Quote: Griff @ August 20 2010, 10:00 AM BSTEDIT - Bah, John Lucas beat me to it while I was struggling to remember.
Ayyyyyy! 
Claire Zolkwer - New ITV Head of Comedy Page 2
But where's the mainstream comedy on ITV - or is that being left to the 'comedy cameos' on the soaps??
I doubt anybody would disagree with you, Roy. Moving Wallpaper was pretty mainstream, and a gang show. Not sure what happened to it.
I note that she is head of comedy and entertainment. I guess the output will continue to be mostly entertainment based.
Quote: john lucas 101 @ August 20 2010, 10:33 AM BSTI doubt anybody would disagree with you, Roy. Moving Wallpaper was pretty mainstream, and a gang show. Not sure what happened to it.
I note that she is head of comedy and entertainment. I guess the output will continue to be mostly entertainment based.
Moving Wallpaper wasn't getting the viewers - shows about 'the Business' don't do well in the U.K. The public doesn't relate to the TV industry in that way unlike in the States (although Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip didn't do the figures)
Quote: Roy Gould @ August 20 2010, 10:59 AM BSTMoving Wallpaper wasn't getting the viewers - shows about 'the Business' don't do well in the U.K. The public doesn't relate to the TV industry in that way unlike in the States (although Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip didn't do the figures)
I think it has to be the right type of show. There was The Day Today and Knowing Me, Knowing You With Alan Partridge. There was also three series of KYTV. The Office could be said to be about the business, Extras definitely was.
Quote: Marc P @ August 20 2010, 10:04 AM BSTNo Heroics was very good.
Though swiftly axed.
Quote: Tim Azure @ August 20 2010, 4:32 PM BSTI think it has to be the right type of show. There was The Day Today and Knowing Me, Knowing You With Alan Partridge. There was also three series of KYTV. The Office could be said to be about the business, Extras definitely was.
Let's be honest though; Extras traded on Gervais and The Office. It was good, but it wouldn't have been nearly as popular had it featured anyone else.
As for the other titles quoted, they were spoofs rather than anything particularly behind-the-scenes, which is what Roy's more getting at I think.
We'll see how Episodes fares...
You think correctly Aaron!!!
An industry insider such as Roy is a fine addition to the site.
Quote: Ben @ August 20 2010, 7:17 PM BSTAn industry insider such as Roy is a fine addition to the site.
Flattery will get you everywhere!!!!
I'm enjoying the banter.
Quote: Aaron @ August 20 2010, 5:45 PM BSTLet's be honest though; Extras traded on Gervais and The Office. It was good, but it wouldn't have been nearly as popular had it featured anyone else.
This seems to forget the fact that Ricky Gervais wrote for the show-are you saying that it was crap, but was popular because it was written by Gervais?
Quote: Tim Azure @ August 21 2010, 7:40 AM BSTThis seems to forget the fact that Ricky Gervais wrote for the show-are you saying that it was crap, but was popular because it was written by Gervais?
Tim, "Extras" was far from crap, but it was a Personality led show. Imagine it had not been written by Gervais but had been the very same scripts then I doubt that the BBC and HBO whould have run with it. We also need to ask whether the BBC would have run with it even with Gervais if HBO hadn't thrown a lot of money at it.
My point earlier was that, on the whole, is that, in the UK we don't go for shows about the TV industry or the stage.
Why don't we go for these shows though? Are we just not very good at writing them?!
Quote: Ben @ August 21 2010, 9:31 AM BSTWhy don't we go for these shows though? Are we just not very good at writing them?!
The British laugh at and with failure. In the U.S. (the big cities that is) they like success. Americans are 'Aspirational' and the Brits are 'Desperational' (I know there's no such word!!) The reason I said "the big cities" is that middle America (the Redneck parts) are similar to us - they go for "working Class" comedy - "Roseanne", "Everybody Loves Raymond" just like we do - "Only Fools and Horses" and "The Office". Remember "The Office" was set in Slough and not London (or any Big city) - apart from Gervais's performance, which was pitch perfect, the setting was a stroke of genius.
I doubt if shows like "Frasier" or "Friends" were (as) popular in middle America - they were 'City' shows - but the cities in the U.S. such as New York, San Francisco, L.A. etc are huge, so could bring in huge figures. We don't have that land mass in the UK.
Am I boring you? I'll go away now...
Quote: Tim Azure @ August 21 2010, 7:40 AM BSTThis seems to forget the fact that Ricky Gervais wrote for the show-are you saying that it was crap, but was popular because it was written by Gervais?
No, and no. But Gervais heightened its popularity and success. Had anyone else been involved, or had he not made The Office, then it wouldn't be regarded anywhere nearly as highly.