Not saying anything most won't know, but still of interest:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/aug/03/television-comedy-commissioners
Guardian Article
Cheers for that, Simon. To me, some of the comments are completely reasonable, but some smell of the same old excuses. If networks really believed in comedy, to be honest, they could shove it down a mainstream audience's throat until they realised how good it was (and the show finds its feet) - as they did with OFAH. One other thing they could do is promote new comedies with the same enthusiasm that they do with new drama and reality programmes. Too often, however good a comedy is, they seem almost embarrassed about comedy as a genre and do the minimum to promote it in the weeks prior to airing. They'll massively promote a hit (see 'Gavin & Stacey'), but do very little prior to Series 1, Episode 1. And this means not just trailers but getting more in the press and promoting them more on the internet.
That read like a comedy article in itself;
"Meeting audience expectations for high-quality pre-watershed comedy remains a challenge for the channel," The BBC pointed to shows such as My Family, The New Impressions Show and recommissions of The Life of Riley and Last of the Summer Wine.
"plan to turn Sky into the UK's version of HBO."
Now that would be a hoot to see:
An 'adult' drama with Ross Kemp as a poor man's Tony Soprano
A Curb Your Enthusiasm rip-off with Harry Enfield putting his foot in it.
I'm not sure HBO has that great a track record with comedy. There's Curb, obviously. And Flight of the Conchords. And...erm, little help here?
...erm... *scratches head*
Quote: chipolata @ August 3 2009, 12:15 PM BSTI'm not sure HBO has that great a track record with comedy. There's Curb, obviously. And Flight of the Conchords. And...erm, little help here?
That Louis CK thing was well received. Was that HBO or Showtime?
Thoroughly depressing reading.
Quote: Lee Henman @ August 3 2009, 12:32 PM BSTThoroughly depressing reading.
Yeah. Maybe time to bump the cut-off up to 45 eh? 
didn't hbo have the sarah silverman show
Quote: Sebastian Orange-News @ August 3 2009, 12:42 PM BSTdidn't hbo have the sarah silverman show
I guess my point is that for a network that isn't as beholden to ratings as the majors, and can take more risks, it still struggles to get comedy right.
Quote: chipolata @ August 3 2009, 12:53 PM BSTI guess my point is that for a network that isn't as beholden to ratings as the majors, and can take more risks, it still struggles to get comedy right.
Agreed.
Quote: Sebastian Orange-News @ August 3 2009, 12:42 PM BSTdidn't hbo have the sarah silverman show
It certainly does a lot of comedy specials, mainly stand-up shows. But that will be more to do with allowing R-rated content than anything else.
Quote: Tim Walker @ August 3 2009, 12:06 PM BSTThey'll massively promote a hit (see 'Gavin & Stacey'), but do very little prior to Series 1, Episode 1. And this means not just trailers but getting more in the press and promoting them more on the internet.
Sometimes even longer running shows get little or no push. Shows like Peep Show and The IT Crowd never seem to get the advertising push they deserve.
Wasn't Extras a co-production with HBO?? Or not?
Quote: Matthew Stott @ August 3 2009, 1:10 PM BSTSometimes even longer running shows get little or no push. Shows like Peep Show and The IT Crowd never seem to get the advertising push they deserve.
Wasn't Extras a co-production with HBO?? Or not?
Indeed it was.
I still think that a show like The IT Crowd is the type of comedy that could quite easily be a pre-watershed hit. A big, fun show, with silly yet believable characters is what the networks should be lookng for.
'Outnumbered' really is the only recent BBC comedy mentioned in the article that's worth its salt.
Quote: Marooned @ August 3 2009, 1:21 PM BST'Outnumbered' really is the only recent BBC comedy mentioned in the article that's worth its salt.
And although (rightly) critically-praised, again the BBC hardly promoted it before the 1st or 2nd series. Why they always feel embarrassed about pushing their best shows is a mystery to me. Shows like this don't get the pre-watershed trailers they need and deserve.