As an up and coming film (tv and movie) producer, I'm curious.
New Fall shows premiere in a couple of months. What makes you give those shows a chance? What makes you stick with them?
And yes, I know the generic answers: plot, character development, production quality, etc. Do you like shows that are closer to reality or that are more of an escape from reality? Do you enjoy ensemble casts or shows that focus on a couple of central characters? Does the network matter? Do you think entertainment should be mindless or that it should have something to say? Why?
Speaking of those generic answers, what is the order of importance of the following qualities: plot, character development, theme, production quality, preferred genre, favorite actor/actress, originality, and/or anything I might be forgetting?
Thanks! I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Elise
Elise,
You ask many excellent questions and I think these are types of answers that would be very valuable to a future producer and also television networks that are trying to stay ahead of the curve and develop the next hits.
Regarding the new shows that appear every fall, I do my bit of research and choose whether to watch a show based on several factors. In no particular order, do I have an opening in that time slot where I'm not already committed to a few shows? I rarely watch tv shows live and can only record two at once. Second, does the new show star an actor I enjoyed in a previous show or movie? For example, I only started watching Hawaii 5-0 last year because I have enjoyed Alex O'Loughlin since he was on Moonlight and would watch any show he was on. As for what makes me stick with a show, it has to fill a need I am looking for. Hawaii 5-0 is a fantasy escape with nice scenery, action and a buddy dynamic between two of the main characters. I don't watch as many shows that are attempting to be closer to reality.
Network matters little to me and I watch shows on all four major networks, plus a few on the CW for good measure. In the summer I enjoy USA, TNT and USA shows and also watch Dexter on Showtime. I also like a balance in my shows where if I miss an episode of a particular show it's not a big deal, they can stand on their own, while other shows, like Dexter, each episode tends to be crucial for the overall season. I prefer ensemble shows because with more characters the more possible story lines there are if the show lasts more than a few seasons. If they need to start adding characters each year to maintain fresh story arcs it gets tricky because viewers will be attached to the original characters and I personally feel less invested in characters that are thrust at me just to fill a void.
A show can have something to say and that's fine but it's a difficult line to walk. For example, I admit I watch Glee and I was disappointed that this past season we spent far too much time with Kurt's character and his story line of acceptance as being the only gay student in his school, going to a new school, then returning, etc. I felt the first season did a better job of exploring all of the characters and when the show is based on a Glee Club in a school, there are a lot of storylines to explore. They basically ignored Mr. Schuester's character half the season, Rachel and Finn were relegated to B and C plot lines most episodes and we just got too much Kurt Hummel.
The qualities you mention are unique to each viewer and I have some thoughts about this. Right now the two most important ones to me are originality (way too many legal, medical, cop dramas out there already) and who is in the show. I loved Veronica Mars and would watch any show starring Kristen Bell or Jason Dohring because of that show, they were consistently excellent. Production quality isn't a huge deal but the show should look decent since most if not all are shot in HD anyway. Character development is tricky based on the type of show where if it's a drama you expect development but if it's a comedy or a procedural show that probably isn't as important as decent story lines/cases, etc. Plot matters because it needs to be interesting enough to get me to watch it at the beginning or be compelling enough that I'll get it on DVD to see what I missed. Shows I am currently trying to catch up on are similar in plot but on different networks. I enjoy White Collar on USA because Neil Caffrey's character used to be on Chuck, and I find him a likeable criminal, which is what the show is going for, and it also has terrific supporting actors. Leverage on TNT is a show where the bad guys are the good guys, performing Robin Hood-esque feats for common people who have been wronged. The show has many twists and turns, action, and an ensemble cast that play well off each other.
I'll cap my long reply with this disclaimer. I used to be a prolific writer myself and though I've only had short work (poems and stories every published in school publications) in my own time I've written two novels, a full length feature and a TV pilot with additional episodes.
Best of luck to you!
