Plowman Making Points Page 2

Quote: Marc P @ September 18 2008, 3:54 PM BST

Well the point is The Bill and Holby didn't use to be drama soaps they used to be dramas and got good figures - better figures than they do now.

When Eastenders was only twice a week I remember one episode getting over twenty two million viewers.

If the BBC can't meet the requirements of the charter, it will have it taken away from them. And soapifying isn't the way to go.

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Yes, but across the board viewing figures have declined as more and more things (internet, DVD's, multi-channels) take us away from the main channels. And the shows that have been soapified still get big audience shares in this more hostile environment.

Maybe Armando Iannucci's idea for a british HBO style subscription network is the way to go? Abolish the liscence fee and let those who want to buy quality programmes subscibe to a network devoted soley to that?

Would anyone under 40 get that pun?

Hence I don't get it....

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ September 18 2008, 4:06 PM BST

Would anyone under 40 get that pun?

Hence I don't get it....

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Only because I have watched Allo Allo on DVD and in history lessons at school.

Quote: chipolata @ September 18 2008, 4:04 PM BST

Yes, but across the board viewing figures have declined as more and more things (internet, DVD's, multi-channels) take us away from the main channels. And the shows that have been soapified still get big audience shares in this more hostile environment.

Maybe Armando Iannucci's idea for a british HBO style subscription network is the way to go? Abolish the liscence fee and let those who want to buy quality programmes subscibe to a network devoted soley to that?

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I think that will partly happen. The charter will be split up, The trouble is since Birt no one has long term contracts anymore, apart from a few. No one wants to make waves, everyone is fearful for their jobs. It's not a good atmosphere for creativity - and if there is no creativity then there isn't much really.

<tries to think of something witty to say. Fails>

Quote: swerytd @ September 18 2008, 4:12 PM BST

<tries to think of something witty to say. Fails>

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Story of your life, hey Dan?

Quote: Marc P @ September 18 2008, 4:11 PM BST

I think that will partly happen. The charter will be split up, The trouble is since Birt no one has long term contracts anymore, apart from a few. No one wants to make waves, everyone is fearful for their jobs. It's not a good atmosphere for creativity - and if there is no creativity then there isn't much really.

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Bloody hell, Marc. Bring us all down, why don't you.

Quote: chipolata @ September 18 2008, 4:24 PM BST

Story of your life, hey Dan?

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<tries to think of something witty to say. Fails>

Quote: swerytd @ September 18 2008, 4:28 PM BST

<tries to think of something witty to say. Fails>

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There's hope for you yet.

Quote: chipolata @ September 18 2008, 4:24 PM BST

Bloody hell, Marc. Bring us all down, why don't you.

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Sorry. I've been saying it for a while. Certain philosophies behind though are being a bit tested just now though, so I am hopeful that someone will take the big Broadcasting House boat back to Belfast and put one of those ice breaking prows on it.

Quote: swerytd @ September 18 2008, 4:03 PM BST

Who's for group suicide?

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That would make an interesting reality show.

Quote: chipolata @ September 18 2008, 3:37 PM BST

Michael Jacob's face is almost exactly the same.

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Cheers!

I thought your head was like a peanut or something. They're quite difficult to actually hit, speaking from my experience of peanut-based bar-brawling.

Dan

Quote: Micheal Jacob @ September 19 2008, 12:51 PM BST

Cheers!

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Don't worry, Micheal. I think you're a cracker!

Quote: Micheal Jacob @ September 19 2008, 12:51 PM BST

Cheers!

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courage, mon brave

Er, everyone's slagging off sitcom here on the so-called Sitcom Forum. Has no-one seen two great new sitcoms that started this week - Massive and No Heroics? NH may have been a bit slow to get into, but I like its attitude from the start and it's kept it very simple. And Massive is pure laugh out loud genius.

And with new series of IT Crowd and Peep Show to look forward to, as well as Gavin and Stacy, Not Going Out and Lead Balloon, not to mention the mass audience sitcoms that people like us don't like but that the millions of people who watch do (ie My Family, After You've Gone and Last Of The Summer Wine), I'd say sitcom today is in a ridiculously healthy state.

Some people here are falling into that dreadful trap of looking back with rose tinted glasses and imagining a golden era when there were wall to wall sitcoms and they were all great all the time. Well I'm very old, and I can tell you from first hand experience that that wasn't the case.

Look at my second paragraph, listing 8 good and/or popular sitcoms from just one season of 2008. Now, Google the sitcoms of, say, 1975 and try and find a list as good as that. Not so easy is it?

Because the classic sitcoms are on in rotation, and play in our memories ad nauseum, a lot of people are guilty of compressing time and misremembering that Fawlty Towers (1975 and 79) was on alongside Open All Hours (just 24 episodes between 1973 - 85), and Porridge (21 eps 73 - 77), and Rising Damp (28 eps 74 - 78), and Steptoe (ended 74) and so on.

Statistically (and this is a bold stab in the dark, I'd love someone to actually back me up with facts) I'd bet there is more good comedy on TV now than there ever has been.

However I agree with Jon Plowman, there should be more. (And it should include a series for The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre).

You make some very reasonable points.

Personally, one of the problems I think sitcom is suffering from is where shows are being placed. It's actually the lack of good shows being placed on the main network channels that is part of a problem in good comedy finding an audience.

On BBC1 at the moment, NGO is the only consistently good sitcom. In terms of a really good pre-watershed sitcom, 'My Family' became tired and 'After You've Gone' started tired.

It's great that new series of 'Peep Show' (the best sitcom going IMO) and 'The IT Crowd' are waiting to be unleashed for our entertainment. Though I would love to see C4 have made both show's slots more prime-time (not pre-watershed, obviously with 'Peep Show') instead of buried in the post-10pm slots.

'The IT Crowd' is the type of show the whole family can enjoy IMO. Fun, strong, silly sitcoms like this, with loveable characters... these type of shows should be commissioned for the likes of BBC1/ITV1.

Of course, sitcom has always been hit-and-miss. I just think that networks need to try and have faith in putting new talent and writing on their mainstream channels. Perhaps they also should have a little more faith in their audience's intelligence to different types of humour?