Similar to F1’s Drive to Survive, Unplugged offers a behind-the-scenes look at Formula E throughout Season 8.
Season 9 and the start of the Gen3 era are fully underway with three rounds already in the books. Jake Dennis and Pascal Werhlein have the Porsche-powered cars dominating the early portion of the season. But the book isn’t fully closed on Season 8 just yet, with the Unplugged series set to debut in the US later this month.
What is Unplugged?
Off of the highly successful Drive to Survive series on Netflix, Formula E launched its own docu-series to chronicle the 2020-21 season (Season 6). The series launched in the fall of 2021 and recapped Formula E’s first season as an FIA World Championship. The episodes typically run between 10 to 20 minutes focusing on drivers, teams, and Team Principals while also recapping the season’s progress.
You can find all 15 episodes of Unplugged covering Season 7 here on YouTube. This year however Formula E has delayed the debut of Unplugged until the start of Season 9 and the debut of the Gen3 era. However, rather than YouTube, American fans will have a brand new destination to watch Formula E. The Season 8 look-back will debut on February 22nd.
Plans for the Future?
It’s no secret that the biggest complaint Formula E fans in America have is the lack of support the series gets from CBS. The exclusive home for Formula E in the United States, races are often tape-delayed, moved to their website or app, offer no pre-race coverage, and often cut away quickly after a race to join another sporting event. Additionally, CBS has not invested in a broadcast team that seems to fully embrace the series.
If only, CBS (and its parent company) had a place they could show the entirety of a Formula E pre-race, E-Prix, and podium celebrations. If only they had an existing streaming service where they already broadcast a number of sporting events. Of course, I’m referring to Paramount+. The optimal solution for CBS, Formula E, and its fans is to move the series to Paramount+ live-streaming the international feed which would come with the voice of the series, Jack Nicholls.
Perhaps Unplugged coming to Paramount+ is a first step or maybe it’s just a random placement. But if CBS is serious about keeping the coverage after this season, it’s the ideal home for the FIA’s all-electric World Championship.
