MovieChat Forums > Flashforward (2009) Discussion > just watched the whole thing,spoilers sp...

just watched the whole thing,spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers

posted 11 years ago by ib011f9545i
3 replies | jump to latest

I only saw the first 2 episodes when it was on tv (in Britain)so was glad to buy the dvd cheap and catch up.

But after watching 22 episodes in a week I am disappointed by the fact that the series was cancelled without making a proper ending.

I like Americans but they often come on IMDB and ask why British tv has so few episodes,I might ask why have so many episodes if you can't provide a proper ending to a drama

I liked what was actually made and shown but the way it was ended meant that the plot did not make resolve any of the questions raised by the previous episodes.

[–] klakkette 11 years ago

Completely agree. I've just finished watching it, the idea had so much promise but was obviously expecting a second series as it was left so open.

[–] readerf61 11 years ago

American tv isn't by subscription--is that the right word? Network tv is run by executives that make decisions based on how much money they can get from advertisers which in turn is dependent on how many viewers in the desired (18-39 years old) demographic.

If I understand it correctly BBC is like public supported tv here, PBS. They run marathons of popular shows interrupted by requests for pledges of money every 20 minutes or so. This happens about two times a year.

And I think ITV is like our premium channels, one must pay their cable company extra or the signal is blocked.

What we are seeing here is a shift to a more "British" style with 6-13 episodes in a season on premium channels.

But network tv is still using the model they have always used, even though it is becoming less effective for the very reason you are unhappy. Really good tv doesn't get the "numbers" it needs to sell advertising so it is cancelled. People are unwilling to invest time into a 22 episode show for fear it will be cancelled. It is a vicious cycle

Less episodes mean a smaller time commitment, that is why Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and Game of Thrones are not only really good shows, but they also have loyal followers. Plus, since subscribers pay for these shows by paying for premium channels, the executives are less concerned with demo numbers.

[–] ib011f9545i 10 years ago

The BBC is funded by the public who have to buy a licence to watch tv,but the BBC has no adverts and they don't need to appeal to the public with telethons.
ITV is funded by adverts,so every 15 minutes we get some idiot trying to sell us something.

We have cable/sat companies who we have to pay to watch but a lot of their content is not produced by them,often American productions which will be on free to air channels much later.

I understand your comments but I am not 100 per cent convinced that even quality shows need to have so many episodes,popular shows seem to go on forever but their is little story or character development,plots repeat themselves.