolution it helped spark. Discovery, recently criticized for “hollowing out an iconic American studio,” announced that it is continuing its scorched-earth tactics by adding Discovery+ programming to HBO Max and renaming the streamer “Max.” Never has streaming’s desire for quantity over quality been more vividly illustrated than Warner Bros. Discovery‘s decision to value “Max” over “HBO.” To add insult to injury, Discovery+ will remain its own freestanding platform. The new “Max” platform will cost about as much as HBO Max, which tells you all you need to know about how much they value the Discovery+ content. Recent additions such as “The White Lotus” and “The Last of Us” proves Casey Bloys, chairman and chief executive of HBO and HBO Max content, remains committed to the brand’s high-quality weekly series. Of course, HBO Max has a big catalog of non-HBO or HBO Max originals, including the “Harry Potter,” DC and “Doctor Who” franchises as well as many other films and series, including reality shows.