The Future of Television?

[trinityvixen]

LOST has an end-date.

Forget that giving them a guaranteed three more seasons is extremely generous given the way the show's been not performing for most of its second and third seasons. This is actually a brilliant idea.

Because this is exactly what I like about the way serials are done in other genres, mediums, and (thank you BBC!) countries. There's more you can do when you have the end in sight to set it up and get yourself there without wasting time. For a show like 24, obviously you can do that season-by-season because the plot specifically binds characters in a set time. The action and the seasonal closure of it offset and obscure the fact that this is an endless drama (although not lately, from what I've heard). Having the end game planned means no convoluted who's-really-spying-on-whom shit like Alias devolved into. Means no impossible it's-aliens-except-where-it's-the-government-but-everyone's-really-crazy-anyway X-Files muck.

I think every pitch session to networks should include the span of the show as part of it. Sitcoms obviously bend this rule, but for serialized dramas? Having a distinct, discreet package should be more attractive to studios, not less. Yes, you lose the sure thing if it's a hit and you want to keep it going forever, but on the other hand, if it's a hit and you know you've got three-four seasons max to it, think of how much you can blackmail advertisers for. Imagine if the LOST guys had stated their optimal seasons-long deadline as six years two-three years ago when they pitched it. By the time it was the hot thing of the season, advertisers would probably have paid Super Bowl-worthy prices for ad time. When they were then told (on the down low, of course; deniability is key) that such ad space would be a limited thing, maaaaaaan, the monies! The monies!

But really, I like this for the necessary improvements to pacing that it would require of television shows. Fewer wasted episodes or filler with the way that specific plot developments could be then fixed into the schedule and then the rest built around them. This would make flexibility difficult, but that's what these stupid-ass, useless hiatuses are good for, right?

Comments

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

Keep in mind that the perceived failures of the show in the past two seasons (I personally think three has been fine because I like the character development, but last season dragged in places) were likely due to network interference for exactly this reason: ABC wanted them to stretch things out because it was such a hit.

Whether they are telling the truth or not, the creators claim they envisioned the show running for 100 episodes, which is close to what they'll get. The extra 17 is probably exactly the number of episodes they've wasted in the spirit of keeping it on the air without progressing the storyline. I'm particularly heartened that while it will be on the air for three more years, their seasons have been truncated to 16 episodes, which should cut down on some of the bloating and allow them to run uninterrupted.

Now all they have to do is keep us interested until the end.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

It's funny, you know, that I'm opposed to the shortening of the seasons when that's precisely what I would have recommended for BSG to keep them from sucking. I think with LOST, though, I fear the 16 episode limitation will mean fewer side trips to less central characters and that I'll resent the second and third Jack or Kate backstory ep even more.

We'll see. The other reason to hate a shorter season is that it will probably mean longer and more frequent hiatuses. Unless they're planning to start seasonal TV, with new summer shows (that aren't "reality" shows or game shows), I resent them shortening the seasons they do have because that's been done enough (weren't seasons--once upon a time--like closer to 30 episodes a season?). So, yeah, not pleased at the idea of being forced to wait and wait, but cautiously optimistic about the bloat being trimmed.

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

I doubt that's going to happen, mostly because 90% of pitched shows never get a pilot. And 90% of pilots never get picked up. And 90% of shows that are picked up never make it to a second season. Given the high attrition rate, it's only a handful of shows (granted, the ones we end up watching because they are by definition the popular shows) ever even get the chance to play out their premise. It would be like a new author coming in with a book proposal with plans for how to get their sixth book on the NYT bestseller list--that's getting waaaaay ahead of yourself.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying they should assume that they'll get the pitch through to as many seasons as they want, only that it would distinguish a series and befit the pitch men well to consider that in drafting their work.

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

I could actually seeing it hurt the pitch for them to see, well, we need six seasons for the audience to be satisfied. There was actually a big fracas back when Pretender was cancelled because TNT, who had bought the syndication rights, were pissed that it was now worthless because it was unresolved.

I could see execs not wanting to get into something with such an unsure payoff.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Didn't they do TV movies to resolve the Pretender, though? Same thing happened to Farscape. And plenty of shows died without resolutions because they never got the chance to end properly (sniff sniff Firefly sniff), so this would hardly be any different (the only difference is the writers would know what was supposed to happen; maybe that would at least give fans something to chew on if it couldn't ever be filmed).

But, speaking of Pretender, do you have all of that? 'Cause I'd love to borrow it from you if you do. I got through the first season, and I think it gets better later, so just checking.

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

I do indeed have all of Pretender--that is, all that's been released. They haven't released the TV movies, but honestly those things are pieces of shit. They are actively aggravating. You've heard my story about being depressed for a week after seeing "Island of the Haunted"?

And it does get better after season 1--they start playing around with the formula. Of course, season 4 is hit and miss, but what can you do.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

No, I haven't heard the story. TV movies are hit-and-miss in general. I'm not pleased with the Farscape one, only because it was so telegraphed, it read like a twelve-year-old's fanfic (and I should know; I used to write that fandom!).

Ooh, well, can I borrow the next season from you then? I am going through TV on DVD so fast...

Love it...

[teneda.livejournal.com]

In addition, the network alienated some viewers this season when it broadcast six episodes beginning in October, then took a three-month break before resuming the series for an uninterrupted run through the end of the season, its third.

See that SciFi? Take note that the same doesn't happen to the stuff you work so hard to produce. *coughBSGcough*

Re: Love it...

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Well, LOST was especially heinous for doing it mid-season rather than between seasons. Long hiatuses between seasons make a lot of sense, marketing-wise. They can send out actors to cons without any spoiling information about yet-to-be-seen shots and episodes; they can do projects attached to the show (online content, graphic novels, etc); and, of course, get out the DVDs so that there's a comfortable length of time for people to catch up.

Which in no way forgives BSG for going on an eight month hiatus instead of the usual one only about half as long, but I do understand how LOST's break was more obnoxious for being mid-season than just a long season-to-season break (I don't think BSG's counts as your average season break, so they're stinky anyway).

Re: Love it...

[teneda.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I'd rather they have a constant trail of new eps. Maybe one ep every other week throughout the year. I am one of those people that dropped away from lots of shows because after a hiatus or cliffhanger season ending (V, need I say more?) I lost interest because it was too long and the sense of urgency was gone. I almost gave up altogether on Farscape when the cliffhanger season finale was there and then they announced they had no money for production/got canceled. How do you expect to keep an audience when you build pressure like that constantly and then just go away for months on end? Seriously, if Heroes has a cliffhanger ending that doesn't resolve until November, I'm gonna hunt down Kring just to punch him one. HARD.

Re: Love it...

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

But it will be that way unless there are other distractions to offer in between or longer seasons. Part of which is why I like the planning-out-future-seasons-at-the-outset model. Because you could a) have seasons out quicker, b) save money by designing things all at once and getting actors to contracts for the time you wanted them (not messing around with the demands for more money later), and c) you could eliminate useless garbage so as to make the entire span of the season worth watching and worth coming back for time and again.

I still maintain that networks need to have a two-season schedule, where summer is not just a vast wasteland of reruns and game shows, and then you could have me sucked into TV watching all the time! Heroes is done? Oh, okay, let's turn on the TV for the summer show! A lot of breakthrough hits got their starts over the summer or by lasting past the usual sweeps period on the TV schedule (I'm thinking of The 4400 or Prison Break). Plus, with less competition, slower dramas, especially large-cast ensembles might get a better chance, so it would be a great way to recoup losses on shows that maybe failed the premiere test and give them a second run, see if the summer audience likes them, and then maybe get more made (at the very least, you get more money out of those eps by airing them again).

Re: Love it...

[teneda.livejournal.com]

Honey, you're preachin' to the choir. It's how SciFi got alot of stuff off the ground. If I remember right, I think Farscape was one of those that first started in the summer, as well as the 4400. But then, they "went mainstream" and there we go again with the summer being all reruns and gameshows.

Know why that is? I've been told that it's for the same reason that Sunday afternoons are full of shite programming. Summer is rerun season because the networks don't want to compete with all the sports that run in the summer. Like BASEBALL. Pft. I know, sounds illogical, but with so many games over the season they don't want to lose ratings because die hard sports fans are watching "THE GAME" instead.

And they wonder why I always ask the cable company for an anime channel.

Re: Love it...

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Sigh, I forgot about sports. I always forget about them because they don't fucking matter to me. What's the goddamned point of watching thirty-forty-three hundred billion games a season when everything only ever comes down to the finals and those won't be on until winter anyway? Sigh, fucking baseball's the worst, too. Basketball is repetitive, ditto football, but baseball is the most goddamned boring shit I've ever seen. It's only marginally better in person. Play it, fine, but watch a group of guys get paid millions to basically scratch their ass and hope they catch the ball when, maybe one time in ten, someone actually connects with it?

That's why I relied on cable for the summer, but you're right--soon as a show gets ratings, they bump it back into a more competitive (in all sense of the word) time/season slot for the increased exposure, deliberately thumbing their noses at the people who gratefully made it popular because there was NOTHING ELSE ON.

This is all a conspiracy to make me go out and play in the sun. I know it.

Re: Love it...

[teneda.livejournal.com]

Again, preaching to the choir. *Stamps to death the people humming angelically* I've never been a big fan of sports. I like football simply because I played it once, Same reason I like soccer and rugby. I refuse to get so into it I get painted up and go tailgating. But yeah, sports. I hate it. You'd think with ESPN and such they could just get their games from there. And if you don't have cable (aside from the where have you been living for the past 10 years)how about that nostalgic experiences of listening to the radio?

Agreed, most of the summer, I like to watch pretty much ONLY cable TV. It just hurts when all of a sudden the stuff I LOVE is gone and on hiatus for EIGHT months at a time. It makes me want to *gasp* read a book!!

Don't get me started on hating sports broadcasts. I STILL haven't forgiven the Yankees for pre-empting the A-Team and Simon & Simon reruns when I was little. Fucking 5 HOUR rain delay.

Re: Love it...

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

It's not like there aren't OTHER SHOWS that could push back and fuck up my shows already (I HATE YOU AMERICAN IDOL). Last thing I need is baseball making it worse.

I suppose I could read more. Nah, I'll probably just up my Netflix allowance...

[droidguy1119.livejournal.com]

Generous? Generous of the creators, you mean. Given that each of these seasons is a mere 16 episodes, this is ABC's way of getting as much mileage of their hit property as they can while the creators only have to churn out so much.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

It's weird the way this is being phrased. I get the sense that the creators didn't want this to last even that long--maybe four or five seasons at most--but the network is banking on it lasting longer and that's why it's going to six with shorter eps. I get the idea that the creators wouldn't have chosen it this way.

On the other hand, the show has been underperforming and bleeding viewers, so it's also generous of the network to preserve the show that long.

[droidguy1119.livejournal.com]

Oh, I totally forgot to mention. There is a review of Day of the Dead 2007 up at AICN. There are some nuggets of golden reviewing genius in there. An example:

"But these aren't regular zombies. These zombies are fast! They run, they climb up walls and crawl across the ceiling. They even drive cars. When there is no more room in Hell, the Dead will drive the Earth."

Read on to hear of vegan zombies and magic shotguns.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

No thanks, bored already. But the story of the guy getting the passes was worth checking out that link. I think that marketing tactic is BRILLIANT. If someone was handing out passes going, "Hey, kid, you wanna see some zombies:?" I'd be like, "Yes, but can I bring a gun?"

[moonlightalice.livejournal.com]

When Chris Carter pitched The X-Files, he pitched as five seasons and had the entire arc drawn out. It wasn't until the 4th season that they were like "OMG this is SO popular, we have to drag it out! And make a movie!" So all the good stuff happened before the end of Season 5, and that's when it was supposed to end.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Yeah, see, the writers ought to have the integrity enough to walk away at that point.

Because the network like owns the thing, but I wouldn't keep going on with a project if I'd predetermined the end point.

[saikogrrl.livejournal.com]

Thought you might be interested in these Heroes fan soundtracks made by someone on my flist:

http://doublefourtime.livejournal.com/249399.html

http://doublefourtime.livejournal.com/249122.html

^^

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

On your flist? Wow, I got those from my Heroes list. Well, the "Man Who WOuld Be King" one anyway (I had most of the songs on the other one).

The internet is a small place, no?

[saikogrrl.livejournal.com]

Lols, true indeed. :3