The streaming service Dropout had a banner year in 2023, and its latest original is an example of the progress it has made. The brand previously known as CollegeHumor has announced Gastronauts, an upcoming cooking show that will feature talent from TV and TikTok.
Gastronauts, hosted by Jordan Myrick, puts a Dropout spin on the time-honored cooking competition format. In each episode, chefs who previously appeared on TV shows like Chopped and Supermarket Stakeout are presented with ridiculous challenges.
After working with ingredients like dinosaur nuggets and vending machine snacks, the competitors present their work to the judges, who Dropout subscribers will recognize from hit shows like Game Changers and Dimension 20. Familiar faces like Sam Reich (who is Dropout’s CEO) and Brennan Lee Mulligan will be joined by newcomers like TikTok star Kendahl Landreth. The Gastronauts host has a significant TikTok following as well.
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Dropout’s efforts to attract new talent have surely been aided by the company’s strong results. In an era when many streaming services are struggling to stay afloat, Dropout managed to double its subscriber count during the 2023 calendar year. Reich has spurred that growth by applying lessons learned during a nearly-two-decade career in digital media.
“Once you’re a fan of our talent, you’re not watching them on one show, you’re watching them on several shows,” Reich told Fast Company earlier this year. “It’s very hard to be a fan of one of our shows without being a fan of another.”
Gastronauts will give Dropout another chance to introduce new personalities into its appealing mix. Perhaps Landreth’s fans will subscribe after seeing her on the cooking show — and Dropout’s cast of characters will encourage those consumers to stick around for the long haul.
The first episode of Gastronauts will premiere on October 11. From that point forward, new installments will arrive on every other Friday.
