Interesting point regarding network pressure. An alternate take on that is that the very severity of the networks (poor auidence reaction = cancelled mid season) leads to a greater neccessity for better writing.

Had Ricky Gervais wanted, he could have written endless series' of The Office or Extras, regardless of quality. This simply would not happen in the US. There is no sentimentality or cosy creator/show/network relationships. If The Office: American Workplace starts dropping its standards, it will be cancelled - and it nearly was midway through it's first season. But it wasn't, and guess what, four seasons later it is still maintaining an incredible standard.

And as for not relating to the 'character or the situations'. People are pretty much universal in their issues. You should be a little more open minded perhaps. One love.
 

[quote name="manchester's trendy chorlton" post="156562" date="
And as for not relating to the 'character or the situations'. People are pretty much universal in their issues. You should be a little more open minded perhaps. One love.
[/quote]
Yes I am new to ths planet and I watched one American show and didn't like it! Must try harder to be assimilated - get a McDonalds, watch The Simpsons, ... wow these American shows are fantastic aren't they!?



 

A very well considered response, good luck in your career as a writer and musician. Keep waving that flag!
 

Quote: manchester's trendy chorlton @ May 16 2008, 9:11 AM BST

If The Office: American Workplace starts dropping its standards, it will be cancelled.

View original

No, if it starts dropping audience figures, it will be cancelled. An audience drop might be DUE to a drop in standards, but this isn't always the case.
 

Well said chips.
Countless shows I've thought have been fantastic - well written, hilarious, well acted, have been cancelled due to lower viewing figures than they wanted.
Incredibly frustrating.
Sometimes (often) they don't give a show time to build up from word of mouth etc, they could have achieved those viewing figures if they'd given it a chance.
 

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We shouldn't be arguing in front of the map.
Murray Hewitt
 

Quote: zooo @ May 16 2008, 10:39 AM BST

Well said chips.
Countless shows I've thought have been fantastic - well written, hilarious, well acted, have been cancelled due to lower viewing figures than they wanted.
Incredibly frustrating.
Sometimes they don't give a show time.

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Arrested Development, anyone?
 

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Ooh, that's a surprise, he's not a fat pensioner.
 

Quote: manchester's trendy chorlton @ May 16 2008, 10:23 AM BST

A very well considered response, good luck in your career as a writer and musician. Keep waving that flag!

View original

You will note that I did not address your main response because it was a well-considered and interesting point. However, when you took it upon yourself to take a dig at me for not being open-minded - despite not knowing anything about me or my life experience - then I chose to be less than serious in my reply. Lo and behold you come back with another dig at me. I have noted that certain people in these forums can not resist being judgemental about the person they are speaking to when they do not share the same opinion as them.
 

Let it wash over you, Alan, otherwise you just end up getting involved in lots of little petty squabbles about nothing.
 

Good points, and I certainly accept that some shows have been cut off beofre their time.

however, I still think that this harsh system serves to eliminate poor work and failing shows. The cost will be that one or two will be cut off unduly - unfortunate, but better than countless shows being allowed to go on when they clearly are not working.
 

I think there's probably an awful lot of dreary and ordinary shows that trundle on for years in the states, but the channels here tend to cherry pick the best ones for us to watch.
 

Possibly (probably) on the minor networks. Certainly not on the majors.
 

Quote: chipolata @ May 16 2008, 10:57 AM BST

I think there's probably an awful lot of dreary and ordinary shows that trundle on for years in the states, but the channels here tend to cherry pick the best ones for us to watch.

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Frasier went through a very mediocre period towards the end before coming back with a strong-ish final series.
 

You're right, it did. It really rallied towards the end and got back to what had made it so great in the first place.
 

May I thank all of those who have made suggestions as to which sitcoms they would bring back...
 

Perfect World.

Perfect World. Perfect World. Perfect World. Perfect World.

My God, I want more episodes.
 

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Aaron
BSG Forums & DVDs Editor
Half man, half Internet, half TV.
(Loyal follower of The Magical Aura of Laura.)