Good TV shows in bad timeslots

duffer

Sensible and not a complete jerk like most oppo's
Scout
Joined
Jun 24, 2004
Messages
53,072
Location
Chelsea (the saviours of football) fan.
Why do TV companies pay for the rights to show great American shows and then bury them at 11.45pm on ITV4?

I'm thinking about things like The Sopranos, Curb your enthusiasm, 30 Rock, The Office, Arrested Development, Seinfeld, The Larry Sanders Show.

Is there any reason for this other than the TV execs being idiots?
 
They do it here as well. Everything is total trash from 6am to 11:59pm, then they put reasonable programmes on when everyone is in bed.

I think it's because the majority of viewers are so brain dead that they want to watch the trash, thus primetime is filled with trash as it brings in higher viewing figures and thus higher advertising revenue.
 
duffer said:
Why do TV companies pay for the rights to show great American shows and then bury them at 11.45pm on ITV4?

I'm thinking about things like The Sopranos, Curb your enthusiasm, 30 Rock, The Office, Arrested Development, Seinfeld, The Larry Sanders Show.

Is there any reason for this other than the TV execs being idiots?
Click to expand...

Sopranos used to be on c4 in a decent time slot, like 10pm?

The Office was on BBC2 wasn't it?

Seinfeld used to have a decent slot too iirc, cos I'd watched it a few times

So in answer to your question. Most the population have probably already watched the shows when they swung round the first time
 
Slevin said:
Sopranos used to be on c4 in a decent time slot, like 10pm? At the start, the last few seasons were in the graveyard slot. The last ever episode started at 11.30, after a repeat of some shit property makeover show.

The Office was on BBC2 wasn't it? meant the brillant US version which is better than any comedy on ITV1 right now but never sees the light of day.

Seinfeld used to have a decent slot too iirc, cos I'd watched it a few times NO, this was late night BBC2 when it should have been primetime.

So in answer to your question. Most the population have probably already watched the shows when they swung round the first time
Click to expand...

Maybe it's because they are all US imports. I really don't know.

Also Channel 4 bought the rights to Curb your enthusiasm but prefer to show repeats of big brother and Friends (Which is a good show but is on 10 times per day on C4 and E4. No joke.).
 
Yeah it is quite strange. I'd like to know what they pay for the shows. I'm guessing it's relatively cheap to import these shows. Making any show yourself costs a bomb.

Much is made of the stupidity of the audience but most have had an exhausting, soul destroying day at work. The last thing they probably want is to get deep in to a drama series.

Besides having now watched a few series on DVD/download, I don't think I would ever go back to watching them on tv. Like reading a book, you can't read one chapter once a week for 24 weeks. It just doesn't work. I devoured the first season of 24 in a weekend.

Also most execs think they should show homegrown programmes at peak times, even if they are total garbage.
 
WeasteDevil said:
They do it here as well. Everything is total trash from 6am to 11:59pm, then they put reasonable programmes on when everyone is in bed.

I think it's because the majority of viewers are so brain dead that they want to watch the trash, thus primetime is filled with trash as it brings in higher viewing figures and thus higher advertising revenue.
Click to expand...

I think your spot on. I think for example a show likeThe Wire unfortunately creates a rod for its own back as its far too intelligent for the average TV viewer so get shoved away in a graveyard slot.

Its unfortunate that what makes the best shows on TV what they are is mainly intelligence and its that same intelligence that turns off the average viewer.
 
BAMSOLA said:
I think your spot on. I think for example a show likeThe Wire unfortunately creates a rod for its own back as its far too intelligent for the average TV viewer so get shoved away in a graveyard slot.

Its unfortunate that what makes the best shows on TV what they are is mainly intelligence and its that same intelligence that turns off the average viewer.
Click to expand...

How is the wire 'too intelligent' for the average viewer?

It's simply a bloody good show and it should get a prime time slot on one of the main channels. We really must have a population of idiots if they can't follow a simple plot line.
 
I_live_cement said:
How is the wire 'too intelligent' for the average viewer?

It's simply a bloody good show and it should get a prime time slot on one of the main channels. We really must have a population of idiots if they can't follow a simple plot line.
Click to expand...

You clearly over estimate the intelligence of the average viewer, The Wire is a show that requires patience. That alone is a commodity which the average viewer does not posses.

Just for the recored Iam a big fan of the Wire, but i do recognise why it has a graveyard slot and its simply because their are not enougth intelligent viewers who are guaranteed to make time to watch it week in week out.

Even most of the intelligent viewer prefer to Buy it on DVD box sets to watch at their own pace.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.