2 posts tagged “media”

I am reposting this to go along with the start of the new fall season.  Cuz you know it is important to understand the process.

I was roaming the Internerd, and ran across a conversation that I see a lot about how the networks are keeping the good shows off the air for the purpose of the big hit.

While that is sorta true, I mean who doesn't want a big hit, people don't take into account the whole process of TV. For one, it isn't free. It is paid for by the commercials you don't watch. Because of that economic restriction you have to play pretend. Pretend that the audience IS watching the commercial, we the network will guarantee that so many 18-35 year old eyes will watch it during the Wacky Adventures of "Soon To Be In Rehab". Of course when the audience sees thru the "talents" of the star of STBIR, then the network has to make up for the lack of audience for those commercials. Hence it is cheaper to rerun the show "That Put Her in Therapy", then to show even 3 episodes of STBIR

So you are saying that it is impossible for anything new to get a chance?

Yeah but here's the thing you are forgetting:

Heather Graham is perceived as a huge star draw. SO the ad sales (not to mention the endless promotion) were huge. then it comes back with a number that makes the WB look like it is running new episodes of "ER vs CSI" SUPA INSTANT FLOPU! As much as people complain, smaller shows will get given more of a chance if they are:

1. Cheap, like Seinfeld and Cheers. those were easy to produce set shows with a cast of largely unknown or "don't care abouts"
2. Show some kinda growth from episode to episode...All I can think of at the moment is Dawson's but that is a bad example. OH! 24 and The OC!
3. do HUGE numbers demographically. Buffy was never a true ratings winner but it had great teen girl numbers. this is actually the case for most of the WB shows. So from there the network could guarantee specific marketing and charge bigger ad money.

Once you start screwing around with lots of stars or expensive producers (Arrested Development I am looking at youuuu) or huge casts and lots of OUTSIDE locations (Still looking at you AD and EYES, you can't hide either) then the only thing that will save a show is if it gets a high placed exec behind it to champion the show (and risk her/his career).

Huh, that was kinda informative...

I actually wrote this three years ago.  Apparently my rage did not change the industry one bit...

Looking over the New Fall Season is usually like sneaking a peek at Xmas presents for me. So imagine my surprise when I looked into the back of the closet to find that i am getting the same presents that I got last year!

I can't believe I am saying this but WHAT HAPPENED TO MAKING SITCOMS???

Used to be that networks knew what a sitcom was. It was a COMEDY derived from a SITUATION. Now I know the pendants among you will bristle at my next comment but BEING AT WORK OR HOME WITH  FAMILY IS NOT A SITUATION...unless one of the family is a robot, monkey or alien.

We used to watch shows about martians and witches and genies living among us. We would stand around the water cooler discuss the folly of liberals living in peace with bigots and how similar the slob on TV was to the husband of the neat freak we know. I admit I never knew any hillbillies that hit it rich nor reading about the leading scientist of coconut technology being stranded on an island with the 3rd richest man in the world but it was fun to watch.  Now we have gotten to uppity to enjoy the weekly antics of one ethnicity living with another richer ethnicity.

Personally I blame the Bradys for blurring the line. I mean, yeah it is crazy bananas to see kids and a maid in a house with one bathroom and four bedrooms, but beyond that nothing was really happening that you couldn't do with just two or three kids. I mean look at Diff'rent Strokes, which continued to erode the comedy barrier while setting a record for the damage an innocent entertainment could do to the lives of children.  You have to admit it was life changing.  At least for some kids who had nothing but a dream.  Meanwhile the rest of us learned to NEVER GO NEAR A BICYCLE SHOP!  But the next thing you know we are watching Cosby and Seinfeld and people forgot that people really want to see folks put into wacky, yet slightly plausible situation to comfort them in their own grey lives.

How do I know this? Because the oneline for every  reality show is frighteningly similar to a sitcom description. Dammit stop wasting all the good set ups on Paris Hilton and people named Fantasia and let's get back to answering the question of how to live with talking animals or inanimate objects!!!