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Breaking Bad to remain without UK Broadcaster
CuBz90
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Almost two weeks ago, TVWise reported that Channel 5 did not own, nor did they have any intention of acquring the broadcast rights to the third, fourth and fifth seasons of Breaking Bad from Sony Pictures Television. At the time we also reported that we had heard rumblings that a new UK broadcaster may move in and pick up the rights to the series.
However, after making contact with various contacts and sources at Sony as well as at a number of UK TV channels, it would appear those rumblings were merely that. I have been told that there are no plans to pick up the series among any of the bigger channels such as BBC, ITV, Channel 4, FX or Sky.
The truth of the matter is that the series has been given two chances to find its audience here in the UK, first on FX and then later on 5USA, and on both occasions it failed to do so. I’m told that this is a source of frustration for Sony as, in the United States, the series continues to attract awards and grow its audience year-on-year. So for a series which seems to have no proven audience in the UK, and awards sure to be driving up the licensing fee for the series, I’ve been told there is almost no chance of Breaking Bad finding a new broadcaster.
Breaking Bad was created by Vince Gilligan and follows Bryan Cranston as Walter White, a terminal cancer patient who, concerned that his family will be without means following his death, turns to cooking methamphetamine to make large amounts of fast money. The series is broadcast by AMC in the United States who recently ordered a fifth and final season consisting of 16 episodes. Production is currently underway on the first batch of 8 episodes, which are expected to be broadcast as a mini-season in the summer.
http://www.tvwise.co.uk/2012/03/breaking-bad-to-remain-without-a-uk-broadcaster/
It's a shame really. Ah well, there's always the internet
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http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1237349&page=12
like Netflix then. A shame.
Maybe Irish fans could try contacting RTE, TG4 or 3E and ask if they'd be interested
in showing BB?
But .. but .. but .. don't they know it's SKY who drive up the licensing fees for shows so they can "steal" them from other broadcasters ?
Has a show ever been shown online over here before it was aired on TV? I know a season of The West Wing got a DVD release before Ch4 showed it. Season 6, I think?
Then don't read any of the threads about "Breaking Bad" then.
Simples! (meerkat).
If you've never seen the show, how can you know why it's failed, why don't you give the show a try at least? It's a brilliant series that just keeps getting better and better and is easily the best thing to come out of America in years, such a shame Channel 5 bought out the rights to pimp their dead zone digital channels. It actually done quite well on FX, I imagine that's where a lot of us started!
Here we go again:rolleyes::D:D:D
Castle Season 4? It appears to be available here on iTunes at US pace even though only one episode has aired on UK TV.
Show about drugs - wipes out consverative audience
Show about drugs, only suited to 10PM timeslot - Wipes out more of audience
Lack of promotion - Wipes out the entirety of the audience, except dedicated fans and people who read the tv guide like a religion....
I has a quick look once, ran out of time before 5 mins was up. Walt (I think that his name) hadn't even left the vehicle, i will have a look this evening...
It's not the threads that annoy me... It's people that are still bitching about it and struggling to work out why it failed when the answer is obvious...
The Big C is a far more appealing prospect for me but the central plot "device" is why I've never watched more than the trailers, unfair to the show though that might be.
Perhaps you should stop going on to threads about it if it upsets you so much.
Likewise, it would fit quite comfortably on BBC3/4 (ticks boxes for both channels) but the cost would probably rule this out.
TBH I can't see why it's not suitable for a 9pm slot, where it's far more likely to acheive the audience it deserves.
What time is it shown in the US?
My one glimmer of hope is that Sky Atlantic may pick this up from the start and then make Atlantic it's natural UK home.
I may even "write-up"!
10 pm
educated middle-class folk. I hardly think they're going
to be scared off a show that depicts the nastiness
of the drug trade.
BB gets good promotion in the US AFAIK. It's just when
it was airing in the UK and Ireland it never got any of the
promotion that other AMC shows like "Mad Men", "The Walking Dead" or "The Killing" remake got (no gushing articles in
Sunday supplements for Walt & co.).
You can't seriously expect to form a serious opinion on a show
based on 5 minutes, though. The BB pilot is an excellent piece
of TV drama. :cool:
In the multi-channel era I can only find a series called Joan of Arcadia, which had one nomination for Outstanding Drama Series, which I believe not to have been shown on a UK channel.
BB has won 6 Emmy awards, including 3 for Bryan Cranston as best actor. While it is not to everyone's taste, it is highly appreciated by its fans and my guess is that there are probably about a million people in Britain who have never seen it, but who would have loved it if they had.
Given that other US shows with controversial subject
matter (The Sopranos-Organised Crime, Dexter-
Serial Killer) have aired on UK & Irish TV, I hardly think
BB's dealing with drugs and cancer would scare off prospective
viewers in these islands.
Fintan O'Toole from "The Irish Times" is always praising
"Breaking Bad", even though the show has never aired
on an Irish channel. If more journos started promoting
the show, I'm sure a UK/Irish network would eventually
pick up the show.
Well so much for your scepticism. Here is the news he hinted at:
BREAKING BAD SEASON 3 IS GETTING A DVD RELEASE IN MAY
Full details here: http://www.tvwise.co.uk/2012/03/exclusive-breaking-bad-season-3-to-receive-its-uk-premiere-on-dvd/
TVWise has just run an exclusive piece saying sources at Sony have told them season 3 is coming to DVD (at last) in the UK on May 14th!!!!!
heres the link: http://www.tvwise.co.uk/2012/03/exclusive-breaking-bad-season-3-to-receive-its-uk-premiere-on-dvd/
Good news indeed. Wonder about the price.