<http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/movies/mmx -0403080009mar08,0,7778841.story?coll=mmx-movies_heds>
An interesting article with quotes from people who actually know a thing or two about why scripted genre shows are poorly just now.
Some quotes
" - Reality TV is crowding out scripted programming of all kinds."
" - Reality generally costs less to produce, and it often snags a younger demographic."
" - Genre television, especially the spaceship-roaming-the-galaxy variety, is not only costlier than reality TV, it also can be more expensive than a cop show or a legal drama."
" - A corollary to the profit pressure: Interference from network executives is at an all-time high, according to several veteran producers."
" - Many sci-fi, horror and fantasy shows have complex, ongoing story arcs, which fans love but which make network executives break out in hives."
" Dick Askin, president of Tribune Entertainment, which syndicates genre fare such as "Andromeda" and "Mutant X," says he's not looking for the next "Star Trek" -- a new show about people roaming around in spaceships is, he says, "a long putt" in today's TV environment. But he'd think about developing the next "Smallville."
"TV runs in cycles," Askin says. "We may just be in one of those dormant periods. [Genre TV] inevitably will come back.""
From today's "Frank and Ernest" comic strip:
"When you're majoring in abnormal psychology, _all_ television is educational!"
-- Ronn! :)
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