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from the diamonds-in-the-coal-pile dept.
John Koblin writes in the NYT that there's a malaise in TV these days that's felt among executives, viewers and critics, and it's the result of one thing: There is simply too much on television. John Landgraf, chief executive of FX Networks, reported at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour that the total number of original scripted series on TV in 2014 was 371 and will surpass 400 in 2015. The glut, according to Landgraf, has presented "a huge challenge in finding compelling original stories and the level of talent needed to sustain those stories." Michael Lombardo, president of programming at HBO. says it is harder than ever to build an audience for a show when viewers are confronted with so many choices and might click away at any moment. "I hear it all the time," says Lombardo. "People going, 'I can't commit to another show, and I don't have the time to emotionally commit to another show.' I hear that, and I'm aware of it, and I get it." Another complication is that shows not only compete against one another, but also against old series that live on in the archives of Amazon, Hulu or Netflix. So a new season of "Scandal," for example, is also competing against old series like "The Wire." "The amount of competition is just literally insane," says Landgraf.
Others point out that the explosion in programming has created more opportunity for shows with diverse casts and topics, such as "Jane the Virgin," "Transparent" and "Orange Is the New Black." Marti Noxon, the showrunner for Lifetime's "UnREAL" and Bravo's "Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce," says there has been a "sea change" in the last five years. "I couldn't have gotten those two shows on TV five years ago," says Noxon. "There was not enough opportunity for voices that speak to a smaller audience. Now many of these places are looking to reach some people — not all the people. That's opened up a tremendous opportunity for women and other people that have been left out of the conversation."
(Score: 3, Informative) by takyon on Wednesday September 02 2015, @02:21AM
Sherlock [wikipedia.org] is far from dead. It's one of BBC's biggest successes. "The third series became the UK's most watched drama series since 2001."
They just take a long time to make it, and Cumberbatch and Freeman's exploding careers probably push it back even more.
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(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Wednesday September 02 2015, @03:49AM
Wow, they're calling 3 episodes a "season" now? Damn. That's taking it to a whole new level of "waiting a whole year for another 5 episodes of Being Human."
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday September 02 2015, @03:59AM
Sherlock episodes are basically movie length. 85-90 minute running time each.
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(Score: 2) by quacking duck on Wednesday September 02 2015, @01:54PM
That's why the Brits call an annual run of episodes a "series" rather than a season.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Wednesday September 02 2015, @12:19PM
Thanks! :)
I figured they would be too expensive now that they're 'SUPER STARS'!
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---