In the interview, Plepler gave the impression that HBO does not overthink the strategy behind the shows it commissions. That’s a sharp contrast with competitor Netflix, which freely admits it analyzes reams of data gleaned from user behavior to develop its original programming.

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” Plepler said, citing a business adage almost as good as his previous declaration that “HBO stands for good shit.”

In any case, the decision to widely distribute clips from Oliver’s show on YouTube proved to be a prescient one. The show has amassed more than 1.2 million subscribers on the Google-owned video site, and every Monday morning during its season, clips seemed to be re-posted everywhere on the internet (including on this outlet).

The viral success is fitting because last year was arguably the year HBO itself finally embraced the internet. The Time Warner-owned network confirmed it will finally launch an internet-only service without requiring a full cable subscription in the coming months.

Plepler has previously said the key question HBO asks before greenlighting a new show is, “Does it elevate the brand?” Oliver’s show has certainly achieved that.

I like the line "culture eats strategy for breakfast".

"HBO stands for good shit" is good too.

I do think YouTube has a lot to do with their success. They've employed YouTube masterfully.