What is it with the American TV networks?

[MinionZombie]

Now, love it or lump it, "Lost" is suffering from American-network-bollocky-itis... Season 3 - they show 6 episodes, one a week (not even a double episode premier, the stingy bastards) up until (and including) this week. Just when things are getting rolling, people are shouting "RUN!!" and the cameraman is having a shake-attack the episode ends ... and now we have to wait ... THREE F*CKING MONTHS ...for the next episode (3x07). Now that has got to be the most retarded thing I've ever heard of. It's bad enough that South Park gets split in two every year now, but at least their episodes don't connect. Lost however, is such a show that connects. 3 months off after only 6 episodes isn't going to do viewer continuity much good, let alone viewer loyalty. At least Fox got it right - eventually - with 24 when Season 4 rocked up. One episode a week from start to finish - but with a double premiere and double finale ... maybe a double episode mid-way through as well. Heck, they nailed it and then flung it outta the park with Season 5 - FOUR episode premier over two nights, a double in the middle and a double at the end, with not one single week off - IDEAL. For cryin' out loud, when will the other networks learn from British TV, or at least from 24 and Fox (who did leave SIX weeks between episodes 3 and 4 of the new seasons of Simpsons, Family Guy and American Dad after all). *sigh* Nothin' like a rant...

[dmbfanintn]

Yessiree, we were very much pissed about the 6 episode "mini-season". That is Bullocks (Oh my, the filter has me talking all British!). I agree totally Minion, tis a bit ridiculous!

[_liam_]

lol we do seem to have our scheduling sorting here, you can set your watch by the new series of doctor who every year. but er, apart from that what decent drama do we have? suppose to be fair they are repeating "this life"

[MinionZombie]

Mind you, our scheduling isn't always spot on - for instance, Top Gear. Now I've been rewatching a bunch of episodes I downloaded for keeps (they damn well cut out 15 to 20 minutes so they fit within an hour on Sky ) and so many times Clarkson ends with saying they're back next week at a different time because of snooker or women's football (surely more of an afternoon thing?) or that they're back week after next/in two weeks/in FIVE weeks (latter because of the world-friggin-cup, happened again this year). A bit of a cheek really, when Top Gear is watched by a quarter of a billion people around the world in 100 countries and is one of the BBC's top programmes ... hmmm. Generally though - yes, you can set your watch by our programming. Back to Top Gear and it's always on at the same times of year ... well, for the first time it's been a bit moved around because of Hammond's 300mph jet car crash, but they're back in January apparently, WOOT!

[_liam_]

not even (near) death can stop them! top gear is excellent, and i don't really give a crap about cars... did you ever see when clarkson had his own show, he made a potato bazooka using a frozen turkey and a rubbish bin? fired it at a widescreen tv. THAT is how i want my license money spent.

[MinionZombie]

lol, no I did not see that, but I would like to! hehe I've seen a bunch of his "Car Years" and the one where he goes around the world (that show that is very, very 1995). We need more people like Clarkson - he speaks a lot of sense and doesn't bow to any political correctness beyond the original - and just - use of the term (i.e. to not discriminate against races or sexes or ages - banning "ba ba blacksheep" is not political correctness, it's political bollocks). Top Gear is a top show, I'm not very into cars, but I am more so now from watching Top Gear and I do love to drive, I even learnt how to properly take a corner from watching Top Gear (series 8 when Jacky Stewart said break before the corner and only press the accelerator when you know you won't need to take it off) and it bloody works a treat. They speak a lot of sense on that show, especially when discussing things like the real purpose of speed cameras (if they were for saving lives the 10 most dangerous stretches of road - about 100 miles worth - would have more than 4 speed cameras on them - at the time they said it, but now it's probably not much more on those stretches). They also speak a lot of common sense about this whole black box £1.34 a mile garbage - the reason why we have congestion is because everyone needs to be in the same place at the same time for the same reason - WORK/SCHOOL. *ahem* Gonna acquire Clarkson's latest video "the good, the bad and the ugly" soon, but ahhhh Top Gear, how I love it so. Their challenges are top notch (the races - of course - or the 1500 quid car challenges and a myriad of other ones). Wooooo! Top Gear! Even a jet car flying at 300mph upside down in a field won't stop it!

[Dawg]

I thought the f**king season just got started and they said season finale. But, you got to realize that at this time of year, it is due to the Holiday Season approaching. (Not that they shoot the damn thing during that time, I mean... really!) They do it to drag the crap out. After last season or so of running constant repeats and those annoying narranted episodes that felt like the old school 'flashback' episodes where the whole family would gather around and talk about what happened when. Annoying as hell! Survivor pulled that crap a couple of weeks ago. Anyone watching Jerico though? Love it! Just throw in some zombies and we'll have an emmy winner on our hands! :-) Dawg

[MinionZombie]

The least they could do would be to show it up till the Xmas holidays start, take about 3 weeks off (if they simply must) and then return. With a show such as Lost, it's coherency depends on continuity from week to week ... when will (whatever network do Lost, ABC?) they learn?!

[Eyebiter]

Most network tv shows in the US are 25% commercials - it's almost impossible to watch without a TIVO. Example: Watched 'My Name is Earl' Thursday night - they showed the credits, 7 commercials, then began the program. From a half hour timeslot there was only 22 minutes of programming. Battlestar Galatica episodes in the US are 5 minutes shorter than the UK versions due to more commericals.

[MinionZombie]

lol, I know what you mean. While the UK's addiction to advertising on TV isn't quite as bad, we do have "ABC 1" on Sky and that channel is constructed in the American way. 1) Opening scene + titles 2) Adverts!!! 3) First half 4) Adverts!!! 5) Second half 6) Adverts!!! 7) About 30 seconds of credits usually with a scene at the end 8) Channel ident 9) Cut straight to the next show and the cycle begins again Damn that is annoying. If I was ever in America watching TV, I think I too would have to get a TiVo, it's unbearable trying to watch ABC 1 now and then, so yeesh, for ALL channels ... blimey. Speaking of adverts, I loved how 24 season 1 was shown on BBC2 (the BBC don't have adverts, they funded by a tax paid by the public known as the "tv license") so it wasn't an hour long, it was nearly-45 minutes instead, haha. "Previously on Nearly 45 Minutes" ... not quite as catchy...

[Adrenochrome]

Most network tv shows in the US are 25% commercials - it's almost impossible to watch without a TIVO. Oh, how I abhor commercials!! I have actually shot a TV over a commercial...it was back in `92 (?) when Nancy Kerrigan was ever so popular with her little horse-face self. It was a Cambell's Soup commercial, to be exact. Miss Kerrigan was (while draped in fuzzy warm special FX) dramatically whisping her arms through the air as she tied the laces of one of her skates. According to said add, IF I supped on a piping hot bowl of their over salted, lard flavored nutirment, I could skate like an Olympic Champion!! Instead, I shot the TV. On another occasion I picked up (another) TV and threw it from my second story window into the street, smashing it to bits. Then, once, I threw a rock into the screen.......wow,......and again, I put one in a closet while violently shaking my fist at it with Basil Fawlty-like violence screaming, "Take that, you filthy bastard!" Now, all of these instances took place in the `90's - I'm much better now. But, yeah....commercials in the US Suck maggot infested BEANBAG!! Speaking of Fawlty Towers (Basil comment).....did anyone know that Connie Boothe was the Daughter-in-law of Bert Lahr - The Cowardly Lion in 1939's The Wizard of Oz?

[_liam_]

yeah the last time i went to the US i found it a bit over the top the way theyd play the title sequence of the simpsons, then an ad break, then 4 or so more during the show, and then one at the end, and when it came back, they just played the credits! we usually have one break every 15-20 minutes.

[MinionZombie]

Instead, I shot the TV. That's so brilliantly American (in a good, entertaining way), I love it. I just had the image of that bit in The Simpson's in the Itchy & Scratchy cartoon where Elvis grumbles "ah this ain't no good" and shoots the TV (with the cat's head in it). Lovin' it...