Re: Why are the people who run TV studios such idiots?
I watched the first few episodes of Flash Forward. I found it interestting at first but kind of fell behind.
Nowadays, they only order about 6 episodes of a new show as so many of them fail. Perhaps they weren't expecting Flash Forward to catch on and so they had to spend 3 months taping more episodes. It would have helped if they re aired the original episodes so people could get caught up or maybe pull in some new viewers.
They had the same problem with LOST in it's first season and were really scrambling to keep up. It was a ratings dynamo in the first season so you know they were working overtime try to keep it going.
Re: Why are the people who run TV studios such idiots?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
CloneIce 
Network TV is a pretty tough place for any dramas that are remotely different or interesting (i.e. good). They are very quick to pull the trigger if the ratings are low and don't give shows time to establish a fan base. They hate taking chances on shows and they know they can get decent ratings out of a crappy reality show or a predictable police/lawyer procedural.
Really the only decent and interesting dramas that I can think of on Network TV in recent years are Lost and 24. If you want good dramas, you've got to go to Cable, which had/has some great shows recently especially HBO and Showtime. These cable networks can take risks, make intelligent shows for an adult audience, and they don't have the quick trigger finger if the ratings don't start out great because they don't make all (or any) of their money off advertisements.
The Cable shows air about 10-16 episodes a year. Network shows are expected to do about 26. That's the difference. It's extremely hard to tell a good story for multiple seasons at a 26 episode/season pace. That's why there's so many crime dramas. The stories in these shows generally play out in one or maybe two episodes so it's easier to do so many episodes.
Re: Why are the people who run TV studios such idiots?
The Cable shows air about 10-16 episodes a year. Network shows are expected to do about 26. That's the difference. It's extremely hard to tell a good story for multiple seasons at a 26 episode/season pace. That's why there's so many crime dramas. The stories in these shows generally play out in one or maybe two episodes so it's easier to do so many episodes.
I think you are definitely on to something here, and a lot of network shows are dialing back to 16 episode seasons instead of the traditional 20-some episodes, and I think that's a good trend.
Ironically enough, in its third season Lost was separated into two parts, Part 1 I think was only 6 episodes long, but then part two in the spring was 16 episodes long and it rocked. Of course, I think that was the season where it really lost a lot of viewers. I know the rest of my family lost patience with it during that season, and now I am the only one left.
"Chuck", a fun series and one of the only ones left after this season I enjoy is only 16 or so episodes long this season and I think the shorter length has really helped it out.
Really a shame about Flash Forward. I watched last night's episode on my DVR this afternoon and found myself frustrated by getting into it yet knowing that in a couple of weeks it will all be over permanently.
