How Long Until BBC America Co-Production Happens?

[Allyn Gibson]

Today, BBC America announced they are coproducing Atlantis, the new sci-fi series from Howard Overman (Misfits) and Julian Murphy and Johnny Capps (Merlin).

Ripper Street is a BBC America coproduction. Sherlock is a WGBH/Masterpiece coproduction.

Even An Adventure in Time and Space is a coproduction with BBC America.

How long until Doctor Who becomes a full, rather than an episode-by-episode, coproduction between BBC Wales and BBC America? Series 8?

It's going to happen. It's really only a question of when.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Don't get me wrong, I think American tv is the best in the world. But if Torchwood's American co-production is anything to go by, I hope the answer to your question is 'never.'

 

[MacLeod]

^I think the biggest problem with MD is not that it was a co-production. But the story couldn't really support a 10 part series. I think it would have worked far better as a a 5-parter much like Children of Earth

 

[Captaindemotion]

^Agreed. But I think it was 10 parts - as oppose to the 5 parter COE, made for the UK market - because that's closer to the length US tv shows tend to run for.

If they can make a 26 part DW series that maintains the quality, I'd have no problem with a co-production.

 

[Sindatur]

^Agreed. But I think it was 10 parts - as oppose to the 5 parter COE, made for the UK market - because that's closer to the length US tv shows tend to run for.

If they can make a 26 part DW series that maintains the quality, I'd have no problem with a co-production.

And the other problem is the channel Miracle Day was a Co-Production with. Starz is a Pay Channel, just like Showtime or HBO, and has no relationship to BBC. BBCAmerica is actually part of BBC Corporation, right? So, they're the American sibling.

 

[Relayer1]

Don't get me wrong, I think American tv is the best in the world.

You do realise that the rest of the world only gets to see the very very best of American TV ? The majority of it isn't exactly impressive. Some of it is even worse than we get in the UK...

 

[Mitty]

I prefer to pretend that MD never happened. In fact I'm not really sure what you're all referring to here, I'm sticking my fingers in my ears and singing LALALALALALALALALALALALA.

But seriously I've never seen a bigger muff. Seriously.

 

[Klaus]

^^Then you've never seen Galactica 1980?

 

[Captaindemotion]

Don't get me wrong, I think American tv is the best in the world.

You do realise that the rest of the world only gets to see the very very best of American TV ? The majority of it isn't exactly impressive. Some of it is even worse than we get in the UK...

Yes, I am well aware that we get to see the best of US tv, thank you. We also get to see some of the bad too. But the output of the HBOs, Showtimes, etc. outweigh the bad for me.

 

[Shazam!]

Micacle Day's problem was that it was set in America. The charm of Torchwood was seeing all those high-concept TV tropes playing out in Cardiff. Transplant that to America and it just gets lost in shuffle.

 

[Relayer1]

Don't get me wrong, I think American tv is the best in the world.

You do realise that the rest of the world only gets to see the very very best of American TV ? The majority of it isn't exactly impressive. Some of it is even worse than we get in the UK...

Yes, I am well aware that we get to see the best of US tv, thank you. We also get to see some of the bad too. But the output of the HBOs, Showtimes, etc. outweigh the bad for me.

I can't argue with that.

In defence of UK TV I would point out that I think Sherlock is extraordinary and I doubt that it could have come from anywhere else !

 

[Sindatur]

Micacle Day's problem was that it was set in America. The charm of Torchwood was seeing all those high-concept TV tropes playing out in Cardiff. Transplant that to America and it just gets lost in shuffle.

Nah, it could've been fine set in America if Starz hadn't demanded double the episodes and Rex had been played more enjoyable (And upping the sex didn't help, the first scene was completely gratuitous, the second scene had a purpose so would've been fine in isolation)

 

[Captaindemotion]

You do realise that the rest of the world only gets to see the very very best of American TV ? The majority of it isn't exactly impressive. Some of it is even worse than we get in the UK...

Yes, I am well aware that we get to see the best of US tv, thank you. We also get to see some of the bad too. But the output of the HBOs, Showtimes, etc. outweigh the bad for me.

I can't argue with that.

In defence of UK TV I would point out that I think Sherlock is extraordinary and I doubt that it could have come from anywhere else !

There is some excellent British tv. Sherlock, as you say, DW, much of Ricky Gervaise's output from The Office onwards, a lot of Graham Linehan's stuff (Father Ted, Black Books, The IT Crowd etc), Garrow's Law, The Hour, Wallander (based on Swedish novels, admittedly), Torchwood, The Fall, Appropriate Adult and many more.

I just think that having given us The Sopranos, Mad Men, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones (its international cast notwithstanding), 24, Lost, Prison Break, Ray Donovan, The Wire, Treme, BSG and countless others, the US wins hands down.

 

[Newspaper Taxi]

Maybe once that happens we'll be able to have 12 episodes and a Christmas special in the same calendar year again? Apparently the BBC alone can't do that anymore. : (

 

[The Wormhole]

Maybe once that happens we'll be able to have 12 episodes and a Christmas special in the same calendar year again? Apparently the BBC alone can't do that anymore. : (

The split season thing was Moffat's call. It wouldn't matter if the show were a co-production or not, as long as Moffat's calling the shots the split seasons are staying.

 

[Mr Awe]

^ It was leaked that next year it all be in one shot.

Mr Awe

 

[Lonemagpie]

^ It was leaked that next year it all be in one shot.

Mr Awe

Yep, airing from end August/early September most likely - but what *hasn't* been confirmed is how many episodes there'll be in it. Will it be 13? The hell if I know.

 

[Mr Awe]

^ I suppose not officially confirmed but it was in an email to its employees, and it broke the news about Smith leaving.

 

[Lonemagpie]

^ I suppose not officially confirmed but it was in an email to its employees, and it broke the news about Smith leaving.

Yeah, it's just the number of episodes that I don't recall being mentioned

It says a full series between August and October, but depending on the dates, that could be a minimum of nine episodes, to a maximum of 13.

 

[Venardhi]

Maybe once that happens we'll be able to have 12 episodes and a Christmas special in the same calendar year again? Apparently the BBC alone can't do that anymore. : (

The split season thing was Moffat's call. It wouldn't matter if the show were a co-production or not, as long as Moffat's calling the shots the split seasons are staying.

If BBC America were putting up half (or even a significant amount) of the money, things like that may not be his call to make anymore.

That is one of the major benefits I see of a co-production. BBC has a lot more flexibility in when and how they air a show, without much regard for promotion or what they're scheduling against. BBCA has to actually compete, advertise, etc. The best option I see for BBCA would be to air it with a similar schedule to The Walking Dead: A half dozen episodes, a couple weeks off, the Christmas Special, a couple more weeks off, and then the rest of the episodes.