Anyone else sick of Channel 5's "Mid season breaks"?

[Deleted User] · 22/01/13 - 21:07

Is anyone else sick of watching a show on that channel, just for it to dissapear for weeks at a time for a "mid season break".

I am not talking about new shows either, i am talking about the likes of Castle and Body Of Proof, which have been shown on other channels first.

I know a lot of it could be down to ratings, but do ratings improve if the show gets taken off air for weeks?.

It's got to the point where i've stopped watching shows on there now, as i am tired of them being taken off and moved.

yorksdave · 22/01/13 - 21:16

American shows often take mid season breaks, if channel 5 are broadcasting at or near original american transmission, then it would be out of their hands. The alternative to mid season breaks is to delay the season starts, but then a lot of people complain that they have to wait, and some download the shows from illegal download services

BigOrange · 22/01/13 - 21:18

It normally happens because a show is underperforming in a slot and needs to be rescheduled. It can be frustrating however, and I agree that Castle in particular was bad form as that was off for months and months.

But their first-run shows tend to run uninterrupted: i.e. CSI + spinoffs, Once Upon a Time, Dallas, etc. As do most of their other imports for that matter. These midseason breaks are not really all that common. The Mentalist is only being rested right now due to closeness to US transmission.

It's a shame it's put you off watching some of the great dramas on the channel, though. I guess when you get people out of the habit by taking a show off suddenly you are always going to run the risk of doing that. But I think in the case of Person of Interest for example (back this Sunday at 9pm and well worth a watch), they've only done it in the hope of persuading new viewers to check out the show as it wasn't really working on Tuesdays opposite football when it appeals strongly to young male viewers.

Dansky+HD · 22/01/13 - 21:26

I think the antidote to this could be for example

having a catch up of the season so far in a one off recap

or showing the whole season so far over the course of a few days for people who have heard about the show to do a super quick catch up.

May alleviate those who rush to torrent sites for lower quality but ad free versions.

Bandspread199 · 22/01/13 - 22:13

Nope! Not sick of it at all! Haven't noticed! Couldn't give a flying fig! It's TV not life or death!:rolleyes:

[Deleted User] · 22/01/13 - 22:16

Dansky+HD wrote: »

I think the antidote to this could be for example

having a catch up of the season so far in a one off recap

or showing the whole season so far over the course of a few days for people who have heard about the show to do a super quick catch up.

May alleviate those who rush to torrent sites for lower quality but ad free versions.

Channel 5 did that with Person of Interest, over two nights at the beginning of the month they ran (and advertised) all 12 or so episodes of the series they had already shown, ready for it's return later in the month.

carl.waring · 22/01/13 - 23:37

yorksdave wrote: »

American shows often take mid season breaks, if channel 5 are broadcasting at or near original american transmission, then it would be out of their hands.

True. But, for example, 5's 'mid-season break' for "The Lying Game" was something like NINE MONTHS!!! :mad:)

The alternative to mid season breaks is to delay the season starts..

I am more than happy for them to do that

...but then a lot of people complain that they have to wait, and some download the shows from illegal download services

Well then they're just idiots.

BigOrange · 22/01/13 - 23:48

theonlyweeman wrote: »

Channel 5 did that with Person of Interest, over two nights at the beginning of the month they ran (and advertised) all 12 or so episodes of the series they had already shown, ready for it's return later in the month.

Also they are currently running trailers which explain in a nutshell what the show is all about for anyone who missed the first 12 episodes.

They are good when it comes to the promotion side of things, but the execution hasn't been great lately. I suppose part of the problem could be that they are simply airing more of these US dramas than ever and there's only so many suitable slots? For whatever reason they don't appear to like using 8pm or 10pm if they can avoid it but the former worked well for Once Upon a Time.

Michael09 · 23/01/13 - 07:24

Hate it when they do is, Body of Proof is not back until the summer.

[Deleted User] · 23/01/13 - 08:16

Dancc wrote: »

Also they are currently running trailers which explain in a nutshell what the show is all about for anyone who missed the first 12 episodes.

They are good when it comes to the promotion side of things, but the execution hasn't been great lately. I suppose part of the problem could be that they are simply airing more of these US dramas than ever and there's only so many suitable slots? For whatever reason they don't appear to like using 8pm or 10pm if they can avoid it but the former worked well for Once Upon a Time.

8PM slots are pre-watershed so they'd either have to cut the episodes or face the wrath of the Daily Mail. I did notice C5 cut pre-watershed repeats of Once Upon A Time, but left the first showing uncut. (Seemed a bit stupid to me)

10PM slots tend not to do as well, The Walking Dead bombed in it's 10PM Monday slot. I think C5 were hesitant about airing it at 9PM, because it was very violent at points, and Ofcom are still rather bitchy when it comes to airing adult content just after the watershed.

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Anyone else sick of Channel 5's "Mid season breaks"?

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