I really don't like the "open ended" series form that tries to keep going season after season. There are exceptions of course but too often a fairly interesting story tries to recapture the light in the bottle season after season only to exhaust the premise and become sillier over time. PBS "Masterpiece Theater" is rife with such clunker…
I really don't like the "open ended" series form that tries to keep going season after season. There are exceptions of course but too often a fairly interesting story tries to recapture the light in the bottle season after season only to exhaust the premise and become sillier over time. PBS "Masterpiece Theater" is rife with such clunkers.
I prefer the limited series format with 4 to 8 episodes with a definite arc that's one and done.
I, too, am drawn to "bottle dramas" and loved both "Locke" and "First Time Caller." It is a risky form and requires a will to keep watching until the writers hook is in and leads to a satisfying end. Younger audiences used to short scenes and helter skelter camera movement probably have a hard time staying with them to the end.
Alan Bennett's TV series "Talking Heads" is a master class in the form. Language is the magic sauce and has to drive everything.
I really don't like the "open ended" series form that tries to keep going season after season. There are exceptions of course but too often a fairly interesting story tries to recapture the light in the bottle season after season only to exhaust the premise and become sillier over time. PBS "Masterpiece Theater" is rife with such clunkers.
I prefer the limited series format with 4 to 8 episodes with a definite arc that's one and done.
I, too, am drawn to "bottle dramas" and loved both "Locke" and "First Time Caller." It is a risky form and requires a will to keep watching until the writers hook is in and leads to a satisfying end. Younger audiences used to short scenes and helter skelter camera movement probably have a hard time staying with them to the end.
Alan Bennett's TV series "Talking Heads" is a master class in the form. Language is the magic sauce and has to drive everything.