Once upon a time, the TV season was 26 episodes. If ratings were good, they’d go into reruns for the other half of the year. If not, they’d show “Summer replacements.” Some of these made it into the regular schedule, & some came back for another try the next Summer or on another channel. Of course. there were only 3 channels. We now live in an age of overflowing bandwidth & insufficient content.
Chuk, you must really be young. Waaaaay back in the old days, a season was actually 39 episodes and then the summer reruns were the best 1/3 of those. Things were not too bad back then. I’m not sure when they started cutting back so drastically.
But what with half (or more) of a program’s shows being reruns and/or the long breaks in some shows, I gave up watching TV at all a couple of years ago. The rare streaming movie is about the only time I fire up the TV these days.
I remember the good ol’ days of BROADCAST tv as well, AND how when cable TV first came along it is supposed to be COMMERCIAL FREE!!! because we were gasp PAYING for it.
Does anyone else remember the HSB pilot episode? Hill and Renko have just walked out of a building to discover their cop car has been stolen. Renko rants and raves, but In those pre-cell phone days they had to find a phone to call the station. And when they walked into a rather shady building to find a phone they were greeted with a shotgun blast. Obviously they weren’t going to die, but what a way to end the first episode! I thinkI just sat there with my mouth agape.
A friend of mine works for Neilsen ( although not in the TV sector, he did learn about this through the ad clients). People are too busty to dedicate each night, every night, for TV. They are bound to miss a few episodes, even with DVR/VCR/etc. If they miss too many episodes, they fall behind in the plot line and loose interests in the show. This results in fewer viewers. Fewer viewers means a smaller target audience for the ads. TV stations have to reduce the air space costs, resulting in less money, yet steady costs for the episode. Thus, give show the week off and run reruns. the stations don’ t pay the crew, still sell ad time, and still profit. The viewers can keep up with the shows and see the ads.
If I remember correctly, Renko WAS supposed to die in that pilot episode. I don’t remember why they decided to keep him alive during the rest of the series. Couldn’t be because he was one of my favorite characters….
Hey Beach,
I remember The Real McCoys, Petticoat Junction and The Secret Lives of Dobie Gillis. Not to mention The Addams Family, Munsters, and The Beaver!
The best TV shows, IMO, were the ones that had a beginning, middle, and end in every episode. You didn’t have to watch the whole series from start to finish to find a payoff. This is why shows like “Lost” and “Persons Unknown” are a meandering mess.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@du55: Too “busty” to watch TV? Now that’s a centerfold I’d like to see.
ChukLitl Premium Member over 13 years ago
Once upon a time, the TV season was 26 episodes. If ratings were good, they’d go into reruns for the other half of the year. If not, they’d show “Summer replacements.” Some of these made it into the regular schedule, & some came back for another try the next Summer or on another channel. Of course. there were only 3 channels. We now live in an age of overflowing bandwidth & insufficient content.
Nebulous Premium Member over 13 years ago
Sorry, but it’s always been “insufficient content”. “And that’s the way it is.”
pamlicorat over 13 years ago
But today is Wednesday!
TexTech over 13 years ago
Chuk, you must really be young. Waaaaay back in the old days, a season was actually 39 episodes and then the summer reruns were the best 1/3 of those. Things were not too bad back then. I’m not sure when they started cutting back so drastically.
But what with half (or more) of a program’s shows being reruns and/or the long breaks in some shows, I gave up watching TV at all a couple of years ago. The rare streaming movie is about the only time I fire up the TV these days.
rumplesnitz over 13 years ago
I guess I’d better be careful or they’ll be burning me at the stake…
rumplesnitz over 13 years ago
I remember the good ol’ days of BROADCAST tv as well, AND how when cable TV first came along it is supposed to be COMMERCIAL FREE!!! because we were gasp PAYING for it.
Not all has changed for the better… :_(
galanti over 13 years ago
Does anyone else remember the HSB pilot episode? Hill and Renko have just walked out of a building to discover their cop car has been stolen. Renko rants and raves, but In those pre-cell phone days they had to find a phone to call the station. And when they walked into a rather shady building to find a phone they were greeted with a shotgun blast. Obviously they weren’t going to die, but what a way to end the first episode! I thinkI just sat there with my mouth agape.
du55 over 13 years ago
A friend of mine works for Neilsen ( although not in the TV sector, he did learn about this through the ad clients). People are too busty to dedicate each night, every night, for TV. They are bound to miss a few episodes, even with DVR/VCR/etc. If they miss too many episodes, they fall behind in the plot line and loose interests in the show. This results in fewer viewers. Fewer viewers means a smaller target audience for the ads. TV stations have to reduce the air space costs, resulting in less money, yet steady costs for the episode. Thus, give show the week off and run reruns. the stations don’ t pay the crew, still sell ad time, and still profit. The viewers can keep up with the shows and see the ads.
SaunaBeach over 13 years ago
Meh - WHIPPERSNAPPERS! No body remembers the Real McCoys and ol’ Grandpa Amos?
WHIPPERSNAPPERS, I say!
syke34 over 13 years ago
Man this cartoon must be old, to mention Hill Street Blues that’s over 20 yrs old.
jakecarlson over 13 years ago
galanti,
If I remember correctly, Renko WAS supposed to die in that pilot episode. I don’t remember why they decided to keep him alive during the rest of the series. Couldn’t be because he was one of my favorite characters….
crit74 over 13 years ago
galanti - I agree; a great show. Teresa, are you sure you’re not confusing HSB with NYPD Blues?
llong65 over 13 years ago
Milo just end his misery…….give him a push. He’s standing at the edge of the hill.
pamlicorat over 13 years ago
Hey Beach, I remember The Real McCoys, Petticoat Junction and The Secret Lives of Dobie Gillis. Not to mention The Addams Family, Munsters, and The Beaver!
steelerman66 over 13 years ago
skye34 you r 2 young 2 no good tv
pamlicort i 2 remember those shows great tv
Sherlock Watson over 13 years ago
The best TV shows, IMO, were the ones that had a beginning, middle, and end in every episode. You didn’t have to watch the whole series from start to finish to find a payoff. This is why shows like “Lost” and “Persons Unknown” are a meandering mess. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ @du55: Too “busty” to watch TV? Now that’s a centerfold I’d like to see.