Little tirade against Channel 4.
I couldn't get past the first 40 minutes of RedRiding. I usually find it easy to get into grim/gritty/dark, but the relentless doom and gloom was just too much. I also lost the plot.
The output of Channel 4 these days is just pants. I can't remember the last time I found something good on there. Shameless, I guess, but I watch it on the first look on e4. Otherwise...I think that sex thing with Anna Richardson did well too - I saw one ep of it and yes, informative, with an appealing, innovative format.
It's becoming obvious, though, that in trying to get their minor channels going, they've spread themselves too thin - e4 gets all the good drama first - British and American. More4 shows the interesting documentaries. Film4 - duh.
When the celebrity chefs' popularity wanes, and all the other reality tv loses its appeal, what's left for Channel 4? Hollyoaks? Since Brookside ended, they haven't found a ratings-grabbing soap.
Comedy is...okay, nothing groundbreaking. Documentaries - the heavier ones are better on BBC1/2/4, the lighter ones are on BBC3, or even five (Half man, half tree, anyone?). C4 dropped in my estimation like a stone when they started using Dawn Porter. Five has also managed to grab a lot of the US programming. The only thing that seems to get decent ratings is BB in the Summer. But that can't continue forever.
I suspect Channel 4 needs to redefine itself. Honestly - what kind of a channel is it? Tell me? Can you? Maybe they need to pick a niche to really invest in and concentrate on, so they can re-establish a decent, if different, reputation.
Either that, or they need to properly, seriously compete with the other 4 main terrestrial channels. They are trying, here and there, for example the with the historical/drama programming, but these tend to get overcomplicated and too long. Money lost.
I fear C4 might disappear unless something changes. What happened to the investigative documentaries? Gone to More4? I suspect the problem is that they are trying to hang on by doing what the other 'traditional' terrestrial channels are doing. Problem is, all the other channels are doing it better than C4.
I keep hearing about financial difficulties there. There was talk of a merger with five (which seems to be struggling too, for some of the same reasons - why the hell was the first series of 30 Rock hidden away in the wee hours, and the second season shunted to fiveUSA and not publicised at all, for example?) Five was doing okay - it seemed to have got over its dodgy rep. It might still be salvageable, if it concentrates on the US content. They got some good shows...
It's frustrating because C4 used to be excellent. Sort of like a dangerous BBC2. Now...even Countdown has gone down the pan. I think the best thing on C4 right now might be something like...Come Dine With Me??? *sigh*
I just realised I watch more e4 than Channel 4. Bad days.
The output of Channel 4 these days is just pants. I can't remember the last time I found something good on there. Shameless, I guess, but I watch it on the first look on e4. Otherwise...I think that sex thing with Anna Richardson did well too - I saw one ep of it and yes, informative, with an appealing, innovative format.
It's becoming obvious, though, that in trying to get their minor channels going, they've spread themselves too thin - e4 gets all the good drama first - British and American. More4 shows the interesting documentaries. Film4 - duh.
When the celebrity chefs' popularity wanes, and all the other reality tv loses its appeal, what's left for Channel 4? Hollyoaks? Since Brookside ended, they haven't found a ratings-grabbing soap.
Comedy is...okay, nothing groundbreaking. Documentaries - the heavier ones are better on BBC1/2/4, the lighter ones are on BBC3, or even five (Half man, half tree, anyone?). C4 dropped in my estimation like a stone when they started using Dawn Porter. Five has also managed to grab a lot of the US programming. The only thing that seems to get decent ratings is BB in the Summer. But that can't continue forever.
I suspect Channel 4 needs to redefine itself. Honestly - what kind of a channel is it? Tell me? Can you? Maybe they need to pick a niche to really invest in and concentrate on, so they can re-establish a decent, if different, reputation.
Either that, or they need to properly, seriously compete with the other 4 main terrestrial channels. They are trying, here and there, for example the with the historical/drama programming, but these tend to get overcomplicated and too long. Money lost.
I fear C4 might disappear unless something changes. What happened to the investigative documentaries? Gone to More4? I suspect the problem is that they are trying to hang on by doing what the other 'traditional' terrestrial channels are doing. Problem is, all the other channels are doing it better than C4.
I keep hearing about financial difficulties there. There was talk of a merger with five (which seems to be struggling too, for some of the same reasons - why the hell was the first series of 30 Rock hidden away in the wee hours, and the second season shunted to fiveUSA and not publicised at all, for example?) Five was doing okay - it seemed to have got over its dodgy rep. It might still be salvageable, if it concentrates on the US content. They got some good shows...
It's frustrating because C4 used to be excellent. Sort of like a dangerous BBC2. Now...even Countdown has gone down the pan. I think the best thing on C4 right now might be something like...Come Dine With Me??? *sigh*
I just realised I watch more e4 than Channel 4. Bad days.