In Defense of the Networks

[depudor]

In my quest to become a one-woman unpopular opinions thread, I’ve chosen to tackle an issue that’s been bugging me for quite some time, and that is the tendency of fandom (not specifically VM fandom, but any fandom) to blame the network when a show has problems.

The subject came up at The LoVe Shack the other day, on this page, and I couldn’t hold

Comments

[arabian]

This was an enjoyable read, but for me, it's more preaching to the choir, but you already know, that, LOL! Still, I've been waiting to read your take on this. Good, good read.

I agree with you re: Peter Roth/Chris Carter, also, by the way. Sorkin and S60 as well -- and that sucks because I sooo wanted to love and adore that. Sigh. And, of course, I'm still mind-boggled when anyone in the VM fandom bitches about Dawn Ostroff. That woman has fought for this show.

Another TV show that seems to get a lot of the 'network sucks' that boggles the mind is Arrested Development. I love the show; it's hilarious, but it got lousy ratings ... for two and a half years, it got lousy ratings and Fox kept it on for a quite a while considering. But all we heard about from most fans is bitching about how stupid Fox was to cancel it.

I don't know when the network execs became the "big bad" but they clearly are for so much of fandom.

Oh and sorta off-topic, I did want to add that it's not just The LoVe Shack that is down, all of ezboard is down for some reason. Bummer.

[depudor]

Yeah, AD is a good example of a show the network really fought for.

I don't know when the network execs became the "big bad" but they clearly are for so much of fandom.

I think it's easy to blame "the network" because it's mostly a aneless/faceless entity that doesn't get to defend itself. The execs don't get invited to ComicCon or the Alamo Drafthouse. They don't interact with fans, so they don't earn any kind of devotion or following.

--TLS is back up, so I edited and added the link. Now I'm almost embarrassed for people to read it, because I was so bitchy. I think that poor girl JaneDoe edited her post because she figured I would come back and attack all of her points.

[arabian]

No, she's a mod now and so we've been talking back and forth and she told me that she reread your post and realized that you obviously knew what you were talking about, so she was taking back her comments because you were right. I think she wrote that before she read that you had the experience in the field that you do.

I really, really didn't think it was bitchy at all. Well, maybe slightly, but come on? It's perfectly acceptable for an employee to tell their boss to go fuck themselves?!?! Geez.

BTW: I'd be interested to hear what you know about contracts/salary as well via email. I've often wondered. I knew about the EC/rest of cast ratio, but more info would be interesting.

[depudor]

If I can get the current numbers, I might do another post. I recently spoke to someone who is an even bigger gossip whore than I am and who apparently has some info that she might be willing to share, but I will have to think of something juicy to trade for it. I think my lastest KB gossip might do the trick.