Quibi Is Shutting Down Nearly Seven Months After Launching

From House Beautiful

October 22, 2020
Nearly seven months after launching, Quibi (pronounced quib-bee), the star-studded, mobile streaming platform that brought us "quick bite" shows like Murder House Flip and Barkitecture will be shutting down, CNET reported on Wednesday, October 21, 2020.

While the company has yet to make a public announcement or reveal when the platform will actually go dark, it notes in a press release that current subscribers will receive separate notifications about the final date they can watch.

While the company claims it has enough money to keep operating for a "significant period of time," it has decided to exit "with grace," CEO Meg Whitman said. Quibi plans to shop its assets around in the upcoming months, as well as return cash to its shareholders.

Remembering Quibi: What was Quibi?

Quibi, a streaming app that could only be accessed on a mobile device, launched on April 6, 2020. All content on the app was original and delivered in episodes that were 10-minutes or less. Its tagline read "quick bites, big stories" with the idea that these brief episodes could fit into any part of your day, such as during your commute, when you're on line at the coffee shop, or during your lunch break.

Users could watch unscripted shows, comedies, docuseries, as well as keep up-to-date on all the latest happenings in news, sports, finance, and culture through Quibi's offerings. While the platform planned to launch 175 new series within its first year; it was unable to hit that goal before folding. Quibi had tapped some of the biggest celebrities to star in these shows.

What shows were on Quibi?

During its six-month life span, Quibi launched close to 100 shows. Here are a few of our favorites that really stood out.

Punk'd

Quibi rebooted the classic MTV show Punk'd. The show, originally followed Ashton Kutcher as he pulled some seriously epic pranks on fellow celebrities. In Quibi's reboot, still produced by MTV, Chance the Rapper took over as host/master pranker.

Elba vs. Block

Idris Elba and Ken Block also had their show on the platform, appropriately named Elba vs. Block. In this action-packed series, they went head-to-head in a variety of extreme car stunts to prove whose car was the best, as well as who was the better driver.

The Fugitive

The Fugitive, which Kiefer Sutherland and Boyd Holbrook, followed the storyline of Harrison Ford's 1993 film.

Flipped

Flipped was a home renovation comedy series that starred Will Forte and Kate Olson as clueless home reno experts. It poked fun at some of our favorite home improvement shows, but with extremely exaggerated, fictitious plot lines — like trying to flip a cartel stash house.

Most Dangerous Game

Most Dangerous Game starred Liam Hemsworth and Christoph Waltz. It was based off the 1932 movie of the same title, which followed a big game hunter on an island who hunts humans for sport.

NightGowns

'RuPaul's Drag Race' winner Sasha Velour hosted Night Gowns, a "part performance documentary, part portrait" series that followed Velour as she and her team adapted her monthly Brooklyn revue "NightGowns" into a fully-produced stage performance.

Barkitecture

Bachelorette star Tyler Cameron and Brooklyn-based interior designer Delia Kenza hosted Barkitecture, a luxury dog house building show for the goodest (and fanciest) boys.

Survive

In Survive, Sophie Turner and Corey Hawkins played Jane and Paul, the only survivors of a plane crash on a remote, snow-covered mountain. Together they battled brutal conditions and together and worked through their personal traumas to make it back to civilization.

The Stranger

The Stranger, which starred Dane DeHaan and Maika Monroe, followed Monroe, a rideshare driver, as she picked up DeHaan, who claimed to have just committed a murder. DeHaan threatened to do the same to her unless she told him "a great story."

Pillow Talk With Demi Lovato

In Pillow Talk With Demi Lovato, the singer conducted candid, unfiltered conversations with both expert and celebrity guests. Topics included: activism, body positivity, sex, gender identity, relationships, social media, wellness, and more.

Murder House Flip

Murder House Flip, hosted by Mikel Welch and Joelle Uzyel, was a home renovation show that fixed up homes where... murders had occurred. Think True Crime meets Fixer Upper. The show was well-received and even put out a casting call for season two prior to Quibi's demise.

Cup of Joe

Cup of Joe starred Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers. The series combined Jonas' love for travel, photography and adventure. While on tour, the musican took the opportunity to really experience each city he was in like a true native. Local guides led him through each destination as he recorded it for fans.

Chrissy's Court

In Chrissy's Court, Chrissy Teigen took on the role of Judge Judy. In each episode, she reigned as the 'judge' over one small-claims case. Like the reality TV shows that Chrissy's Court was patterned after, the plaintiffs, defendants, and disputes were all real — and Teigen’s rulings final.

How much was Quibi?

Quibi offered a two-week free trial for new users. After the trail ended, the platform cost a monthly rate of $4.99 (with ads) or $7.99 (no ads).

Did Quibi ever have a chance?

While platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ would always be the top streaming giants, Quibi was received well and highly-anticipated prior to its launch. It stood out from the others as it delivered all-new content to users in a different way. The company accumulated $1.75 billion in investments before Quibi was even released, according to The Wall Street Journal. However, while many took advantage of the free trial the platform offered, majority of users did not end up subscribing when the trial ended.

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