Event Horizon

Commercial TV: Dead or Alive?

There is a pattern in entertainment technology in which new advances that allow consumers to enjoy media in new ways becomes a perceived threat to the entertainment industry and they fight back, trying to stifle the innovative technology. This happened with the introduction of the VCR in the 1980s, when entertainment industry executives (most notably Jack Valenti) said that personal video recorders would destroy the movie industry as people would stay at home rather than go out to movies. Of course, it was later demonstrated that the introduction of VCR's didn't bring on the end of Hollywood as we know it, and in fact opened up a new market for selling movie to consumers. Most recently, the development of digital video recorders (DVRs) like TiVo prompted doomsayers in the industry to say that it would lead to the end of commercial television. So, after the hype and the doom and gloom, what is the reality? The latest Nielsen numbers show (Tech Trader Daily) more TV being watched than ever before, even with DVRs. Personally, I found that owning a DVR didn't make me watch more TV, it's just that when I'm ready to watch TV, it's something that I want to watch rather than whatever happens to be on. As for the fear of DVR owners skipping commercials, I do actually end up watching them, usually those at the start of the commercial break and at the end, and I almost always watch my favorite commercials. That Geico gecko cracks me up every time. So, loosen up Hollywood, the technology trends are always changing, don't be afraid, just understand that people want what you offer, they love your product, they just want to consume it on their own terms. Once you understand this, you will learn to work with your customers and make a lot of money in the process.

Sci-Fi on Fall TV

Just when I was about to give on on network TV's reality-show-wasteland, Fox has stepped up and is offering several new sci-fi drama series, coming this fall (Wired - Sci-Fi Shows Set to Dominate Fox's Fall Linup):

If you're already starting to feel pangs of anxiety about the nearing conclusion of sci-fi soap opera Battlestar Galactica, rest assured -- this fall, you can expect your TiVo to be working overtime. Fox is stepping up to try and fill that programming void with a series of sci-fi sagas slated to hit the airwaves.

Virtuality and Fringe sound promising. And the new Joss Whedon show, Dollhouse, is bound to attract a rabid fan following, but in the interest of attracting a larger fan base (and bigger ratings), I'd like to suggest to Joss Whedon that the name of the series be changed. Look, we know that a sci-fi show is going after a largely young male demographic, and you are not going to appeal to them with a show whose name is more appropriate to something on the Lifetime network. It's just not going to work. All I'm saying is, if the show is canceled, I'm blaming the name.

Galactica Returns

I've mentioned before that my favorite TV series tend to be quickly canceled and replaced by reality TV shows (so long Jericho). Battlestar Galactica is one television series that I really like that has not been canceled. It returns tonight for the final season. The best sci-fi combines contemporary issues (the War on Terrorism) and adds some speculation on how science and technology (machine intelligence) will change humans. Battlestar Galactica is an outstanding example of this sci-fi tradition. For those new to this stunning accomplishment in sci-fi entertainment, here is a quick eight minute recap of the entire series thus far:

Writers Strike Ends

The writers strike is over (AP- Writers Vote to End 3-Month Strike):

The move allows some TV series to return this spring with a handful of new episodes. It also clears the way for the Academy Awards to be staged on Feb. 24 without the threat of pickets or a boycott by actors that would have dulled the glamour of Hollywood's signature celebration.

Oh, ok, it wasn't about the TV series, it was the Academy Awards that provided the motivation to end that strike. Well, whatever, I supported the writers. Still, I have to admit that I have not been hurting for TV entertainment, what with new Jericho, Smallville, Supernatural, Stargate Atlantis, Sarah Connor Chronicles, Kyle XY and Torchwood, I've not been feeling at all deprived.

Reality TV?

Yet another reality TV series has debuted to impressive ratings (TV Decoder - ‘Moment of Truth:’ More Proof That We Like to See People Squirm):

“The Moment of Truth,” Fox’s new game show in which contestants are asked provocative questions after having been hooked up to a lie detector, passed its own first test with flying colors, drawing particularly impressive ratings in its debut on Wednesday at 9 p.m. According to Nielsen’s estimates, the show delivered 23.2 million viewers, more than any series premiere on any network in nearly a year.

I'm not really surprised by this, but I am mystified. I don't really care for reality TV shows and I've hoped (for a long time now) that this trend in TV programming would end. Apparently, it's not going away. What is the appeal of reality TV? Can someone explain it to me? One of the reasons the writers strike means something to me is that I like TV shows written by professionals, directed by professionals, produced my professionals, and performed by professional actors. Reality shows are not entertainment to me because they are not about anything, there's no story, no narrative, nothing that defines the standard fare of episodic TV. This latest show just seems creepy to me, like some kind of college psych experiment writ large. I don't get it. Am I the only one who doesn't like reality TV?

The Sarah Connor Chronicles

As the writers strike continues to decimate my Now Playing list, I'm happy to find a new television series to invest some time in. Fox has debuted a new sci-fi TV series called Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles that picks up where Terminator 2: Judgment Day ends. What did you think of the series debut? I really enjoyed it, the production values were high, the f/x were credible, and the ensemble cast did a great job. Summer Glau won me over in her role as the protective terminator, though I did keep flashing back to her role in Firefly, I'm sure I'll get over it. I was hoping that they would explain one of the logical dilemmas posed in T2: Why would the Skynet artificial intelligence decide to destroy humanity using nuclear weapons, when presumably nuclear weapons would be just as toxic to machine intelligence (due to electromagnetic pulse radiation) as to humans? Sadly, this small question was not addressed. Still, I liked what I saw and will keep watching. I think it's a winner, but then again, my sense of what constitutes a winning show is somewhat questionable, as I tend to like good shows that are canceled by their networks. I liked Journeyman and The 4,400, both high quality shows with great casts, and both canceled fairly recently. Still, I'm willing to invest in good programming as long as they keep producing it. TV Squad has some interesting discussion going on about the first two episodes, it's worth a look. I'm not as negative as many of those commenting, I tend to think that pilot episodes are often the worst episodes in a series run, after all, they have to introduce us to the series, real character development (which I always think of as the heart of a show) comes later after the writers (and the actors) find their footing.

House vs. Reaper

I'm not watching House anymore, at least not until they bring the old team back. I'm not interested in a new team, nor am I interested in the process of House selecting a new team. I enjoyed House because it was a great ensemble drama, and if you remove 1/2 of the cast, well, it's just not the same show. I think I'll watch Reaper for a while, see what that is about.

The Bionic Woman

I really wanted to like the new NBC series The Bionic Woman. Really. And there's nothing wrong with this remake, it's has everything you would expect it to have, everything the basic plot requires (the setup, the romantic interest, the villain), but there just seems to me to be something missing, some energy or feeling that is lacking. The real stumbling block, for me, was the lead actress, Michelle Ryan, she just doesn't have any screen presence, doesn't really fill the role. Perhaps the casting director wanted someone who could portray the robotic aspects of a cyborg and so the actress is giving a robotic performance? I found myself wishing that perhaps they would kill off her character and rehabilitate the first (and now evil nemesis) bionic woman, played by Katee Sackhoff, now that would be an interesting show! There are things I did enjoy about the show, the inside joke of so many cast members being BSG alums (as in Cylons on a cyborg show, get it?) was a fun twist. I'll probably watch the next few episodes to see how it develops, but I was not impressed with this premier episode.

Journeyman

I watched the series premier of Journeyman on NBC tonight. I have to admit that I was prepared to not like this time travel show because they break a fundamental rule of sci-fi storytelling. If you are going to have a time travel plot, you have to set up a plot device to explain the time travel and the writers don't do that in this show. In other similar series, time travel is facilitated by a time machine (Dr. Who), a powerful alien (Star Trek TNG), wormhole technology (Stargate), or some other kind of technological means (Quantum Leap) and once the plot device is explained, the writers can then mine the past for interesting story lines that allow for social and/or political commentary. In this new series, the main character finds himself inexplicably sent back into the past, and he can't control when it happens or where he ends up, he simply has to cope with his new surroundings while trying to figure out why he is there. Of course, the idea that he is sent back to a specific time to perform a specific mission clues us into the fact that there is some purposive mechanism at work, we just don't know who or what is behind it all but they do hold out the hope that this will be explained as the series progresses. And, as much as I expected to not like this premise, I found myself liking this show, mostly because the characters are very well developed and the actors skilled at demonstrating the kind of angst this kind of situation would bring out in their characters. So, count me in for the journey, man.

New Fall TV Season

As the new TV season approaches I'm looking forward to the new TV shows, particularly The Journeyman, The Bionic Woman, Chuck, and Moonlight. As a sci-fi fan, when major networks launch new sci-fi shows, I'll be there. But given the history of sci-fi on network television, I realize these shows will have to struggle to find an audience and may well face early cancellation.

Maureen Ryan over at The Watcher blog had previously posted some thoughts on A TV viewer's Bill of Rights, it's a great list and well worth a look. I'd like to suggest that one important right omitted from her list is the right to know what would have happened had a show not been canceled. Otherwise, what really is the point of starting? Why should I, as a viewer, invest my time in a new show when there is no guarantee that the show will suceed and that the plot will be resolved?

Many networks are already taking advantage of video streaming, blogs, and chats with cast and crew to promote a viewer fanbase. I'd like to suggest that these technologies can not only boost interest in ongoing shows, but can also minimize the damage to the network brand when shows are canceled. It would help retain viewer loyalty if, when their favorite shows are canceled, the networks could use these technologies to allow the writers, directors and producers to share with their audience how a show may have ended, what they had in mind, and in that way to allow for the closure that may otherwise never occur. The networks can also take the opportunity to pitch the for-pay streaming episodes of the canceled shows and sell the DVDs. If they think about the long tail here, they can still make money on canceled shows.

Watching a new show is a gamble and the networks can still guarantee a payoff by using these new technologies to fill in the gaps and answer questions posted by the abrupt cancellation of a TV show. For a sci-fi show, this matters, especially if the fate of the world hangs in the balance.