Marvel's Agents of SHIELD on Ch4 (Use Spoiler Tags)

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  • MoreTearsMoreTears Posts: 7,025
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    dearmrman wrote: »
    Actually if Sky really wanted it, they would have bid higher.

    Well, if Sky didn't "really want" it there never would have been much of a bidding war, let alone one described as "heated." But as I said above, Channel 4 had reason to want it MORE, after losing out to Sky in the last bidding war.

    The fact that Sky have come out and said earlier in the year, that they are going to cut down on the amount American imports they get, and concentrate on more of their own productions is probably why they let C4 outbid them.

    That shouldn't be taken literally. They are never going to REDUCE their quantity of American imports. They have too many customers who want those imports on Sky. They simply have an existing stock of American shows that didn't get too badly thinned out by cancellations this year, so this year's shopping spree was inevitably going to look a little lightweight compared to previous years'. They have already bought what UK channels identified as the biggest prize out of the new US network shows, The Blacklist. They bid for the Agents Of SHIELD thing. Now they are going to buy a few other shows.
    I would actually expect C4 & C5 to probably have more American imports over the next few years.

    Channel 4 is beefing up in that area, probably looking for the next Homeland, but Channel 4/E4/More4 is never going to eat up as much American programming as Sky1/Sky Living/Sky Atlantic. Sky Atlantic alone is a beast that needs constant feeding with American shows because its selling point is largely high-end American imports. Channel 5 just doesn't have the financial resources to be more of a player than they already in this field.
  • MassiveDynamicsMassiveDynamics Posts: 661
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    I think there are a couple of reasons. 1. Sky has less purchasing power after paying so much for the latest Premier League rights and 2. Sky made a big deal last year of increasing their own 'home-grown' entertainment programming spend by 50% to £600m by 2014.

    Many of their senior entertainment managers are ex-BBC and I can't remember when I last watched a TV series on the BBC from the US that wasn't a co-production - compare that to the days when they had The X-Files, Star Trek etc.

    EDIT: Sky have dropped a number of sports in recent years (Nascar, Indycar for example) and have also been purchased the rights to US series that were promoted heavily by Sky and were then cancelled by the US networks, sometimes before Sky had even begun to broadcast them.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 185
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    Sky's plan to focus more on their own original programming isnt the reason why I have a sky subscription! Not to mention the fact that they will be increasing the price this September as well:mad:

    I can understand that Sky's shows this season didn't get slaughtered, explains why they wouldn't be getting that many this year. ITV2 on the other hand got slapped in the face this year, with all their imports getting cancelled, but then again Animal Practice wtf were they thinking.

    It's better that Sky aren't buying many tbh as they barely have room for all the shows they do have, if they got more then some shows would have to be relegated to later in the year and it's already infuriating that they're doing that with Nikita and Supernatural.

    Although I would like to know why Sky purchased The Mob Doctor? Wasn't that among the first few shows of the season to be cancelled. I suppose they must have got it cheap as filler for the summer:yawn:
  • MassiveDynamicsMassiveDynamics Posts: 661
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    I totally agree about having a Sky subscription for the better US imports. If I wanted to want low quality home produced programming there are loads of free to air alternatives.

    It seems a strange strategy for Sky, can't help thinking it will cost them subscribers.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 794
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    CJClarke wrote: »
    I don't think that's very accurate, I'm sure C4 showed the first season of the US version of The Killing in a 9pm weekday slot (Thursday night?), not to mention when they had Lost it was on a weeknight at 8pm or 9pm, and of course there's The Simpsons which is on every weekday at 6pm.

    Except that it is accurate...

    Lost was always shown at 10pm, season 1 on Wednesdays and Season 2 on Tuesdays. It has never been broadcast at 8pm.

    The Killing was also shown at 10pm, season 1 on Thursdays and season 2 on Wednesdays.

    The Simpsons is not a bought-in US drama.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 794
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    They showed New Girl uncut at 7.30pm?

    (Although infuriatingly, despite premièring uncut pre-watershed, all pre-watershed repeats were cut...)

    Again, not a drama series.
  • MolokoMoloko Posts: 7,871
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    Minion wrote: »
    Again, not a drama series.

    Well ER was, and was shown at 9pm for its fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth series on Wednesday nights.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,488
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    Minion wrote: »
    Again, not a drama series.

    Why would the rule apply only to drama and not to comedy? And why would it not apply on weekends, when Sunday is the primary drama night?

    Illogical at best, stupid at worst. Especially since C4 does more comedy than drama.

    Also, according to Geektown...
    • The Event premiered on Channel 4 Friday 22nd October 2010 at 9PM...
    • Desperate Housewives Season 7, pat 2 premiered Wednesday 13th April 2011 9PM...
    Unless the rule has come in since 2011, which I doubt, that simply isn't true...
  • derek500derek500 Posts: 24,887
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    Unless the rule has come in since 2011, which I doubt, that simply isn't true...

    The rule is a myth. It's scheduling a 40-41m US Network show into a pre-defined one hour peak time slot, that means the later starts.

    Much easier on the multichannels, where there is no limit on the length of internal breaks.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,305
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    Minion wrote: »
    Except that it is accurate...

    No it's not, as theonlyweeman just proved, unless The Event and Desperate Housewives don't count as a drama.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,488
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    CJClarke wrote: »
    No it's not, as theonlyweeman just proved, unless The Event and Desperate Housewives don't count as a drama.

    Desperate Housewives is arguably comedy drama, and The Event is sci-fi, but if the rule doesn't apply to sci-fi, why are we discussing it here?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 794
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    CJClarke wrote: »
    No it's not, as theonlyweeman just proved, unless The Event and Desperate Housewives don't count as a drama.

    I wouldn't call finding a single reference on the Geektown website 'proof', however as far as DH is concerned I couldn't tell you either way, although using this criteria Wikipedia says the timeslot was 10pm...

    With regard to The Event though, Friday nights has always been counted as the weekend in broadcasting.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,488
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    Minion wrote: »
    I wouldn't call finding a single reference on the Geektown website 'proof', however as far as DH is concerned I couldn't tell you either way, although using this criteria Wikipedia says the timeslot was 10pm...

    With regard to The Event though, Friday nights has always been counted as the weekend in broadcasting.
    A reference on the Geektown website, which is known for being fairly reliable, is more evidence than you've provided.

    In fact, screw this, we'll believe you when you provide evidence of this rule. Until then, I'll continue to think it's bullshit and that Channel 4 are using the 10PM slot because it suits the shows better.

    And, by the way, the Wikipedia proof you supposedly provided was referring to the first half of the season, I was referring to the second half (as evidenced by the use of "Part 2")
  • Shawn_LunnShawn_Lunn Posts: 9,353
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    Really looking forward to this show.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 794
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    A reference on the Geektown website, which is known for being fairly reliable, is more evidence than you've provided.

    In fact, screw this, we'll believe you when you provide evidence of this rule. Until then, I'll continue to think it's bullshit and that Channel 4 are using the 10PM slot because it suits the shows better.

    And, by the way, the Wikipedia proof you supposedly provided was referring to the first half of the season, I was referring to the second half (as evidenced by the use of "Part 2")

    Whatever mate.

    Put simply, you're the one that disagreed with my statement so it's up to you to prove otherwise, which you have failed to do.

    You've apparently found one instance in nearly a decades worth of TV where a US drama has been shown on a weekday in prime time before 10pm and think that a single exception disproves the statement. Without any context as to why this occurred it doesn't mean anything.

    As for the Geektown website, to whom exactly is this 'known to be fairly reliable'? Is there some sort of league table for website reliability?

    Also, I did not say that the Wikipedia entry was proof, I was merely using it to illustrate how you're own production of 'proof' was flawed, as the Internet is full of contradictory information. Clearly this was lost on you.

    Indeed Channel 4 may well not show US drama on a weekday before 10pm for the reason you suggest - that they think it suits the show better - but my original post is quite clear that I don't know the reason why. However, if this is the reason why, as you suggest, then surely you have just agreed with my point? :rolleyes:
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,488
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    Minion wrote: »
    Whatever mate.

    Put simply, you're the one that disagreed with my statement so it's up to you to prove otherwise, which you have failed to do.

    You've apparently found one instance in nearly a decades worth of TV where a US drama has been shown on a weekday in prime time before 10pm and think that a single exception disproves the statement. Without any context as to why this occurred it doesn't mean anything.

    As for the Geektown website, to whom exactly is this 'known to be fairly reliable'? Is there some sort of league table for website reliability?

    Also, I did not say that the Wikipedia entry was proof, I was merely using it to illustrate how you're own production of 'proof' was flawed, as the Internet is full of contradictory information. Clearly this was lost on you.

    Indeed Channel 4 may well not show US drama on a weekday before 10pm for the reason you suggest - that they think it suits the show better - but my original post is quite clear that I don't know the reason why. However, if this is the reason why, as you suggest, then surely you have just agreed with my point? :rolleyes:

    Actually, I found two instances and then you reclassified your statement to exclude one of them.

    I'm sorry I didn't realise I needed statistical basis for what was evidently an anecdotal unquantifiable thing.

    The information wasn't contradicting, the link you posted referred to the first half of the season, I was talking about the second.

    Your subsequent posts suggest you know about the existence of a rule, and that you do in fact know the reason why. And I'd question why you thought so hard to confirm the existence of something you didn't know, but I quite frankly can't be arsed to spend any more time on this...
  • wildphantom!wildphantom! Posts: 561
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    Minion wrote: »
    Whatever mate.

    Put simply, you're the one that disagreed with my statement so it's up to you to prove otherwise, which you have failed to do.

    You've apparently found one instance in nearly a decades worth of TV where a US drama has been shown on a weekday in prime time before 10pm and think that a single exception disproves the statement. Without any context as to why this occurred it doesn't mean anything.

    As for the Geektown website, to whom exactly is this 'known to be fairly reliable'? Is there some sort of league table for website reliability?

    Also, I did not say that the Wikipedia entry was proof, I was merely using it to illustrate how you're own production of 'proof' was flawed, as the Internet is full of contradictory information. Clearly this was lost on you.

    Indeed Channel 4 may well not show US drama on a weekday before 10pm for the reason you suggest - that they think it suits the show better - but my original post is quite clear that I don't know the reason why. However, if this is the reason why, as you suggest, then surely you have just agreed with my point? :rolleyes:

    Wow. Who cares what time the show will be on or this supposed rule. Channel 4 have probably looked at the most successful timeslots and because this is a 'family' show it will be on 8/9pm. What day? Who knows, probably Friday or Sunday and because Homeland starts around the time it might be paired with it.
  • Matt DMatt D Posts: 13,153
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    It'll be good when this starts... then we can actually discuss the series itself...
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,488
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    Wow. Who cares what time the show will be on or this supposed rule. Channel 4 have probably looked at the most successful timeslots and because this is a 'family' show it will be on 8/9pm. What day? Who knows, probably Friday or Sunday and because Homeland starts around the time it might be paired with it.

    I think they'll pair Homeland and Masters of Sex, rather than Homeland and S.H.I.E.L.D.. Channel 4 almost got in trouble because of the swearing within Homeland's opening titles. They got away with it, because it was the 6th episode of a heavily serialised show, and Ofcom felt that the audience should be aware of what to expect. Given S.H.I.E.L.D.'s likely appeal to children, and the fairly early positioning of the opening titles within Homeland, they probably wouldn't get away with airing Homeland directly after S.H.I.E.L.D....
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 794
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    Actually, I found two instances and then you reclassified your statement to exclude one of them.

    I'm sorry I didn't realise I needed statistical basis for what was evidently an anecdotal unquantifiable thing.

    The information wasn't contradicting, the link you posted referred to the first half of the season, I was talking about the second.

    Your subsequent posts suggest you know about the existence of a rule, and that you do in fact know the reason why. And I'd question why you thought so hard to confirm the existence of something you didn't know, but I quite frankly can't be arsed to spend any more time on this...

    It wasn't a 'reclassification', more a clarification. I had assumed that you had more knowledge with regards to broadcasting than you did.

    Obviously you do not need a statistical basis, I was merely highlighting that you cannot present a generalisation as fact.

    With regard to the Wikipedia quote, you are deliberately misunderstanding my intent of illustrating that information garnered from sources such as these is not, and cannot be regarded as fact. The Wikipedia quote is not fact at all, as it is missing additional information about the second half of the season. Which was the point.

    My original post merely informs that the 8-10pm thing with regards to imported content is a general rule. As stated, I do not know why it is used, but offered some suppositions.

    Here is a link to a Commons Select Commitee Report on PSBs. It's a few years old but point 170 contains a quote from then C4 Chief Executive Andy Duncan regarding imported content in the 8-10pm slot. Obviously this isn't the concrete evidence you seek, but goes some way to illustrate that this is something that is considered either formally or informally.

    http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200910/ldselect/ldcomuni/37/3707.htm
  • rammie96rammie96 Posts: 497
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    MoreTears wrote: »
    A low price, when TV Wise says Channel's 4's victory came after a "heated bidding war?" "Heated bidding war" really means high price. Sky clearly tried, but Sky was not going to pay ANYTHING. Sky does not always win, despite what "theonlyweeman" seems to think.
    Why the assumption that a 'bidding war' involved Sky? I would have thought that C5 would have been well in there too - in fact there were stories circulating a week earlier that C5 had already won it.
  • MoreTearsMoreTears Posts: 7,025
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    rammie96 wrote: »
    Why the assumption that a 'bidding war' involved Sky? I would have thought that C5 would have been well in there too - in fact there were stories circulating a week earlier that C5 had already won it.

    TVWise said there were at least TWO other bidders beside Channel 4 involved in the bidding war. I am assuming the two other bidders were Sky and Channel 5, as both were known to be targeting Agents of SHIELD.
  • circlebro2019circlebro2019 Posts: 17,560
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    dearmrman wrote: »
    Actually if Sky really wanted it, they would have bid higher. The fact that Sky have come out and said earlier in the year, that they are going to cut down on the amount American imports they get, and concentrate on more of their own productions is probably why they let C4 outbid them.

    I would actually expect C4 & C5 to probably have more American imports over the next few years.

    In the meantime lets just hope this series is as good as Arrow, and not as awful as most of the Marvel films.

    yes, a tv show about marvels shield organisation was commissioned because marvels films are so bad.:confused:
  • MrSuperMrSuper Posts: 18,474
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    Matt D wrote: »
    It'll be good when this starts... then we can actually discuss the series itself...

    :D:D:D Well said. Think the above conversation is for another thread entirely. Lol.
  • derek500derek500 Posts: 24,887
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    I think they'll pair Homeland and Masters of Sex/QUOTE]

    Difficult to do that when premium cable shows have different episode lengths and with UK commercials added, they'll always run over the hour.

    Homeland had some shorter episodes that only had three internal breaks and were in a 65m slot and others which had four breaks and were in 70m slots.

    Not good to have a non-regular start time for the following programme.
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