|
|
Post by Ziptie on Feb 3, 2005 11:47:53 GMT -5
I posted the following in the KLG part 2 thread initially, but it got a little lost in all the discussion of that ep. Anyway, the more I thought about it, the more I thought there might be something in this, so here goes...
Y'know, I may have been watching too many Oliver Stone movies lately, but I've always wondered whether there was more to the staggered, UK first airdates than just Sky's money.
Look at what the situation was in the USA a few months ago. The die-hard TOS fans were slagging TNS off and vowing not to watch it. The general public probably either had no opinion at all, had heard their TNS-hating friend, or simply thought of Battlestar Galactica as that campy 70's series with the guy from Bonanza and Face from the A-Team in it.
That's a pretty negative vibe, and not something likely to add up to bonzer figures for your US season premiere, no matter how good the work actually is.
However, the series starts to air on Sky, to excellent reviews, high levels of fan satisfaction, and correspondingly high viewing figures. New fan communities quickly spring up, episodes are uploaded and sent across the Atlantic, and positive word of mouth there rapidly spreads.
Now, far from being the remake of a crummy 70's series, the TOS whiners have shrunk into the white noise, and BG starts to look like the best thing on US TV, before it's even aired!
Lo and behold, the first few episodes get bumper viewing figures, and the same sort of reviews they did in the UK, and a continuation seems to be done and dusted just three weeks into the season.
Now I know R&D posted that open letter on the Sci Fi BBS asking fans to be good and not download episodes early, but do you really think they meant it, or were they merely saying what a good Exec Producer is supposed to?
As far as I can see everything that's happened has created the sort of momentum in the US market that could never have been achieved had the series aired in the UK and the US at the same time, and must have done their chances of an early pickup a huge favour. Sure, it would have been a bit of a gamble to plan this sort of thing up front, but RDM does keep saying how much he believed in the material...
So, is this all a coincidence, or a totally deliberate, and very inspired marketing operation?
|
|
|
|
Post by Blade Runner on Feb 3, 2005 12:43:14 GMT -5
I've been thinking the same thing As far as I can see everything that's happened has created the sort of momentum in the US market that could never have been achieved had the series aired in the UK and the US at the same time, and must have done their chances of an early pickup a huge favour. Sure, it would have been a bit of a gamble to plan this sort of thing up front, but RDM does keep saying how much he believed in the material... So, is this all a coincidence, or a totally deliberate, and very inspired marketing operation?  |
|
|
|
Post by erika on Feb 3, 2005 19:00:15 GMT -5
I posted the following in the KLG part 2 thread initially, but it got a little lost in all the discussion of that ep. Anyway, the more I thought about it, the more I thought there might be something in this, so here goes... Y'know, I may have been watching too many Oliver Stone movies lately, but I've always wondered whether there was more to the staggered, UK first airdates than just Sky's money. Look at what the situation was in the USA a few months ago. The die-hard TOS fans were slagging TNS off and vowing not to watch it. The general public probably either had no opinion at all, had heard their TNS-hating friend, or simply thought of Battlestar Galactica as that campy 70's series with the guy from Bonanza and Face from the A-Team in it. That's a pretty negative vibe, and not something likely to add up to bonzer figures for your US season premiere, no matter how good the work actually is. However, the series starts to air on Sky, to excellent reviews, high levels of fan satisfaction, and correspondingly high viewing figures. New fan communities quickly spring up, episodes are uploaded and sent across the Atlantic, and positive word of mouth there rapidly spreads. Now, far from being the remake of a crummy 70's series, the TOS whiners have shrunk into the white noise, and BG starts to look like the best thing on US TV, before it's even aired! Lo and behold, the first few episodes get bumper viewing figures, and the same sort of reviews they did in the UK, and a continuation seems to be done and dusted just three weeks into the season. Now I know R&D posted that open letter on the Sci Fi BBS asking fans to be good and not download episodes early, but do you really think they meant it, or were they merely saying what a good Exec Producer is supposed to? As far as I can see everything that's happened has created the sort of momentum in the US market that could never have been achieved had the series aired in the UK and the US at the same time, and must have done their chances of an early pickup a huge favour. Sure, it would have been a bit of a gamble to plan this sort of thing up front, but RDM does keep saying how much he believed in the material... So, is this all a coincidence, or a totally deliberate, and very inspired marketing operation? When you put it like that it makes sense to air it over here first where it would be viewed without predjudice. Good move erika |
|
|
|
Post by caseOrange on Feb 14, 2005 23:38:11 GMT -5
i think the American market was scared to take a chance on something that might just be a re-hash of a show that went out on such a low note (BSG 80). All of us in the States owe a debt of gratitude to Sky One for having the stones to take that chance. ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by CylonGod on Feb 15, 2005 1:36:11 GMT -5
So say we all!
|
|
|
|
Post by Beckymonster on Feb 17, 2005 4:18:24 GMT -5
So, is this all a coincidence, or a totally deliberate, and very inspired marketing operation? Think you've just answered your own question there! I look at it this way... If it was rubbish, then Sky would show one series and word would make it across the pond (Lords of Kobol bless t'internet!) that it wasn't that good and Skiffy would shrug their shoulders and tell RDM to go back to the drawing board. As it stands... and what we all know to be true... Sky show season 1, the British go bugnuts for it, start jumping up and down declaring that this is really good sh*t, clog up BBS and 'major' news sites (c'mon... you mean to tell me that you didn't go read the reviews on AICN every Tuesday morning?!  ) declaring that this is great TV... After all, this is the UK - they should know good stuff when they see it... what with Monty Python, the Office, Spaced, Doctor Who etc to their names. They usually sniff out good TV. Usually! Trust me - it works a lot in reverse too. Fer example, a couple of weeks back, you could barely move for hype about 'Desperate Housewives' with it being trumpeted as a 'U.S. smash hit TV show' so people got talking about it and ergo it became a hit. Somehow I doubt the Cylons could have done any better ;D |
|
|
|
Post by caseOrange on Feb 17, 2005 6:05:27 GMT -5
i just read a thread by some Aussies who said that "33" isn't airing until Feb. 23rd down there. So i'm now of the mind that this was all RDM's idea from the beginning. He did this himself just to see how many spoiler threads would be posted on Ragnar Anchorage, making our noble mods have to devise new and better ways to keep unsuspecting fans from having the series revealed to them too early. **Felgercarb! i should've seen through his diabolical scheme from the very begining!**  |
|
|
|
Post by Ziptie on Feb 17, 2005 7:31:53 GMT -5
So i'm now of the mind that this was all RDM's idea from the beginning. He did this himself just to see how many spoiler threads would be posted on Ragnar Anchorage... Of course, as Xenu is a paid Universal plant, it follows that the creation of Ragnar was in itself a part of RDM's dastardly plan for world domination, and as such, we've all played an unwitting part in it. ;D |
|
|
|
Post by Xenu on Feb 17, 2005 7:38:06 GMT -5
Suckers!  |
|
|
|
Post by Blade Runner on Feb 17, 2005 18:32:34 GMT -5
Of course, as Xenu is a paid Universal plant, it follows that the creation of Ragnar was in itself a part of RDM's dastardly plan for world domination, and as such, we've all played an unwitting part in it. ;D Yeah right  |
|
luec
Nugget
Posts: 3
|
Post by luec on Feb 18, 2005 4:20:50 GMT -5
Look at this in viewer ship . SCifi in american couldn/t put in on in summer of 2004 because it was ready In great Britain the tv shows are runned lot american cable drama mening every 13 to 15 weeks a new season of a tv show is put one the air. Plus most cable networks cannot surivived going up against the major bradcost channels in fall due to season peremeres and sporting events.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ziptie on Mar 18, 2005 10:10:32 GMT -5
A-ha, this from Ron's blog...
|
|
Kass
Nugget
Posts: 26
|
Post by Kass on Mar 18, 2005 10:57:03 GMT -5
I think SciFi is just cheap. Why spend a lot of money up front when they can get another group to fund a large portion?
|
|
|
|
Post by Ziptie on Mar 18, 2005 11:59:16 GMT -5
That's not being "cheap" per sé, it just makes good business sense in the context that the new BSG found itself at the outset. Half the investment means half the risk if it all goes tits-up.
|
|
