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In an age of changing media consumption (and work-from-home) habits, the phrase \u201cwatercooler television\u201d may be something of an anachronism. But as anyone following shows like \u201cThe White Lotus\u201d<\/a> can tell you, discussing, dissecting and debating hit series never goes out of style.<\/p>\n And of all networks, HBO knows how best to capitalize on such buzzed-about moments: The network\u2019s \u201cInside the Episode\u201d programs have long offered viewers the chance to process shocking plot twists and jaw-dropping deaths. That\u2019s where viewers of Season 3 got to hear creator Mike White break down everything from Saxon and Lochlan\u2019s drunken exploits<\/a> to Chelsea and Rick\u2019s doomed ending.<\/p>\n \u201cShows like this are the new watercooler moment,\u201d says Emmy nominee Natalia Echeverria, a creative director at HBO and an executive producer of \u201cThe White Lotus: Unpacking The Episode.\u201d \u201cWe try to anticipate what beats from the episode people will be talking about and then we dive in, giving audiences an inside peek only we can provide.\u201d<\/p>\n Owing a debt to post-episode talk shows like \u201cThe Talking Dead\u201d and podcasts like \u201cPrivate Joke: The Official How I Met Your Mother Podcast\u201d and \u201cThe Good Place: The Podcast,\u201d such companion series, now commonplace across platforms, have risen in popularity in the last decade. This year, in fact, they make up the entirety of the short form nonfiction or reality series Emmy category.<\/p>\n Projects like \u201cMaking of: The Last of Us\u201d and \u201cAdolescence: The Making of Adolescence\u201d (also nominated) necessarily straddle the line between creative and marketing. They\u2019re meant to bridge the gap between a show and its fandom. But, in borrowing the familiar format of making-of documentaries, DVD bonus featurettes, even episodic reviews or recaps, they insist on a vision of television as an art worthy of discussion and dissection.<\/p>\n \u201cI think of these pieces like the movie theater parking lot after a film,\u201d says Badger Denehy, an Emmy-nominated executive producer of \u201cMaking of: The Last Of Us\u201d and an HBO creative director. \u201cThey remind me of that moment when you turn to your friend and dive into all the biggest moments you just watched. It\u2019s my favorite type of project because we get to create something for fans as huge fans of the programming ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n For Shannon Ryan, president of marketing for Disney Entertainment Television and an Emmy nominee for \u201cOnly Murders in the Building: Unlocking the Mystery,\u201d the decision to produce the show was driven by a desire to better serve fans of the hit Hulu comedy.<\/p>\n \u201cThese short-form series offer fans a peek behind the curtain to hear directly from the talented people that bring the show to life,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd for our creators, this is a meaningful way to share more with the fans, give insight into their work, share some entertaining \u2014 and often hilarious \u2014 behind-the-scenes stories, and also spotlight some of the critical crew members that make every episode of the show so special.\u201d<\/p>\n To \u201cThe Last of Us\u201d<\/a> viewers, there was likely no bigger moment this season than \u201cThrough the Valley,\u201d the jaw-dropping second episode. Fans looking for insights on how that action-packed tragic set piece was orchestrated had to look no further than \u201cInside Episode 2<\/u><\/a>,\u201d where director Mark Mylod, co-creator Craig Mazin and star Pedro Pascal spoke about shooting Joel\u2019s untimely and quite gruesome death<\/a>.<\/p>\n Boasting more than 710,000 views on YouTube alone, that featurette showcased both the artistry behind such a high-octane hour of television (with talk of prosthetics and wintry shooting conditions) and candid reflections from cast members about the emotional fallout the episode would undoubtedly create.<\/p>\n The history of this Emmy category alone tracks the increased investment from streamers and networks in this kind of programming. Past nominees have included behind-the-scenes series tied to everything from \u201c30 Rock\u201d and \u201cAmerican Horror Story\u201d to \u201cRuPaul’s Drag Race\u201d and \u201cPose.\u201d And the last two winners (\u201cSuccession: Controlling the Narrative\u201d and \u201cSh\u014dgun \u2014 The Making of Sh\u014dgun\u201d) prove that the industry is similarly invested in (and impressed with) them, in turn.<\/p>\n John Wilhelmy, Emmy-nominated creative director of \u201cHacks: Bit by Bit,\u201d notes that short-form projects now must be produced so they can exist across different platforms. \u201cCertain stories within the conversation lend themselves well to TikTok and [Instagram] Reels, so we\u2019ll pick those out and optimize them editorially,\u201d he says. \u201cThey\u2019re often funny outtakes or quick stories that we\u2019ll post on those platforms alongside the full-length episodes hitting HBO Max and YouTube.\u201d<\/p>\n In an era where fan-driven episode recaps, YouTube reaction videos and TikTok explainers contribute greatly to a show\u2019s success in an increasingly fractured media ecosystem, these projects suggest a way to positively harness that engagement in a way that still puts TV creators front and center.<\/p>\n Echeverria puts it more simply: \u201cFan-made content has a huge place, but there’s nothing like seeing how the sauce is made from the chefs themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n