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Can Peter Friedlander Fix Amazon TV?

The former longtime Netflix executive was beloved for greenlighting blockbusters and passion projects, alike. At Prime Video, he’ll need to work within new constraints: financial discipline, less prestige, a company that covets scale more than Emmys. And he’s never been a guy who likes saying no.

Peter Friedlander
Friedlander was named Netflix’s head of scripted series for North America in 2021, also overseeing event programming and the overall-deals department. But in August, he was out and Jinny Howe, his head of drama series, replaced him. Photo: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for Netflix
Kim Masters
October 7, 2025

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When Amazon announced last week that the company was hiring former Netflix executive Peter Friedlander as its new head of television, the collective sigh of relief from its TV team almost blew out the windows. The fear had been that the job would go to Chris McCarthy, one of Paramount’s short-lived C.E.O. throuple (alongside now-also-departed Brian Robbins and still-surviving George Cheeks). Bryan Lourd, CAA’s influential leader, was said to be going to bat for McCarthy, with client Taylor Sheridan baiting the hook.