I actually wasn't planning on responding to this one and then I had more thoughts. Damn these never-ending thoughts about television that refuse to leave me alone! (Also, I'm not sure if any of this is actually responding to your comment. It may just end up sounding like random thoughts that were inspired by your comments, but then spun of in strange directions.)
Hugh Laurie has come such a long way from Blackaddar, especially in way of his insults, but I do often miss the old days - before all the biting snark and crippling angst. I shall admit, the only reason I've stuck with House so long is the slashy subtext.
/Over here we don't really expect to be told in advance where you guys do, eg different reaction/
That I shall except as being a general rule of thumb for television culture in the two places. Mind you, I don't think it is a ridiculous expectation to think that I will be told my favorite show is ending. Letting a loyal audience tune in excitedly to watch an episode of their beloved show and not know that you plan to end it all is just cruel. There is no other word for it.
/Compare Lost with Life on Mars./
Okay. Each show has a very specific story to tell. The story for Life on Mars was eight episodes long. (Yes, I do ignore second season because it was completely unnecessary.) The story for LOST is going to be 115 episodes long. (Yes, I actually went and counted).
There is, I think a significant difference in that UK shows generally take on shorter story-lines and fit a lot more into a few episodes. US shows aren't afraid to take on long stories and like to draw things out. BUT, I don't think that that difference, in itself, means any difference in quality. There is nothing wrong with long-running shows like LOST and Battlestar so long as they can keep the standards of good tv.
Aaand, I can't help but mention that there is no US show that has lasted a whopping 757 episodes the way a certain UK show has *cough*DoctorWho*cough*.
/re: British v. American reactions/
Americans are very used to shows ending. On our revolving door of many networks, there are dozens of new shows that start every few months. Many of them last only six episodes before they are unceremoniously pulled from the air. 'Drive' and 'Wonderfalls' only made it four episodes. However, in these cases, we can blame poor ratings ("Stupid average television viewers who don't see good television when it's right in front of them!") or we can blame heartless studio execs ("DAMN YOU, FOX!").
But, it's so very different when the people making the decision to end the show are the writers/directors/creators. It feels like betrayal. And I don't even think I'm really talking about Torchwood anymore because TW needed to end eventually and I have no objection to the way it ended, (especially since Ianto isn't really dead, nanogenes and all).
My frustration is really more along the lines of "NOW you have good writing? You guys couldn't have been writing good episodes for the past two years?!? You give us two shitty seasons, make us love you and then yank it off the air? How come you couldn't have started out this way?!?"
Totally went off topic in that reply, but I did my best =)
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Re: In my defense,
Date: 2009-07-20 12:14 am (UTC)Hugh Laurie has come such a long way from Blackaddar, especially in way of his insults, but I do often miss the old days - before all the biting snark and crippling angst. I shall admit, the only reason I've stuck with House so long is the slashy subtext.
/Over here we don't really expect to be told in advance where you guys do, eg different reaction/
That I shall except as being a general rule of thumb for television culture in the two places. Mind you, I don't think it is a ridiculous expectation to think that I will be told my favorite show is ending. Letting a loyal audience tune in excitedly to watch an episode of their beloved show and not know that you plan to end it all is just cruel. There is no other word for it.
/Compare Lost with Life on Mars./
Okay. Each show has a very specific story to tell. The story for Life on Mars was eight episodes long. (Yes, I do ignore second season because it was completely unnecessary.) The story for LOST is going to be 115 episodes long. (Yes, I actually went and counted).
There is, I think a significant difference in that UK shows generally take on shorter story-lines and fit a lot more into a few episodes. US shows aren't afraid to take on long stories and like to draw things out. BUT, I don't think that that difference, in itself, means any difference in quality. There is nothing wrong with long-running shows like LOST and Battlestar so long as they can keep the standards of good tv.
Aaand, I can't help but mention that there is no US show that has lasted a whopping 757 episodes the way a certain UK show has *cough*DoctorWho*cough*.
/re: British v. American reactions/
Americans are very used to shows ending. On our revolving door of many networks, there are dozens of new shows that start every few months. Many of them last only six episodes before they are unceremoniously pulled from the air. 'Drive' and 'Wonderfalls' only made it four episodes. However, in these cases, we can blame poor ratings ("Stupid average television viewers who don't see good television when it's right in front of them!") or we can blame heartless studio execs ("DAMN YOU, FOX!").
But, it's so very different when the people making the decision to end the show are the writers/directors/creators. It feels like betrayal. And I don't even think I'm really talking about Torchwood anymore because TW needed to end eventually and I have no objection to the way it ended, (especially since Ianto isn't really dead, nanogenes and all).
My frustration is really more along the lines of "NOW you have good writing? You guys couldn't have been writing good episodes for the past two years?!? You give us two shitty seasons, make us love you and then yank it off the air? How come you couldn't have started out this way?!?"
Totally went off topic in that reply, but I did my best =)