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

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

Not particularly large in the UK, either.

[tiggerallyn.livejournal.com]

Nea, I don't want to disagree with you, but I have to.

The 22-episode full season order is now sometimes done as a 13-episode order, filled out with a 9-episode order for the "back nine." Glee is a good recent example. (Here's coverage of that.) For another example, here's an article about Chuck getting the "back nine" after the initial 13-episode order. Networks are commissioning more series with 13-episode commitments, and if they're successful then they'll go for the full 22. As I see it, there are things to criticize RTD and Gardner for, but asking for a 13-episode commitment isn't one of them.

For another view on why FOX passed on Torchwood, here's reports that FOX just didn't want to spend the money Torchwood would require. (And non-union personnel? If RTD had caved to that, he'd never work in Hollywood again.)

[bibliofilen.livejournal.com]

Isn't it just a way to say that the network either do 22 eps or they have to pay a forfeit, so to speak, in the form of a thirteenth episode? That last ep might also make them pick it back up later if they're suddenly in need of filling and already have one episode lying around.

What confuses me is the need to do a US version in the first place.

[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?

[stoplookingup.livejournal.com]

I hadn't heard that US TW was dead. When did that news break?

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

If true, that is COMPLETELY braindead. Completely. Absolutely.

No doubt they wanted 13 eps so they could easily back-import it to the U.K.

Schedules # of eps.

[olivia-sutton.livejournal.com]

Hi Nea -

I disagree. The cable networks DO do 12 - 16 episodes a season.
Burn Notice Season 1 was 12 eps including the pilot (so 13 episodes),
Burn Notice Season 2 was 16 eps.
Psych seasons 1, 2, & 3 were 16 eps each.
Stargate: Atlantis - season 1 was 18 episodes (inc. A pilot and 2-hr finale so 20 hours),
Seasons 2, 3, and 5 were all 20 episodes long.
"White Collar" just had a premiere season of 14 episodes.
"Castle" premiered on ABC last year with only 10 episodes (and no pilot).
But "The Mentalist" had either 24 or 26 episodes the first season.
"Heroes" had a lot too - except the 16 episode season cut short by the writers strike.
So I don't think a half-season commitment is unreasonable.
What I was MUCH more worried about with an American Torchwood was (a) losing grittiness, (b) problems with characterization - esp. Jack. I mean, can you see a Gay character on FOX? And (c) filming location - Torchwood benefited from filming in grey, rainy Wales.- Can you imagine the show if it was filmed in LA? It wouldn't work. Remember how moving X-files from Vancouver to LA killed the atmosphere of the show?
I was willing to wait & see with an American Torchwood, but I wasn't entirely unhappy to hear the project fell thru'. Maybe CBC Toronto could do it?