Favourite TV Shows

debaserr · 04-29-2010, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheCunningStunt

The British Office > American Office.

Why do the Americans let television series run on for far too long? 2 series and a christmas special and job's a good'en.

what is this?

Mojo · 04-29-2010, 01:51 PM

Well typically British series are around the 6 episode mark and American seasons are 24.

TheCunningStunt · 04-29-2010, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojopinuk

Well typically British series are around the 6 episode mark and American seasons are 24.

And they just carry on making the programme until it isn't funny anymore.

Mojo · 04-29-2010, 02:05 PM

Sometimes thats true yeah. Sometimes the show will peak and they will continue to get renewed as long as there is money to be made, despite the decline in quality.

If this doesnt happen though then its often the sign of a great show if they can make so many episodes over so many years and keep it interesting.

crash_override · 04-29-2010, 02:17 PM

When you have a cast as cohesive as the American Office, it never really gets old. Plus, America is all about routines, we get used to watching The Office every Thursday night at 9pm. It would be weird if it were only 6 episodes. I can honestly say I've never thought that The Office was tired and unfunny, so long as it maintains it quality, I see no problem letting it run on as long as it can. I know I'll watch it until it's goes off air.

Mojo · 04-29-2010, 02:21 PM

Im just starting season 6 but im not bored of The Office. I dont watch TV shows on TV though. I generally watch episodes back to back.

The thing is though with American television networks, you cant watch The Office every Thursday at 9pm, or most shows at the same time on the same day every week. You can watch it like that for a few and then they have a break where its off air for a few weeks then it comes back and after a few more episodes they have a winter break and its not on for another 3 weeks over Christmas and they just drag the show out.

Watching a 20+ episode American season as it airs is a nightmare, i think. I hate it.

TheCunningStunt · 04-29-2010, 02:22 PM

^

I'm the same as you Mojo. I never watch TV, I just get the box sets/watch them online if I'm feeling cheap.

pourmeanother · 04-29-2010, 04:14 PM

I do agree with CunningStunt in that I have a phrase I like to follow:

"Kill it before it dies".

I see the show teetering on that brutal death point, especially after Michael Scott leaves. I think it would be a better swan song to end it with his departure - likely with Holly back in the mix somehow - than it would to keep it running on long after he leaves.

NBC is pretty good at ****ing up their programming, though, so I'm not getting my hopes up for a good resolution.

TheCunningStunt · 04-30-2010, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pourmeanother

I do agree with CunningStunt in that I have a phrase I like to follow:

"Kill it before it dies".

I see the show teetering on that brutal death point, especially after Michael Scott leaves. I think it would be a better swan song to end it with his departure - likely with Holly back in the mix somehow - than it would to keep it running on long after he leaves.

NBC is pretty good at ****ing up their programming, though, so I'm not getting my hopes up for a good resolution.

We have a show called Skins, dunno if you know/heard of it. But series 1 and 2 were really good, we acted and well written. They changed the cast for series 3 and 4. Series 3 was bad, so I didn't bother with series 4 but from what I heard it sounded awful. Now they're changing the cast and making a 5 and 6. Ruining what could've been a good shows legacy. The way they ended series 2, they could've done a one off special or something wrapping it up. But they absolutely ruined a good show, turned it into a bit of a joke. So it's not just the Americans that do it, but they're consistent with running their shows into the ground.

Mojo · 05-01-2010, 06:47 AM

I dont know if i would use the word constant but then again you could be right.

Basically aslong as there is enough money to be made in another season then American networks will push a show to renew for another year. And with some of the money changing hands, alot of the shows renew even when creatively they probably shouldn't.

HBO seem to be the exception. Id say most shows that get on HBO have things done their way. The network pretty much rules over there. Every episode of a show goes through the network for approval and notes given to the cast and crew about changes that need making or scenes that will be cut when it airs. It seems a much more strict process than it is here, without knowing the ins and out. Being a subscription channel, HBO can overlook pretty much all of the above and air something the way its meant to be. And i dont know about you but when I think about all the HBO shows i like, i wouldnt say any of them ran too long so i would say you then have to look at the networks, the pressure on a cast and crew to continue renewing and well, the massive sums of money exchanging hands to do so.

04-29-2010, 01:51 PM	#442 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	Well typically British series are around the 6 episode mark and American seasons are 24. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

04-29-2010, 02:05 PM	#444 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	Sometimes thats true yeah. Sometimes the show will peak and they will continue to get renewed as long as there is money to be made, despite the decline in quality. If this doesnt happen though then its often the sign of a great show if they can make so many episodes over so many years and keep it interesting. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

04-29-2010, 02:21 PM	#446 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	Im just starting season 6 but im not bored of The Office. I dont watch TV shows on TV though. I generally watch episodes back to back. The thing is though with American television networks, you cant watch The Office every Thursday at 9pm, or most shows at the same time on the same day every week. You can watch it like that for a few and then they have a break where its off air for a few weeks then it comes back and after a few more episodes they have a winter break and its not on for another 3 weeks over Christmas and they just drag the show out. Watching a 20+ episode American season as it airs is a nightmare, i think. I hate it. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

04-29-2010, 02:22 PM	#447 (permalink)
TheCunningStunt love will tear you apart Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 5,107	^ I'm the same as you Mojo. I never watch TV, I just get the box sets/watch them online if I'm feeling cheap. __________________ I don't feel and I feel great. Last FM

04-29-2010, 04:14 PM	#448 (permalink)
pourmeanother Saaaad Panda Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 852	I do agree with CunningStunt in that I have a phrase I like to follow: "Kill it before it dies". I see the show teetering on that brutal death point, especially after Michael Scott leaves. I think it would be a better swan song to end it with his departure - likely with Holly back in the mix somehow - than it would to keep it running on long after he leaves. NBC is pretty good at ****ing up their programming, though, so I'm not getting my hopes up for a good resolution. __________________ Life is just blah, blah, blah You hope for blah And sometimes you find it, but mostly it's blah And waiting for blah And hoping you were right about the blahs you made And then, just when you think you've got the whole blah'd damn thing figured out And you're surrounded by the ones you blah Death shows up... anddd blah, blah, blah.

05-01-2010, 06:47 AM	#450 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	I dont know if i would use the word constant but then again you could be right. Basically aslong as there is enough money to be made in another season then American networks will push a show to renew for another year. And with some of the money changing hands, alot of the shows renew even when creatively they probably shouldn't. HBO seem to be the exception. Id say most shows that get on HBO have things done their way. The network pretty much rules over there. Every episode of a show goes through the network for approval and notes given to the cast and crew about changes that need making or scenes that will be cut when it airs. It seems a much more strict process than it is here, without knowing the ins and out. Being a subscription channel, HBO can overlook pretty much all of the above and air something the way its meant to be. And i dont know about you but when I think about all the HBO shows i like, i wouldnt say any of them ran too long so i would say you then have to look at the networks, the pressure on a cast and crew to continue renewing and well, the massive sums of money exchanging hands to do so. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust