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This made me angry

by Cheryl

I read an article (No need for tears if sun sets on Studio 60) this evening that claimed we wouldn’t miss Studio 60 if it were cancelled because we have so many quality shows to watch, that one less wouldn’t matter. The author also used a comparison with Irish and British TV to support his theory. This article made me mad on so many levels I cannot begin to count them all.
Firstly - to suggest that British TV can in any way be compared with American is like comparing the diamond on your finger with the heap of coal found at the coal mine. For the average British viewer there are 4 or 5 channels to choose from - and 2 of them run without commercial interruption, relying on the TV license for funding. American TV offers hundreds of channels, 99% of them using commercial sponsership for funding, thus making them rely on ratings to ensure that they retain the funding. This means, as I have said before, that they have to appeal to the masses and satisfy the lowest common demoninator, which doesn’t always produce quality TV. The BBC doesn’t have to justify it’s existence to the highest bidder so it can afford to take risks and produce edgier (not sure that is a real word) shows.
Secondly - The BBC has produced some wonderful shows that American TV has cloned or in some cases ruined, such as “Whose Line is it Anyway” which when shown on British TV is laugh out loud, side splittingly funny and ably hosted by Clive Anderson, whereas the American version, not so ably hosted by Drew Carey, is. at best, mildly amusing. Many quality shows are based on English ones, such as ER, based on Casualty, and many of the quiz shows that were so popular over here originated in England, such as Who Wants to be a Millionaire.
Apart from the comparison with British TV, to say we wouldn’t really miss Studio 60 because we have other quality shows to watch, is like saying we wouldn’t miss Oreo Cookies if they were removed from the shelves because there are other cookies to choose from. Now we all know that just isn’t so. So lets hear it for Studio 60 and Oreo cookies - Long May They Stay in our Lives!


Posted in General on November 2nd, 2006

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About Watching Studio60

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was a show about making a show -- a Friday night sketch comedy living and dying by the ratings and the buzz and the bottom line. It also turned out to be about the ways that overinflated expectations and caustic criticism can doom a TV drama. Still, if you're a fan of great acting and Aaron Sorkin's way with dialog, there's a lot to love in Studio 60's sole season. Read here to look back at the show, and look forward at what the cast and creative powers are doing now.

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