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The videos, which now number more than 260, have become appointment viewing for movie lovers, who relish watching their favorite artists rhapsodize about cinema in unrehearsed, genuine ways.

Appointment viewing was once boss in TV, cementing us together in shared narratives of Who-Killed-JR? and Did-Heather-Locklear-Really-Show-Up-In-A-Nighty-On-"Melrose-Place"? But with our household viewing withering on the streaming vine, we can scarcely maintain a shared conversation around the virtual watercooler anymore.

The show also remains appointment viewing for its signature segment, “Bad Beats,” a “Scared Straight” for gamblers where Van Pelt and sidekick Stanford Steve Coughlin riff on clips showing supposedly sure bets that go awry.

But growing the streaming channel has become a greater priority lately as broadcast network news divisions can no longer solely depend on appointment viewing for their morning shows and evening newscasts.

But while the internet has upended the news business, the long-running programs remain appointment viewing for more than 17 million viewers a night, according to Nielsen data.