Comments on: Be Like the Brits http://moviehawk.net/2006/08/30/be-like-the-brits/ Sporadic ramblings on pop phenomena. Thu, 27 Jan 2011 22:29:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Mark http://moviehawk.net/2006/08/30/be-like-the-brits/comment-page-1/#comment-43 Mark Sat, 09 Sep 2006 02:12:52 +0000 http://moviehawk.net/2006/08/30/be-like-the-brits/#comment-43 This has long been item #1 for when I become a network head. My plan would also encourage the actors of sucessful shows to stay together, but on a different show. I would think that would be the best of both worlds (and there wouldn't be anybody saying, "to me Jason Alexander will always be George," because under my (and yours and the Beeb's) plan, he would have only been George for about three years, tops). This has long been item #1 for when I become a network head. My plan would also encourage the actors of sucessful shows to stay together, but on a different show. I would think that would be the best of both worlds (and there wouldn’t be anybody saying, “to me Jason Alexander will always be George,” because under my (and yours and the Beeb’s) plan, he would have only been George for about three years, tops).

]]> By: chris http://moviehawk.net/2006/08/30/be-like-the-brits/comment-page-1/#comment-31 chris Fri, 01 Sep 2006 15:33:02 +0000 http://moviehawk.net/2006/08/30/be-like-the-brits/#comment-31 You just mentioned several shows(Scrubs, Lost, The Office) that already have a ton more episodes than British shows. You just mentioned several shows(Scrubs, Lost, The Office) that already have a ton more episodes than British shows.

]]> By: Jeff Martin http://moviehawk.net/2006/08/30/be-like-the-brits/comment-page-1/#comment-30 Jeff Martin Thu, 31 Aug 2006 22:38:57 +0000 http://moviehawk.net/2006/08/30/be-like-the-brits/#comment-30 Spot on, Beth. "Friends," though one of my favorite shows of all time, dragged on for far too long. There are some nice moments here and there up to the 8th season, but there was only one or two good laughs in season 9 and 10 was terrible. I'll have to look over those figures, though. I do own all the DVDs, after all. sigh... Spot on, Beth. “Friends,” though one of my favorite shows of all time, dragged on for far too long. There are some nice moments here and there up to the 8th season, but there was only one or two good laughs in season 9 and 10 was terrible.

I’ll have to look over those figures, though. I do own all the DVDs, after all.

sigh…

]]> By: Elizabeth http://moviehawk.net/2006/08/30/be-like-the-brits/comment-page-1/#comment-29 Elizabeth Thu, 31 Aug 2006 19:01:36 +0000 http://moviehawk.net/2006/08/30/be-like-the-brits/#comment-29 Friends is the quintessential example of a show that overstayed its welcome and therefore lost its credibility. The final season, and especially the final episodes, all seemed to be cribbed from the just-wrapped final season of Sex and the City--the adoption, the move to Paris, the low-key wedding--but the originals were done with class and finesse. I was sad to see SATC end; I was indifferent to Friend's final episode. And indifference, they say, is worse than death. I think one of the few recent original BBC series that still is running and will run for more than four seasons is Footballers' Wives, which is the trashiest, most glorious soap operas out there. It makes our shows that pretend to be dramas but really are primetime soaps look like weaklings--I doubt Aaron Spelling could have come up with the stories they have. Regardless, soaps tend to lead down such a conviluted path as it is that it makes sense for it to last longer. Just a random BBCAmerica-related-tangent. Friends is the quintessential example of a show that overstayed its welcome and therefore lost its credibility. The final season, and especially the final episodes, all seemed to be cribbed from the just-wrapped final season of Sex and the City–the adoption, the move to Paris, the low-key wedding–but the originals were done with class and finesse. I was sad to see SATC end; I was indifferent to Friend’s final episode. And indifference, they say, is worse than death.

I think one of the few recent original BBC series that still is running and will run for more than four seasons is Footballers’ Wives, which is the trashiest, most glorious soap operas out there. It makes our shows that pretend to be dramas but really are primetime soaps look like weaklings–I doubt Aaron Spelling could have come up with the stories they have. Regardless, soaps tend to lead down such a conviluted path as it is that it makes sense for it to last longer.

Just a random BBCAmerica-related-tangent.

]]> By: Matt http://moviehawk.net/2006/08/30/be-like-the-brits/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Matt Wed, 30 Aug 2006 20:07:43 +0000 http://moviehawk.net/2006/08/30/be-like-the-brits/#comment-27 Everyone knows I'm all for emulating the English as much as possible, so of course I have to throw my two cents in. And I would have singled out <I>The Simpsons</I>, personally. Enough is enough already. UK comics writers have the same tendency, to call it quits when they feel it's time, not when the money dries up. Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, Warren Ellis, and Garth Ennis--to name a few--have ended their most famous series because they told their story and that was that. I admire that. I like to think I'd do the same, instead of going on just because I could. Then again, the Rolling Stones are still making albums; whether that's a good or bad thing I'll let someone else be the judge of. Everyone knows I’m all for emulating the English as much as possible, so of course I have to throw my two cents in. And I would have singled out The Simpsons, personally. Enough is enough already.

UK comics writers have the same tendency, to call it quits when they feel it’s time, not when the money dries up. Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, Warren Ellis, and Garth Ennis–to name a few–have ended their most famous series because they told their story and that was that. I admire that. I like to think I’d do the same, instead of going on just because I could.

Then again, the Rolling Stones are still making albums; whether that’s a good or bad thing I’ll let someone else be the judge of.

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