Tag: Disney

Can we reinvent IP successfully?

Last night, I watched “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration.”

I was more of a Cinderella than Belle kid, but I have some special memories associated with various iterations of the 1991 Disney film.

“Beauty and the Beast” was the first Disney animated feature nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, and it won two (song and score). The Broadway musical ran for 13 years; the live-action 2017 remake was nominated for two Oscars. It’s a big deal.

So it made sense to celebrate the anniversary of the Disney classic with a movie on ABC (it’s now streaming on Disney+). And Disney brought the star power, with H.E.R. starring as Belle, Shania Twain as Mrs. Potts, Martin Short as Lumiere, David Alan Grier as Cogsworth and Josh Groban as Beast. Not to mention Jon M. Chu (“Crazy Rich Asians,” the upcoming “Wicked” movies) was a producer on the hybrid animated and live-action special.

But did it work? Yes and no.

Rita Moreno introduced segments and revealed behind-the-scenes tidbits. The back and forth between animated and live was mostly seamless. The costumes were beautiful and just enough over the top to be fun but not crazy.

On the flip side, it had a lot of live-theater work that just doesn’t translate on a TV screen. H.E.R. and Twain do not have the vocal range to pull off the more significant songs, though they did their best.

My biggest complaint was it tried too hard. There were some segments that were avant-garde, which doesn’t work in an anniversary celebration of a classic.

All this to say, is it worth trying to reimagine IP?

It feels like everything entertainment is a franchise or re-imagination. Original ideas fall by the wayside.

Yet people crave original ideas. Look at the success of “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” We want something new and exciting, where we can’t know what will happen.

Franchises, sequels, etc., make money, no question. They have a built-in audience. It doesn’t matter if people don’t like it, so many others will flock to screens to stay in the loop. There’s a reason why the MCU has multiple phases in the works. (I’m not an MCU person, and with all the movies and TV shows, there’s zero chance I will catch up.)

So what are execs to do? Follow money or creativity? Of course, they’ll follow the money!

I give the producers credit for the 30th anniversary special. They tried to keep the classic feel while providing new views. It just didn’t always work, and ultimately it went too far to truly bring in the nostalgia it was aiming for.

As viewers, we must try to promote and view original content often. Because I’m not sure I want to watch a 50th-anniversary celebration of “Beauty and the Beast,” even though I’m sure execs will do something for it.

2020 award nominations prove broadcast TV is dead. Here’s why.

One. That’s it.

Between the Golden Globes and SAG Awards, only one broadcast show, “This Is Us,” received a nomination. 

Giving the streaming platform growth, this isn’t surprising. Broadcast nominations have been waning for years, but 2020 is proving to be a new low.

Is it worth broadcast shows even trying anymore? They’re fighting an uphill battle against cable and streaming.

Here are issues broadcast networks deal with:

Limits

Comedies have to be 22 min. Dramas are 44 min. Two-hour reality shows have 30 minutes of ads. And there’s no wiggle room. Remember when “Friends” had extended episodes? Not a thing anymore.

Watch any Netflix half-hour series and the times, and you’ll notice all sorts of fluctuation. One episode will run for 34 minutes, 23 minutes, 38 minutes, 26 minutes. The time is based on the story, not the ads.

There’s also the language limit. You can’t swear (unless you work with “The Good Place” forking model). Broadcast networks have to work with certain standards (thanks, FCC), when cable and streaming do not.

Revenue

Ads still run king in media, but subscriptions are providing more and more revenue.

Netflix has hiked its prices steadily over the last few years, and it doesn’t even have ads. Hulu has an ad-free service. I’m waiting for Disney+ to add more/any ads. Apple TV+ doesn’t have ads, but it also doesn’t have that much content yet.

Advertisers follow the money. One screw up and you’re done. In an age when one Tweet can cause an upheaval, for better or worse, it can be a domino effect. 

Networks have to rely on ad dollars, which is why when the Roseanne debacle happened it was handled within hours, before more reputation damage could be done.

Creativity

Ryan Murphy and Shonda Rhimes, two network juggernauts, signed Netflix deals in the last year.

Why? Creativity. They can expand their work without any constraints. It’s no-holds-bar in the best kind of way.

Now, do I think Murphy’s “The Politician” is a great piece of TV? No. (In fact, I found all the characters irritating and plot way too overdone.) But, it’s different, and no one can deny that.

After 10+ years of dominating ABC and being the center of TGIT, Rhimes can leave the set plots behind and explore, even past the confines of “Scandal.”

Can you blame them?

‘Dancing with the Stars’: the good, the bad and the in between

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on April 28, 2014.

“Dancing with the Stars” is in its 18th season. It premiered in 2005.

Over time, the show has adapted to keep current. There have been host switch-ups, instant dances, partner switch-ups and more.

But are all of these changes good? Here’s my take on the good, the bad and the in between.

The Good: Theme nights

Almost every week on DWTS has a theme. Latin night, Disney night … some are simple, while others are more elaborate.

But the themes give the show focus, and they are fun.

Disney night was new this season. I loved seeing the cast dress up as Cinderella, Ariel and more. Plus, I love listening to Disney music.

But the best theme night, which has been around the past few years, is the most memorable year night.

Celebrities choose a year that meant the most to them and pick the song. Viewers get to see an honest, vulnerable side to the celebrities, or at least more insight into moments we remember.

Who didn’t love Candace Cameron Bure (who played D.J. on “Full House“) dancing to “Jailhouse Rock” as an homage to her years on the ’90s sitcom. Not only that, but Lori Loughlin (Rebecca) and Andrea Barber (Kimmy) were shown during the rehearsal footage. As someone who owns the entire series on DVD, seeing a reunion brought a huge smile to my face.

The Bad: Host switch-ups

When the news hit that Brooke Burke-Charvet was out of her DWTS hosting duties, I was happy. I thought she was stiff and uninviting.

But then it was announced that Erin Andrews was her replacement. And she’s just as stiff. Plus, she says things to the dancers that are way inappropriate. As funny as it may be to have a “DWTS baby,” Andrews asking James Maslow of Big Time Rush about his relationship with Peta Murgatroyd really crossed a line.

In truth, though, no one can compare to Tom Bergeron. He has the talent and the experience to make a great host. But can we please bring Samantha Harris back? She at least knew what she was doing.

The In Between: Guest judges

I’m all for more opinions. Another opinion can be really helpful.

Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli are great judges. They have great chemistry and a good balance on feedback.

In recent seasons, the ABC reality competition has brought in a fourth judge from time to time. It can be fun, if it’s the right person.

Former DWTS pros make great guest judges, because they understand the show and the process. Plus, they know the other contestants, which makes for great TV. Hey, Julianne Hough, did you ever “phone in” a routine?

But bringing in guest judges just for the sake of ratings is annoying. People like Robin Roberts and Redfoo of LMFAO are fun, but they can’t offer true critiques.

The Good: Graphics makeover

This season, new graphics were implemented for when the scores are given.

It’s a small detail, but the look is cleaner and up-to-date.

The Bad: Partner switch-up

This was just implemented this season. Viewers got to choose the new pairings using Twitter hashtags.

It was an odd week. Some people performed well with new partners; others crashed and burned.

It was only the fourth week of competition, so the celebrities were just getting into a good rhythm with their pros. Maybe if the switch-up happened at the halfway point, it would’ve worked out better.

Overall, it was gimmicky. There was so much hype around it, for just one week. To me, it wasn’t worthwhile.

The In Between: The music

I liked the Harold Wheeler Band. They had personality. I was sad to see them go this season.

But, the new band, led by Ray Chew, is good as well. But, there have been a few technical malfunctions this season, and that can really throw off dancers.

Also, while it’s nice to use pre-recorded music to get the true vibe of the song, the increased use of it is frustrating.

Live dancing should yield live music. Plus, as a musician, I appreciate that the band gives people jobs in the entertainment industry.

What do you think? What changes have you appreciated? Did you like the partner switch-up? Let me know in the comments.