How Is Technology Changing TV Narrative? | Idea Channel | PBS Digital St...

[orangerful]

Wanted to share this because rogueslayer452 and I were talking about Legend of the Seeker and Firefly and the "what if it was on TV today" scenarios and I felt this was relevant to that discussion.

Comments

[poniesandphotos.livejournal.com]

I may or may not have a crush on Idea Channel guy.

o.O

That issue aside I totally believe that we are moving towards a more naturalized narrative in media. Most people I know watch TV after it airs these days. We just don't have time to sit down and watch it live. Which means that a lot of us get it in bulk. Personally I prefer an arc over an individualized self contained episode. I see most individual episodes that are outside of the arc as "throw aways" in most cases.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Oh I adore him. And I'm not usually into beards but, I sorta love his.

And I totally agree with your comment. I think most of my friends don't even have anything beyond basic cable anymore, because who is home to watch anything in real time? I haven't watch a show right on time in years. Even when I watch "Game of Thrones" I watch it about 10 minutes after it started on "live" TV through HBO Go.

I'm also wondering, with the popularity of shows like American Horror Story and True Detectives, we will start to see short-run shows. I know it's more of a norm in the UK, but I don't feel like US networks have been comfortable with that idea. I'd love to see more QUALITY shows that have just a single season vs these shows that run until you hate them. (Doctor Who doesn't count because it reinvents itself with every new Doctor...which in itself is a HUGE deal for a tv show, changing the main actors on a regular basis, I think it has more in common with American Horror Story style shows in that respect)

wow that reply got long

[poniesandphotos.livejournal.com]

I love beards. His is not my favorite, but it'll do.

I actually enjoy short form British TV shows. I think it allows for better story telling. US shows tend to get drawn out with too little story across too many episodes. I do feel like a lot of shows should be 2-3 seasons shorter than they are. But it seems like it is too hard for producers to pass up a good (money making) thing.

[rhoda-rants.livejournal.com]

Y'know, I had a similar thought not too long ago, that I had previously thought of TV shows as the "short form" of visual media, and movies as the "long form," but lately it's been just the opposite. Serialized television requires you to pay more attention and watch, not just one season from start to finish, but an entire series.

Example 1: When Mom and I were marathoning the sixth series of Doctor Who, Stepdad (who never watches sci-fi) decided he wanted to sit in with us one night. The episode he walked in on was "Let's Kill Hitler." Needless to say, I cackled like I hyena and asked Mom to "explain about the Ponds" while I got the DVD queued up. (He lasted ten minutes, then went into his office to watch sports.)

Example 2: Mom now wants to watch Hannibal with me, and suggested started Season 2 on whatever episode was airing that week. My response was, "NOOOOO, you can't do that! The entire PLOT of Season 1 will be RUINED if you start now!"

That didn't use to happen. And there are still some shows that you can drop in on, but sitcoms are dying in the wake of serialized dramas.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

LOLOLOLOL Let's Kill Hitler would probably be THE worst episode to just plop down in front of the TV and watch. Brilliant.

I have the same reaction with Joss Whedons hows too, though they are probably easier to pick up at the start of a season, there is SO MUCH history to each character and story that it is a disservice to try to pick it up mid-season.

I dunno, I feel like the 9 year run of "The Office" and however long "How I Met Your Mother" was on AND "Big Bang Theory" going and going...are sitcoms really dying? I'm just curious if we have any numbers on that. I bet they are super-cheap to make and probably even more profitable when they hit syndication age (which seems to be less than it used to be, I thought the rule was 100 episodes but I swear they start rerunning them before that now. Maybe it's because all the networks are owned by 3 people)

[rhoda-rants.livejournal.com]

LOLOLOLOL Let's Kill Hitler would probably be THE worst episode to just plop down in front of the TV and watch. Brilliant.

I KNOW!!! Even rewatching the fourth season Buffy was a little confusing; and Mom watched that with me too, and was more lost than I was.

I dunno, I feel like the 9 year run of "The Office" and however long "How I Met Your Mother" was on AND "Big Bang Theory" going and going...are sitcoms really dying?

Eh. . . Maybe not? Maybe serialized dramas are just getting more popular? I dunno. But having the option to marathon things is definitely gaining ground. I didn't realize I wasn't the only one who did that.

[lostacanthus.livejournal.com]

That was pretty interesting! I love when you post these, cause I always forget to go watch them on my own.

Omg and at the end when he was reading the comments from the last one... ughhh I miss Geocities so bad sometimes, lol.