It's decent, I agree. But I'd like to see some original ideas come from BBC headquarters when it comes to drama.

I think it would help if the BBC had only two channels: One and Two - because Three and Four rather get in the way when it comes to drama.

I mean, stuff like On Expenses would've (in the right slot) pulled over 2m on BBC Two - as it was brilliant - and I want to see more of these. One imagining the death of Dr David Kelly would be great.

Also, I'd love to see the brilliant Being Human promoted to BBC One as I think it really is a great original show.

It beats dull re-makes of Upstairs, Downstairs (though I can't comment yet), Five Days, Survivors and Day of the Triffids (though that was quite good).

I may be wrong, but I get the impression Archibald is trying to find his feet in an industry he knows precious little about, rather like a blindfolded man stumbling about in a cave.

At night.

Arguable to say the least - details of Dancing On Ice were released before Strictly Ice Dancing was comissioned.

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Excellent for Five Days - The Bill dipped but at least it's managing to keep around 3.5m. Reasonable night for the other three channels, especially considering the opposition. Coronation Street was dented yet again by the lack of junction on BBC1. EastEnders and Emmerdale did well.
Last edited by Fudd : 05-03-2010 at 18:33

Thurs 4th March

BBC1
06:00-09:15: BBC Breakfast - 1.6m (33%)

ITV1
06:00-09:25: GMTV - 1.0m (23%)

Source: Digital-i TV blog



For comparison; earlier this week in the thread, Tuesday 2nd March was reported as:
BBC Breakfast: 1.53m (34.4%)
GMTV: 0.98m (21.9%)

Odd that it took ITV over a year to recreate a programme which had already been shown on BBC.

Book some celebs, install ice rink, hire some judges - including Nicky Slater (he was on BBC version 1st, maybe he had inside info for ITV producers)

I wonder how ITV managed to pull it off

Really glad 5 days doing so well - hope it can breach 8 million in the BARB ratings

The scheduling of Ashes to Ashes will be very interesting. It'll do excellently wherever it's placed, so it depends how the BBC want to use it. Will they try to strengthen Wednesday nights with it? Will they go for a complete blitz on Tuesday's? Put a real challenge up against ITV on Monday's? Crush the new ITV shows coming up on Friday? Strangle The Bill on Thursday's? Will be intriguing to see...


Which means before long he'll fall flat on hs face. I can see where he's coming from if he knew about ABC asking the BBC to produce an ITV show, though.

Dancing on Ice was announced in late 2004 (then titled Stars on Thin Ice) - before Strictly Ice Dancing aired.

It's fair enough to say that DOI was commissioned to capatalise on the success of Strictly but it clearly had nothing to do with Strictly's Ice spin-off.

I agree about BBC Four - it seems silly to spend money on dramas that are then aired to small audiences when they could have a bigger platform on a channel (BBC Two) that is crying out for new original drama.

ITV had doubts aout the success of the show - they had had a spate of celebrity based shows which had flopped miserably and I think it gave them cold feet regarding the format, hence the held it back. I guess the (relative) success of Strictly Ice Dancing gave them confidence that it would work - especially with Torvil and Dean providing a boost as well.

ive said I think it will be Tuesday, but all 5 nights are in play.

I like that title. I wish they'd stuck with that.

I disagree about BBC Four, it's a great channel that mixes intelligent programming with stuff that appeals to everyone, their seasons of programming are often inspired ranging from the Edwardians to travel. Ironically it is the dramas that draw in an audience, My only criticism is that they seem to concentrate on one-off dramas than series and comedy is a little lacking although they do have gems like Getting On and Screenwipe/Newswipe.

They do seem to get some interesting faces to front their shows, Ian Hislop did one on Doctor Beeching, Paul Merton has done Silent Clowns and Hitchcock and they got Russell Brand to do a documentary on Jack Kerouac.

Being Human although good is unlikely to transfer to BBC One, I think BBC Two would be more suitable.

Actually, Strictly Ice Dancing was commissioned before Dancing on Ice/Stars on Thin Ice:


Sources here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2004...v.broadcasting
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4042753.stm
http://strictlydancing.utopian-total...ing-shows.html

Planning of both shows probably started at a similar time, so I'm not saying ITV1 copied Strictly Ice Dancing but BBC1 did get in there first with the official announcement and commissioning of their show. No doubt about it though, that Dancing on Ice wouldn't have been commissioned had it not been for the success of Strictly Come Dancing.

Anyone else noticed new editions of A Question of Sport are appearing on Saturday afternoons, from tomorrow?

The shows had varying success in the timeshifts though with Collision doing particularly well.

Final average figures were -

7.54m = Collision
6.47m = Torchwood
4.97m = Criminal Justice: S2

So I think Five Days will have to get around 1m+ timeshifts to beat Collision - possible but I think it probably wont do it. Still a fantastic result though and way ahead of my expectations.

Easy to forget how successful Collision was - do we know of any plans for further stripped dramas on ITV?

Anyone know what BBC1 normally airs on Easter Sunday mornings? Just wondering what the possible reason for this may be: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/7755219.stm


Moving the race over from BBC One to BBC Two is really a stupid idea, especially halfway through.

I hope its an error. Back to the original thing... what do they normally show on Easter Sunday morning? What was there last year?

EDIT: http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pre...9/easter.shtml


So F1 looks like being bumped to BBC2 to show an Easter message that gets... what, 1 million viewers?

LOL. I was thinking something similar, myself.


It's lost its Friday night slot to Masterchef. Maybe they should have put it on at 5.45 instead of a repeat of Hole In The Wall.


What about a second series of Collision with an entirely different cast? Like BBC1 did with Criminal Justice and Five days.


Er.... the Pope. Easter Sunday is the most important day in the Christian calendar.

Edit: I see you picked this up for yourself.

I remind you that the BBC is supposed to be a public service broadcaster.

I disagree. Fresh blood is needed. The broadcasting industry is full of people who think in tunnel vision and think that because its always been done a certain way, things must continue that way. Hence all the mad Ofcom regulation.

Imagine showing a religious service at Easter

with the BBC sports rights cap F1 will be back home soon anyway

ABC:
9pm – Grey’s Anatomy – 11.79m (4.0)
* Up 8% from series lows
10pm – Private Practice – 7.65m (2.7)
* Lowest ever for a Thursday episode

CBS:
8pm – Survivor – 12.69m (3.8)
9pm – CSI – 15.57m (3.7)
* Most watched show in the hour
* But finished 3rd in adults 18-49
10pm – The Mentalist – 14.78m (3.2)
* Most watched show in the hour
* Dipped 14% from CSI – more than usual?

FOX:
8pm – American Idol – 19.31m (6.5)
* Down 13% from equivalent episode last year
9pm – Kitchen Nightmares – 8.09m (3.3)

NBC:
8pm – Community – 5.06m (2.3)
8.30pm – Parks and Recreation – 4.64m (2.3)
* Both flat from last episodes
9pm – The Office – 9.03m (4.7)
* Special 1 hour episode
* Season high, rising 27% from last episode
* Won the hour in the key demo
10pm – The Marriage Ref – 7.71m (3.4)
* Won the hour with adults 18-49

LATE NIGHT:

11.35pm
NBC – Tonight with Jay Leno – 5.1m (1.5)
CBS – Late Show with David Letterman – 3.9m (1.1)

12.35am
CBS – Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson – 1.9m (0.6)
NBC – Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – 1.8m (0.6)

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/03/05...ts-18-49/43897
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Thanks to Idol, FOX won the night but NBC must be pleased with the past week. Leno is pretty steady, Parenthood and The Marriage Ref have done well and L&O: SVU very nearly beat CSI: NY.

Only downside is that Fallon isn't benefitting from his new lead-in.

CSI had a guest apperance from Rascal Flatts which is a country music band and I think The Mentalist may have been affected by the season finale of Burn Notice as it usually retains or builds on the CSI lead in. I still think we will see a timeslot switch later in the year, the last two weeks tell me that CBS are at least considering it.

Networks are filling in some blanks for their summer schedules. NBC have announced that America's Got Talent premieres on June 1st, 3 weeks earlier than last year with new judge Howie Mandel. As usual, AGT airs Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Their Monday line-up has a second revival of Last Comic Standing at 9pm followed by new drama, Persons Unknown at 10pm. Sophie Winkleman of The Peep Show has a sitcom on NBC called "100 Questions" which will air at 8.30pm on Thursdays through the summer.

ABC say they have 2 scripted series, "Scoundrels" and "The Gates", specifically developed for the summer. The Bachelorette anchors their summer schedule on Mondays at 8pm with True Beauty (Exec Produced by Ashton Kutcher and Tyra Banks) airing at 10pm. They also have another Bachelor spin-off titled Bachelor Pad and Wipeout plus a return for Shaq vs despite poor numbers last year.

CBS generally just go with Big Brother and repeats which always perform well for them. FOX will mainly rely on So You Think You Can Dance (Wed/Thur) and Hells Kitchen (Tue).

Is this basically an X Factor style competition for comedians - how does it rate? Surprised ITV haven't brought it over especially as they're looking for more entertainment shows for Fridays, though on second thoughts with it being a second revival I'm guessing it doesn't pull in many viewers.

I've never seen it but it certainly sounds like that (auditions, then they live in a house and face various challenges with a public vote to decide the eliminations and ultimately the winner).

I can't remember what it has got in the past (or find much info) but I think it did well in its first season then tailed off quite quickly. It had 3 series through 2003-2004 then got axed and revived again in 2006 for 3 more series to 2008 then didn't return in 2009 but now it's back again!

Tbh I think something like it might work on a Friday night for ITV so long as they got the format right and had the right hosts. Stand up comedy does seem to be quite popular just now. And it would probably rate well among men as well.