TV Things You Didn't Get For Ages Page 5

It's all about money and has very little to do with a blinkered, ignorant view of the rest of the world.[/quote]
That's exactly right, anything half popular in America becomes a commercial business where the brand is exploited to its very limits. Unfortunately this means people do get sick of it like you said. The saying used to be that over here TV is still run by creative, arts based execs while in the US the creatives only run the shows themselves, not the TV co.s. I believe that for our major channels, the arty types still run them to that arts based code - or so they are keen on telling us.

Not TV related but I was embarrassingly old when I first realised the Highways Agency did not use real cats' eyes.

I think the whole America remaking thing is largely down to the powers that be thinking that an American audience 'won't get it' which is really insulting. I've lost count of the times I'd be watching an American show and a reference would go completely over my head. It didn't stop me from enjoying what I was watching.

Quote: DaButt @ November 16 2009, 6:42 PM GMT

I never watched it. Wikipedia's figures seem to indicate declining viewership.

View original

Quote: AndreaLynne @ November 16 2009, 6:45 PM GMT

My father in law, who will watch anything, gave up on it almost immediately.

View original

It's not doing too well here either. I don't get why though, I think it's brilliant.

This discussion is similar to what was happening in the popular music scene almost 50 years ago. In the beginning, the Beatles, Stones, Yardbirds and other UK groups were little more than cover bands playing American blues music, but they added their own touches and made some great recordings. I like the UK Office and the U.S. Office and I think there's room for both. I wouldn't complain or be offended if someone produced British versions of Seinfeld or South Park.

Our studios and the BBC are very different beasts at heart. We don't have license fees, so advertising revenue is key. Our networks can't afford to air a series based purely on it's worthiness as art. It needs to bring in ad revenue or it'll never stay on the air. Sometimes the networks will take a risk, but there's too much at stake if they stray too far into untested waters.

Personally shows like The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Mad Men and indeed a big favourite of mine, House, prove that you can combine commercial considerations with high artistic standards.

House is a particularly good example. It would have never got commissioned at the BBC (home to "high art") because it was too esoteric to the pigeon-holing mentality that the BBC has to "medical drama", "police drama" etc. (which is why Life On Mars struggled for years to get made). However, it's a popular show that manages to combine light-ish drama, some great acting and writing, but has some deeper themes as well. The US leads the world in original populist drama at the moment, not just commercially, but artistically as well.

That is exactly why you need at least one network with a public broadcasting remit or constitution, just like our Beeb has.

I dunno. There are some cracking shows here in Guinea . . .

One TV thing I havent got for ages and am STILL waiting for is series 2 of Twin Peaks !!! When are the bastards gonna release it?! Been waiting for years to find out if Cooper survived the shooting . . .

Not a fan of those shows except for Madmen, which I do like a lot. I usually try one US drama episode and never go back to it - very rarely do I try to see the rest of it but Madmen I do like. But then to me, it seems quite British, so that's possibly why.??

The Sopranos is the only one I've made it through start to finish and thoroughly enjoyed . . .

Quote: AndreaLynne @ November 16 2009, 6:45 PM GMT

My father in law, who will watch anything, gave up on it almost immediately.

View original

The madman.

Quote: Moonstone @ November 16 2009, 6:57 PM GMT

It's not doing too well here either.

View original

Isn't it?

Quote: DaButt @ November 16 2009, 7:13 PM GMT

Our networks can't afford to air a series based purely on it's worthiness as art.

View original

I wish ours couldn't.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ November 16 2009, 7:21 PM GMT

That is exactly why you need at least one network with a public broadcasting remit or constitution, just like our Beeb has.

View original

PBS survives on money from the government and public & corporate donations.

Quote: Aaron @ November 16 2009, 7:44 PM GMT

I wish ours couldn't.

View original

Ha! Well you wouldn't get any of your obscure documentaries in that case. I don't think they really pull in viewers by the million.

Wellll ... Like whichhhhh?

And there's a difference between entertainment and documentary.

Oooh! Spat looming !

http://www.jeremykyleshow.co.uk/