James R | On 09, Aug 2016

Amazon will release its new batch of TV pilots on Twitch this summer.

Amazon’s pilot system has established itself as a unique way to commission original content in an increasingly crowded landscape, with Amazon releasing the first episode of a range of shows on Amazon Video for anyone to stream, whether they are Prime Video customers or not. Based on audience feedback and ratings, Amazon Studios then decides which ones to order a full season from.

This year, though, Amazon is looking to expand its reach even further, by releasing its pilots on another site altogether: Twitch. Amazon, of course, bought the video game streaming in 2014 for almost $1 billion, as it sought to gain an edge over rivals. Now, it’s looking to get its money worth by trialling putting TV episodes on the service.

Amazon’s latest pilot season consists of three series: I Love Dick, created by Transparent’s Jill Soloway and based on a feminist novel about a couple’s marital struggles in the academic community of Texas, starring Kevin Bacon and Kathryn Hahn; Jean-Claude Van Johnson, a new action comedy starring the actor as a fictionalised version of himself, in which he moonlights as a secret hit-man in between Hollywood jobs; and The Tick, an updated adaptation of the offbeat comic book, starring Peter Serafinowicz.

The three shows will land on Amazon Video on 19th August, before going on to premiere on Twitch on 31st August. They will then be available to stream for 24 hours over the Bank Holiday. I Love Dick may not connect with the gaming community, but a JCVD action series and a superhero show may prove just right for the demographic.

For more information on each of the pilots, head this way.

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