Alphas renewed for season 2

[McDuff]

If Alphas had been a primarily episodic series, I would've bailed before the season was half-done.

I know many people on the internet seems to like those highly serialized sci-fi character drama, but the comparative ratings of crime drama format and Terra Nova or Walking dead tell us other wise.

Events have consequences they are just lived internally. We don't need to know the family life of Captain Picard or agent Mulder to realize that. We saw in the episode the impact of events. We assume that many days went by when we watch the following episode. It's about what you're focusing on (as a writers). I much prefer totally original stories every week (with some general character and story arcs) than repetitive boring character drama. That's just my opinion but 10-18 millions people every week and the ratings flop or highly serialized TV format tell TV producers something too. More X-files, less Terra Nova/Walking dead/Falling Skies please.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Huh?

The Walking Dead has great ratings by cable standards.

Cable viewers expect serialization in dramas much moreso than broadcast audiences do. Just compare cable dramas to broadcast overall and that becomes obvious. If Alphas is going serialized, then it's just falling in line with the standards for cable.

If you want episodic, there's always Warehouse 13.

And character drama isn't just about families. Where are you getting these weird ideas?

 

[McDuff]

And character drama isn't just about families. Where are you getting these weird ideas?

Please drop the smug attitude. I never said that. It's called taking an example. I prefer it if you just give your opinion instead of misinterpreting mine then laugh about your own misinterpretation. In the other thread, in which you replied too, I also gave other examples of character drama.

character drama (personal drama, family life, inter-relationship, personal quest, personal redemption, betrayal, father son relationship, grieving the lost of someone we love, etc). Sometimes we learn more about the characters in the way they react to interesting and/or mysterious events (plots).

http://trekbbs.com/showpost.php?p=5249490&postcount=19

I think you can write highly intelligent, emotional, significant, episodic format about any subject matter as well as you can write an intelligent book or movie.

I don't want the total end of highly serialized TV format. Yes, some people like them. They are ok on DVD too. But please TV producers give us more episodic Sci-fi shows (they always got some slight character arcs and continuity in some way). There's almost none of them now. I don't think the highly serialized format fit the viewing habits of the majority of TV viewers anymore (if it ever did).

 

[PsychoPere]

I know many people on the internet seems to like those highly serialized sci-fi character drama, but the comparative ratings of crime drama format and Terra Nova or Walking dead tell us other wise.

A few things:

A crime drama is inherently well-suited to the episodic, story of the week format (or serialized, for that matter, a la The Wire). Many of the stories that science fiction writers and producers are interested in telling in recent years, however, are not suited to that format.

As Temis already pointed out, The Walking Dead gets great cable ratings for AMC. Falling Skies, too, was getting good cable ratings, and Syfy is satisfied with Alphas's ratings considering they renewed the show for a second season.

Cable series don't need the ratings numbers that broadcast networks do, and the television landscape these days is very different than it was during the days of some of the shows you've mentioned (TNG, The X-Files).

I don't think the highly serialized format fit the viewing habits of the majority of TV viewers anymore (if it ever did).

"Anymore"? It fits the viewing habits of TV viewers these days even more than it ever has in the past with services like Hulu, DVRs, iTunes, Amazon Video, and so on. New technology has made the serialized format more viable than it ever has been before. As such, it shouldn't at all be a surprise that more and more shows are moving towards serialization.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

At this point, I have to wonder: is it worthwhile to give the newbie a little bit of sage advice about the right way to introduce himself to the gang here?

Or should I continue to sit back and be amused by the spectacle?

Decisions, decisions...

Where's the popcorn?

 

[RAMA]

Great! I didn't think the premiere was that great, but I had a feeling I should keep an eye on the show...so far I found it to be enjoyable, and it's gotten better almost with every episode..episode 9: Blind Spot being a high point. I rarely watch every episode of a new SF show(not even my current fav Fringe), but so far I've seen all 11.

 

[RAMA]

You can obviously write many intelligent stuff on both format. That's beside the point. Personally, I find that many highly serialized shows becomes some boring repetitive character drama/soap opera pretty fast after the novelty of the settings is over. But obviously some of them can be very intelligent or not. That's completely beside the point.

I believe this is correct...while serialized shows have their appeal, I prefer them not to be 100% serialized, I prefer arcs or mini-arcs. In terms of ratings, a lot of those shows do well at first, then people don't follow them...in my case, it wouldn't have translated to ratings to keep the shows on...I wound up getting or watching season DVDs after the fact of some of these shows, which I preferred doing. Someone is making money, but ratings? I think in the long run serialized shows have hurt ratings, even in a climate of reduced ratings on tv across the board.

 

[McDuff]

I think in the long run serialized shows have hurt ratings, even in a climate of reduced ratings on tv across the board.

I agreed with everything else you said but that part is an often repeated misconception. In fact, people even justify this misconception by claiming Internet or whatever other reasons behind it!!

For example in 2008-09 the average number of hours people watch TV shows was at an all-time high. There's just many more channel now than before. So people watch TV more than ever before (in term of number of hours per week/year)!!

 

[Technobuilder]

That finale was great. And that ending...

I'm really hoping this show gets picked up for at least another 2 seasons after Season 2.

I feel like I've gotten back The 4400 in a strange sort of way.

And Gary is my favorite.

 

[PsychoPere]

Behr and Wolfe both worked on The 4400, right? I've seen up to the beginning of season three, so I don't know if any of the returnees ended up on government payroll in a similar fashion to Rosen's team, but I wouldn't be surprised if some of the ideas they're exploring on this show came from thoughts they had while working on that one.

 

[RAMA]

I think in the long run serialized shows have hurt ratings, even in a climate of reduced ratings on tv across the board.

I agreed with everything else you said but that part is an often repeated misconception. In fact, people even justify this misconception by claiming Internet or whatever other reasons behind it!!

For example in 2008-09 the average number of hours people watch TV shows was at an all-time high. There's just many more channel now than before. So people watch TV more than ever before (in term of number of hours per week/year)!!

That IS odd...people I know online and in person either watch less TV or TELL me they watch less TV. I also know younger people almost barely even care about TV, they'd rather play video games...we'll have a whole generation that doesn't watch much tv at all. Regardless of the reality, the network or "main" shows have much reduced ratings, and even syndicated or CW ratings have fallen far for post-STNG shows.

 

[JD]

^Most young people who watch TV, don't do it on TV. I know of quite a few people my age (20s) who don't have cable, and just watch all of their stuff online.

 

[McDuff]

^Most young people who watch TV, don't do it on TV. I know of quite a few people my age (20s) who don't have cable, and just watch all of their stuff online.

This again doesn't come in agreement with the statistic by Nielsen at least. People in America watch more hours of TV in average (per person) more than ever.

 

[Checkmate]

Based upon a service that monitors people with TVs who use those TVs to watch TV. Also, based purely upon your words with no cited references that this is the case. Also, based upon the words of someone who only wants one type of television show on the air even though there's plenty of empty and pointless episodic shows to veg out to.

 

[McDuff]

Based upon a service that monitors people with TVs who use those TVs to watch TV. Also, based purely upon your words with no cited references that this is the case.

Yeah right. Cant click on a link or what?

Also, based upon the words of someone who only wants one type of television show on the air even though there's plenty of empty and pointless episodic shows to veg out to.

There's no Sci-fi episodic shows anymore on TV. I challenge people to post some on the other thread but nobody did [beside the new Doctor Who]. Even Alphas and Warehouse 13 are turning more serialized. And there's nothing more repetitive and boring that character drama serialized Sci-fi. After the novelty of the serialized Sci-fi setting is over, all the episodes looks and feel the same. People love episodic crime drama because of their TV viewing habits. Statistic proves my point. I hope TV producers listen to the people choices who do the talking with their viewing habits (ratings). Sure it's ok to have some Sci-fi highly serialized TV shows, but not only that.

 

[Checkmate]

There's no Sci-fi episodic shows anymore on TV.

I didn't say there were many. I said there's plenty of episodic shows out there for people like you to drool in front of, and there's plenty of serialized shows out there for people who prefer those.

If you don't like serialized shows, don't watch them. The universe doesn't exist to satisfy you and you alone.

 

[McDuff]

There's no Sci-fi episodic shows anymore on TV.

I didn't say there were many. I said there's plenty of episodic shows out there for people like you to drool in front of, and there's plenty of serialized shows out there for people who prefer those.

If you don't like serialized shows, don't watch them. The universe doesn't exist to satisfy you and you alone.

I think the popularity of the episodic crime drama shows that people prefer that kind of format. Practically the only format which generate that kind of ratings for scripted show (the other being sitcom). And yes I'm tired of those boring serialized "character drama" sci-fi shows. I don't want their complete elimination but hope we get more episodic Sci-fi shows like X-files, TNG, etc, beside the new Doctor Who, we practically don't have any.

 

[Checkmate]

I think the popularity of the episodic crime drama shows that people prefer that kind of format.

Yes, good for them. Good for you. You have plenty of those shows to choose from.

Me, I like the serialized shows I watch and would very much like to continue to watch them. You can watch whatever you want. You can dislike whatever you want. But you can go fuck yourself for wanting the world to stop making what I want to watch just because you don't care for it.

 

[McDuff]

I think the popularity of the episodic crime drama shows that people prefer that kind of format.

Yes, good for them. Good for you. You have plenty of those shows to choose from.

Me, I like the serialized shows I watch and would very much like to continue to watch them. You can watch whatever you want. You can dislike whatever you want. But you can go fuck yourself for wanting the world to stop making what I want to watch just because you don't care for it.

There's no need to be rude only for expressing my opinion which just happens to be backed by facts.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I think the popularity of the episodic crime drama shows that people prefer that kind of format.

Yes, good for them. Good for you. You have plenty of those shows to choose from.

Me, I like the serialized shows I watch and would very much like to continue to watch them. You can watch whatever you want. You can dislike whatever you want. But you can go fuck yourself for wanting the world to stop making what I want to watch just because you don't care for it.

Warning for flaming.