I don't understand how British people even watch scripted shows when they're typically only 3-4 episodes and you have to wait 2 YEARS for a new season. I lose interest in shows just waiting a few months...
shareIt's still better than 21-24 watered down episodes americans make
shareTrue, but the 10-12 episode structure used by cable networks I think is good middle ground. 3-4 episodes just seems way underwhelming, especially when you've waited 2 years for them.
shareDo most series only have 3/4 episodes? Pretty sure it's usually 6. With too many episodes programs usually end up becoming formulaic and have nothing interesting about them.
shareWell said. 10-12 is a good balance. There's too much filler when seasons have 22/24 episodes.
Formerly RIP_Matthew_Abaddon.
Yeah but in most instances those are written entirely by the creators and are a consistent quality.
Other structures that go beyond 8 episodes are written by a team of writers and not all are on the same wavelength so there's definite quality drops.
It's still better than 21-24 watered down episodes americans makeI'd agree with you... if we were still in the 90's. Most American shows (of note) are 10 to 13 episodes (HBO, FX, AMC, etc). There are still some shows on network TV (ABC, FOX, CBS, and NBC) that follow the over 20 episode format, but those hardly get any acclaim or major attention.
I never saved anything for the swim back.share
There are still some shows on network TV (ABC, FOX, CBS, and NBC) that follow the over 20 episode format, but those hardly get any acclaim or major attention.
Last season (2015-2016) the two most watched US series were The Big Bang Theory and NCIS. Both with 24 episodes.
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Sorry if my linguistic skills aren't good enough. English is not my first language.
but there isn't a serial story line ...
shareI agree about the hiatus part, but I like fewer episodes with longer run times. It usually guarantees quality and means I don't have to binge watch 14-20 episodes of something.
Wildcattin'...Wildcattin'. Pow! I'm gonna go.
Some UK shows are on 3 times a week, every week forever, like Eastenders or most soaps and some dramas.
Some shows have a run of 6-8 episodes, sometimes a longer, and they will be back once a year. Not sure how long a season of Downton Abbey is but pretty sure it's more than 3 or 4 episodes. 12? Dr Who has maybe 12 episodes a year, every year. A Dr Who fan can correct me on this.
This is because many quality shows depend on the same writer or two writers doing the whole thing, whereas US comedies or dramas have a writers pool.
I think both methods can be effective.
A Doctor (not Dr) Who fan here. From 2005 onwards, every series (season) has 12 or 13 episodes + a Christmas special, but... not every year has a series. This year there isn't one, for example.
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Sorry if my linguistic skills aren't good enough. English is not my first language.
British shows are written by one or two people which makes the writing process longer. It also makes the characters stronger and the stories better. It's why when America try to remake them it fails as a pool of writers all have different ideas experiences etc which convolutes the story. British writers rend to know when they've had enough of a good thing and end things before they jump the shark.
shareBritish shows are written by one or two people which makes the writing process longer. It also makes the characters stronger and the stories better. It's why when America try to remake them it fails as a pool of writers all have different ideas experiences etc which convolutes the story. British writers rend to know when they've had enough of a good thing and end things before they jump the shark.I think that has more to do with one of the lesser quality networks (FOX, CBS, Syfy, etc) trying to make some quick/easy money. The better networks (FX, HBO, Showtime, etc) probably wouldn't remake a show and if they did they'd put some effort behind it, like HBO making Westworld a TV show.
I never saved anything for the swim back.share
Didn't do Aidan Turner and Russell Tovey any harm ;).
But again America did try to remake both of these and even at its worst the British one was still better as the characters were better written..
Westworld is a remake of a film, not a British TV series and it's this they suck at.
I'm aware that Westworld was a movie, my point was remakes/adaptations can be good when someone puts time and effort into - the same goes for HBO with Game of Thrones. I wouldn't expect any Syfy show to be all that good, whether it's a British remake or not - other than BSG, Farscape, Magicians and maybe one or two other shows they haven't had anything good for the last 20 years. If a good network had taken Being Human it easily could've been good. The Misfits US remake is aiming to start next year - it's on some back channel I never heard of, so I'm not expecting much. Once again, if someone like FX had taken it could've been good, but someone like them aims for original stuff or remaking something Americans have heard of like Fargo.
To me, British actors often hurt the thing that made them famous and stand out in the first place because it seems like they're so thirsty for fame. Nathan from Misfits is easily one of my favorite characters, but then the actor leaves, they give the character some BS excuse, and I see the actor doing a lame Nicholas Cage movie that might've gone straight to DVD/blu-ray, SMH.
I never saved anything for the swim back.share
I wouldn't expect much off of any British remake even if it was a good channel as most of the comedic nuance is lost. I would expect even if a decent channel redo misfits it'll still be awful as they will lose the British humour.
The American office is bloody awful compared to the British one yet has a bigger budget. The British being human didn't have a big budget yet it was better simply because the writing/actors/comedy was better.
The worst example was the inbetweeners which was quite frankly awful.
I'm awaiting the failure of the American remake of fresh meat
The Office remake is very good and has some amazingly funny moments.
The remake of Shameless is just as good as the original.
Being Human is also very good.
The days of failed UK remakes are in the past and it sounds boring and repetetive to bash on about it when it no longer applies.
Real Humans is far superior to UK Humans.
Westworld is average at best.
Being Human, Misfits, Shameless all lost their cast. UK shows are generally crap and the best ones only give 2 good seasons, see above.
Stop living in the past. There are no good UK drama shows anymore. NOTHING.
It's called subjectivity.
I think the us office and shameless are awful.
And there are plenty of decent dramas and comedies from the UK.
American comedy is generally piss poor.
I can only think of 2 shows here in the UK that have that format- this show and Sherlock. And Sherlock only has that format because Cumberbatch is always busy off filming something else.
I can think of so many American shows that ive loved and that have just been cancelled. Im happy to wait 2 years for new episodes of a show if it means it wont just get cancelled.
There are others with short seasons as well, even if they aren't quite as short. Luther, The Office and Misfits come to mind.
shareI'd rather have less of better quality that resonate long after watching than more that all merge into one.
Besides, the very nature of the short stories means that you don't have to plough through them like a marathon box set but rather pick and choose the moment when you can fit one in.
It's a shame there aren't more but novel, clever ideas do take time to create.
Small moves Ellie, small moves
Many British TV series (Sherlock) are 1 1/2 hours in length (if you add time for commercials).
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