tv tanned Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Sorry Tina :OI see Heroes has been cancelled, as has Flashforward and, rather shockingly, Law and Order has been shelved after 20 years. Yet at the same time, they commission another series of The (even less funny than the Gervais version) Office, a remake of the bloody Rockford Files (because there's been plenty campaigns for that) and JJ Abrams (surely the most over-rated producer of over-rated pish ever) is being commissioned to produce another new series which will probably consist of another long drawn out string of unanswered questions, absurd coincidences and general shiteness. Although I am starting to feel that way about Flashforward I hasten to add!I think the problem in US TV is that nobody seems geared up to follow a genuine story arc from beginning to end, and most of the shows were probably never created with an actual "ending" in sight.Anyone else going to miss any of these shows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soda Jerk Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 The (even less funny than the Gervais version) OfficeGet fucked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teabags Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 I like that you live up to your name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tv tanned Posted May 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Get fucked.Thank you for being so constructive. I will have a word with the wife and see if she is willing to oblige... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 I think the problem in US TV is that nobody seems geared up to follow a genuine story arc from beginning to end, and most of the shows were probably never created with an actual "ending" in sightAgree with this.Aside from the almost always excellent HBO most US networks follow the formula of commission 13 epsiodes then if there's still people watching commission another 10 as Season 1. They have a rough idea of the concept at the start of the season but they continue to write and shoot as it's screened so if the viewing figures drop you get sudden changes in character and plot direction to try and regain the lost figures. All that results in is a disjointed unholy mess of a show, with insane plot holes and character arks.See Heroes, Flashforward and the daddy of them all, 24.Compare those to The West Wing, The Sopranos, The Wire, True Blood, Deadwood etc. Smaller seasons and tighter plots that arc over the whole series and often across multiple years. Some shows lend themselves to large seasons with standalone epsiodes like CSI or Stargate. They have room in the plot for filler episodes that don't advance the story, but big shows that are supposed to drive a network through the autumn and spring schedules need to keep high ratings and 20+ episodes with panicking writers desperately engineering twists and shock endings doesn't help anyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tv tanned Posted May 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Agree with this.Aside from the almost always excellent HBO most US networks follow the formula of commission 13 epsiodes then if there's still people watching commission another 10 as Season 1. They have a rough idea of the concept at the start of the season but they continue to write and shoot as it's screened so if the viewing figures drop you get sudden changes in character and plot direction to try and regain the lost figures. All that results in is a disjointed unholy mess of a show, with insane plot holes and character arks.See Heroes, Flashforward and the daddy of them all, 24.Compare those to The West Wing, The Sopranos, The Wire, True Blood, Deadwood etc. Smaller seasons and tighter plots that arc over the whole series and often across multiple years. Some shows lend themselves to large seasons with standalone epsiodes like CSI or Stargate. They have room in the plot for filler episodes that don't advance the story, but big shows that are supposed to drive a network through the autumn and spring schedules need to keep high ratings and 20+ episodes with panicking writers desperately engineering twists and shock endings doesn't help anyone.Agree. I enjoyed Heroes a lot, but the point where it jumped the shark for me was when they created the supposed alternative future, with Sylar exploding after his *son* got killed, and then did nothing to drive towards that supposed ending. Despite the premise being that they were all going to converge there.I gave up on Lost after series 2, it was already pretentiously silly, but by all accounts it has just gotten worse.The wife is a fan of Stargate Universe (with Bob Carlyle) and from what I have seen it seems not bad from an entertainment perspective.I have also happened across The Good Wife, with Julianna Marguiles, while she's been watching it, and it seems to actually be a half decent drama as well.I keep hoping we will get some half decent drama over here, Doctor Who is good knock about fun, I really enjoyed Life on Mars, but then they sullied it by refusing to say "job well done" and instead decided to milk it with the awful Ashes to Ashes.I kept meaning to give Luther a try, but I am worried I may find it rubbish and may only be interested in it because it stars Stringer Bell... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tv tanned Posted May 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 I like that you live up to your name.Well, the original source was a song title, but when you get paid as badly as I do and have a mortgage to pay and a wee one to bring up, there are very few escapes left aside from the idiot box! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 I kept meaning to give Luther a try, but I am worried I may find it rubbish and may only be interested in it because it stars Stringer Bell...Watched the first episode. Lots of over acting, cliche's and repeated use of the same dramatic shot (Luther with his hands in his pockets marching past the camera with a glower on his face). Didn't bother with the 2nd episode.Stargate Universe is pretty good though the first half of the season was very slow to get going (like they didn't want to scare away any non Stargate fans tuning in for Robert Carlyle). Seems to be picking up now though and last week's episode had a great cliffhanger.Spooks was brilliant for 3 years then they started turning over actor's at a ridiculous rate of knots and it all went a bit over the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tv tanned Posted May 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Watched the first episode. Lots of over acting, cliche's and repeated use of the same dramatic shot (Luther with his hands in his pockets marching past the camera with a glower on his face). Didn't bother with the 2nd episode.Stargate Universe is pretty good though the first half of the season was very slow to get going (like they didn't want to scare away any non Stargate fans tuning in for Robert Carlyle). Seems to be picking up now though and last week's episode had a great cliffhanger.Spooks was brilliant for 3 years then they started turning over actor's at a ridiculous rate of knots and it all went a bit over the top.Glad I avoided it then!I went off Spooks quite early. The "Lisa Faulkner/deep fat fryer' incident put me off, not from a squeamish perspective, just a 'FFS' perspective!I look at The Wire, and think to myself that anyone over this side of the pond trying to do something similar would probably end up turning out something like Shameless... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulscoconutass Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 I kept meaning to give Luther a try, but I am worried I may find it rubbish and may only be interested in it because it stars Stringer Bell...I've watched the first two and been loving it; absolutely nothing new on the table as far as crime / cop dramas go but it's very well shot and has unfolded well so far. Quite a few big dramatic moments but it has had 1 very stupid scene. Unsure if they'll manage to keep the quality up for the duration though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigsby Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 The Shield had a very goot story arc played out over 6 seasons.I hear good things about Justified and Sons of Anarchy, wouldn't mind watching them but have three seasons of The Wire and two of Dexter to catch up on before I can even think about starting to watch anything new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigsby Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 PS Rockford Files had a cool theme tune with an ace Larry carlton solo:YouTube - The Rockford Files Theme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballaterquine Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 I've been watching The Good Wife from the start and it's addictive! I am confined to barracks a lot too due to kids and a travelling husband.The Good Wifie xx:girl: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3CR816 Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 No love for Mad Men? Okay, it doesn't have the cops or gangsters hook that something like The Wire or The Sopranos had but it's been a consistently well written, intelligent show from the start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ Jo-D Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Agree. I enjoyed Heroes a lot, but the point where it jumped the shark for me was when they created the supposed alternative future, with Sylar exploding after his *son* got killed, and then did nothing to drive towards that supposed ending. Despite the premise being that they were all going to converge there.I gave up on Lost after series 2, it was already pretentiously silly, but by all accounts it has just gotten worse....Lost go great half way through series 3 when they probably realised that people were getting a bit hacked off with it, and started answering some of the questions that just got everyone annoyed.Love CSI (all of them), gutted about flashforward but can't see how they will make a new series out of it. 24 devastated I love Jack...but again the plots just get a little bit repetitiveI will miss heroes, bye bye Sylar and Peter....I'd much prefer it if they did some kind of spin-off story to these programs rather than just stringing it out, repeating the story in a different plot just to get more interest viewers....Spin off series I would of liked to see ...T-Bag - Prison BreakSome new country version of Heroes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oedo 808 Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 *T-Bag - what a great character! I dunno if I'd watch a Prison Break spin-off though. It'd have to be a drastically different show.*Heroes was just to expensive to keep making and got lost up it's own bum hole.*I've never watched Mad Men but I hear Christina Hendricks arse is brilliant in it.*I missed too many episodes of Lost and gave up. Maybe I'll catch the re-runs. JJ Abrams shows tend to be quite weird, but I do watch and enjoy Fringe.*Sort of lost interest in the L&O franchise since Vincent D'Onofrio left Criminal IntentI agree about the problem with story arcs, I think too much of the back plot is unresolved at the out set of these recently commissioned shows leaving a massively confused mess in the middle of the story. They're jumping on the "LOST" band wagon without thinking it all through.When JMS did Babylon 5 I believe that 95% of the story arc was planned out which gave it a lot of cohesion many of these new shows are lacking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkaline Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 I've watched the first two and been loving it; absolutely nothing new on the table as far as crime / cop dramas go but it's very well shot and has unfolded well so far. Quite a few big dramatic moments but it has had 1 very stupid scene. Unsure if they'll manage to keep the quality up for the duration though.I really like Luther as well. I like the fact that you know well in advance of the end who did whatever and the key to the episode is how Luther will play it out himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oedo 808 Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 I really like Luther as well. I like the fact that you know well in advance of the end who did whatever and the key to the episode is how Luther will play it out himself.Sounds like Columbo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkaline Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Sounds like Columbo.That's why I like Colombo too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Stu Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 When JMS did Babylon 5 I believe that 95% of the story arc was planned out which gave it a lot of cohesion many of these new shows are lacking.B5 pretty much killed the innocent child in me who was prepared to foolishly believe that Will Robinson or Sam Beckett are ever going to get home. After that I demanded story arc. Even Firefly failed to really grab me, though it's good they did Serenity to show where it was going.Christina Hendricks arseThat succeeded in grabbing me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3CR816 Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 B5 pretty much killed the innocent child in me who was prepared to foolishly believe that Will Robinson or Sam Beckett are ever going to get home. After that I demanded story arc. Even Firefly failed to really grab me, though it's good they did Serenity to show where it was going.That succeeded in grabbing me. The typical shallow, chauvinistic response I'd expect on this board... The rest of her looks incredible too. She's got good things ahead of her in that show Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oedo 808 Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 B5 pretty much killed the innocent child in me who was prepared to foolishly believe that Will Robinson or Sam Beckett are ever going to get home. After that I demanded story arc. Even Firefly failed to really grab me, though it's good they did Serenity to show where it was going.It's hard to tell exactly how much arc Firefly had as it was cancelled so early into its run. I was gutted it was cancelled. Loved every character in it. I think with Dollhouse you can see the difference between what Whedon wants to do as a writer conflicting with the standalone programming networks still crave for. Don't you mean Will Robinson and Captain Janeway?If you go back and watch Quantum Leap again... well, it's REALLY good all over again. I still refuse to delete "The Leap Home" from my Sky+ box. As for Sam Beckett's story arc (without spoilers) I think he has a white hat complex. He has to be the complete hero. In the end that isn't a good thing for Sam, but it's good for humanity.That succeeded in grabbing me. If only I could succeed in grabbing it back.She was great in Firefly too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monster Zero Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Christina Hendricks? The ginger with ginormous clevage? In 'Firefly'? I know what I'm going to be rewatching....(After I've got through my newly delivered Season 2 of 'True Blood' and both seasons of 'Twin Peaks'....)I liked 'Lost' but when I found out it was going to be going on so long I gave up watching it as I knew I'd just miss episodes cos I'm rubbish at remembering stuff is on...I fully intend to buy the whole lot when released in a DVD boxset in September....The American version of 'The Office' is great, BTW... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oedo 808 Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Christina Hendricks? The ginger with ginormous clevage? In 'Firefly'? I know what I'm going to be rewatching....Aye, she did two episodes. Someone on here broke it to me that she's not a real ginger which is a little disappointing. She's a ginger at heart though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monster Zero Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Aye, she did two episodes. Someone on here broke it to me that she's not a real ginger which is a little disappointing. She's a ginger at heart though.What was the plot line of the episodes...was she the one that the captain dude married? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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