A slightly longer ranty comment on American Torchwood

[neadods]

This is in my feedback to Staggering Stories, but I thought I'd elaborate here.

In the announcement that Fox wasn't picking up an American version of Torchwood, it was said that BBC or Davies (or both; I'm unclear on this) was insisting on a 13-episode commitment.

I was cynical about Davies' and Gardener's move here in the first place, and if that announcement is true, I've just lost my last shred of sympathy. Who in their right mind does not research the requirements of their own profession in a new area?

American TV boils down to one of three things:
- 4-6 episode miniseries
- 12 episode midseason replacements or summer series
- 22 episode full seasons.

We don't do 13 episodes here. Our schedules aren't set up for 13 episodes. Our syndication deals aren't set up for 13 episodes. No network is going to change their lineup for a single show - especially one whose best ratings were still, in this country, comparatively tiny.

Comments

[dune-drd.livejournal.com]

I've just lost my last shred of sympathy

Apart from the fact that they moved to the States for new projects and DOING EXACTLY THE SAME SHOW?

[iko.livejournal.com]

I don't know much about the history of Queer as Folk. I'm now curious about how that series developed from the UK version of the show.

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

I don't think RTD had a lot to do with the development of the US show; I remember an interview at the time where he heavily took the piss out of the name changes (particularly Stuart being renamed to Brian, which has a nerdy/boring connotation in the UK)

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I assume that it, along with the Office and Life on Mars, etc., basically followed some version of "Here's a boatload of cash. I wanna use your general concept."

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Well, there is that. And it's spinoff show, too! Because spinoffs historically do so very well. (I can think of two that flew on their own. But only two.)