Tag: TV trends

Award shows 2018: Do network shows have a place anymore?

At the Golden Globes this year, only one out of 11 TV award winners was a network TV show representative (Sterling K. Brown won best actor in a drama series for NBC’s “This is Us.”)

Tomorrow’s SAG Awards only have five network TV show nominations among all the categories.

Do network shows even stand a chance anymore?

Now that Netflix consistently pulls out award-winning shows, with Amazon and Hulu reaching their stride in quality shows, is it time to separate out network shows from paid services shows?

The way people watch Netflix shows vs. a show on ABC, Fox, etc. is so different. You can binge a Netflix series in a weekend, while NBC draws out one season of “This is Us” from September to April or so (but maybe that’s so we can all take a sobbing break).

Plus, Hulu and those networks have advantages network shows don’t. On a network like CBS, you can’t swear, show nudity, depict graphic violence and other things. Rules must be followed. On online networks, the rules don’t apply. Anything can happen. And it usually does.

Another big difference is network shows play to commercial breaks. They place cliffhangers and plot points in just the right spot to keep you watching. On Netflix, it seems like most original drama episodes end on cliffhangers so you’ll continue watching. And Netflix doesn’t even ask the pesky question “Are you still watching?” when it’s an original show. It can play out like one long, continuous story, and viewers soak it right up.

Network shows just can’t play the same game online networks can. So is it fair to pit them against each other in award categories?

Plenty of quality shows still exist on ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and the CW. Should they be recognized in a different way? Or does that just further depict the difference in the TV formats?

It may be time to revisit how award shows handle TV shows.

Event series now part of TV culture

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on April 15, 2015.

Blink and you’ll miss them.

“Gracepoint.” “The Slap.” And, to an extent, “Marvel’s Agent Carter” (the ABC show might return for a second season, though it’s up in the air).

What is with all these “event series”? Which, by the way, is basically a fancy term for “miniseries.”

TV networks are airing seven- to 10-episode series, with events concluding by the last episode.

Why now? I can think of two reasons: “American Horror Story” and “True Detective.”

These shows have captivated audiences, and even though they air for multiple seasons, they are a different show each time, with new cast members and premises.

Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk (of “Glee” fame) have churned out four seasons of “American Horror Story,” each in a different location but always with lots of thrills. Season 5, surrounding a hotel, has nabbed Lady Gaga as a star.

“True Detective” brought Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey to the small screen, alongside Woody Harrelson. Audiences were drawn to the mystery, and both actors received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for their work. Season 2 will star Vince Vaughn and Rachel McAdams.

With these shows drawing in viewers and big-name stars, it’s no wonder other networks are following suit.

Most movie actors have little desire to commit to a TV show since it could last many years. But an event series is a short-term commitment, leaving actors free to pursue other projects.

Uma Thurman was on NBC’s “The Slap.” Anna Gunn was on “Gracepoint.” But now they can dive in to other roles.

A 10-episode show is a short-term commitment for a viewer, too. I watched all eight episodes of “The Slap” over the course of a few days.

With Netflix and Hulu feeding the binge-watching phenomenon, networks have to adapt, hence the event series.

Not every show will work as an event series, but the concept is here to stay.