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In an increasingly fast paced world full of media proliferation, it's hardly surprising that television is starting to adapt. Until now, the most notable change had been the emergence of extended and online content.
However, a new product has entered the market - Short-form drama, also known as Snack drama. Snack drama is a new phenomenon of bite-sized shows, with episodes of under four minutes that are intended to be viewed online or on a mobile phone.
Like many burgeoning new-media concepts, Snack drama began with offerings by disgruntled producers whose efforts were shunned by the networks. Now, the television industry and mobile TV providers are lining up to get a taste of this newest treat.
Does short-form drama signal the end of hour-long shows? For the most part, doughnuts have yet to replace the meal of dinner, and crackers don't fill you up - they simply tide you over. I feel that Snack drama fills an emerging niche, but I sincerely hope that they do not usurp the position of lengthier, in-depth shows.
So, dear readers, what is your opinion of Snack drama? Do you like to steal a few mouthfuls here and there? Is it the answer to entertainment in a time-starved era? Or is it simply a symptom of decreasing attention-spans brought on by the technological age?
I’ve been meaning to write this post since So You Think You Can Dance Australia first aired on our screens. Finally, with the aid of a sliver of free time and a gentle nudge from Dusk Devi, I can now wax lyrical about this guilty pleasure of mine.
I had some initial niggling reservations about the Australian incarnation of the American hit; namely that, with a smaller industry and pool of dancers to choose from, the ‘Land Down Under’ contestants would not be of the same standard as their ‘Land Up Over’ counterparts. I needn’t have worried – the Top Twenty dancers chosen were every bit as talented as I had hoped, and then some. Over the last few weeks many gifted performers have had the chance to show off their prowess in some brilliant routines.
I’m not as convinced about the choice of Natalie Bassingthwaighte as a host. She is a gorgeous woman, although her ever-changing hairstyles don’t always quite hit the mark. I do think she sincerely cares about the contestants, but her delivery and comments sometimes come across as artificial or redundant. Still, I think that is at least partly due to the nature of the medium, and more than likely the wishes of the powers that be. And of course, it could be much worse – like the host of a certain celebrity dancing show…
I’m reasonably happy with the choice of the judges. Thankfully, none of them have decided to take on the role of egotistical and malicious bastard à la Simon Cowell. Matt Lee’s assessment of the performances always seems fair, although at times his ever-present hats have more personality than he does.
Bonnie Lythgoe bears a striking resemblance to SYTYCD judge Nigel Lythgoe, which is a little disconcerting considering she is his ex-wife. She can be a bit ‘spacey’ and rambling at times, but her comments do (eventually) tend to be constructive and supporting.
Jason Coleman is usually a tad more harsh than the other judges, but as the saying goes, sometimes the truth hurts. However, Jason has received quite a bit of flak recently, with some in the dance industry branding him an amateur. I can’t imagine that many amateurs would have ‘choreographing the opening and closing ceremonies for the Sydney Olympics’ on their résumé, but I’m no expert. Personally, I think he deserves the most criticism for his inability to properly button up his shirt.
I have to admit, I have a love/hate relationship with this show, and can see-saw between the two extremes various times during each episode. Most of my issues with the programme arise from the very nature of the reality show format. While I think the assessment by the judges after each performance is usually fairly apt, their decisions regarding who to eliminate is not. The most striking example of this was the elimination of Hilton a few weeks ago – he was an immensely strong dancer who, based on his performances, certainly was more deserving than JD. However, JD continued on, presumably because it was decided that he would make for better television. The whole reality voting system irks me to no end – as Jason has said on many occasions, the search becomes one for Australia’s favourite, rather than best, dancer. And in this case, Australia equals mostly teeny-boppers who are prepared to spend ridiculous amounts of money on SMS voting.
That being said, the Top 10 is very worthy. I was very disappointed by the elimination of Sermsah (once again in favour of JD!), because I just adored his mix of Aboriginal and Contemporary dance – however, based on his continuing troubles with lifts throughout his performances, it was probably his time to go. I would have also liked to see Camilla continue on into the Top 10, and I thought the way her final speech brought tears to everyone was terribly sweet.
Making a prediction of the Top 4 will probably be futile, considering some of the surprise eliminations throughout the series thus far, but I’m going to do it anyway. I think that Anthony, Rhys, Demi and Vanessa will comprise the final quartet, as all of these likeable dancers have consistently showed phenomenal talent and versatility. As for the overall winner, I think that Rhys will take the crown – his dancing is just amazing (and if Priscilla: Queen of the Desert taught us anything, it’s that Australia just loves drag performers).
The Television Industry and aficionados can breath a collective sigh of relief - the Writers' Strike has official come to an end. After three long months, a deal has been reached between the WGA and the AMPTP, and 92.5% of guild members voted for an immediate end to the strike. A further vote to ratify the new contract will be held on February 25.
This means that the writers would have returned to work today (Wednesday in the US). The most immediate impact will be seen on the late night talk shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and The Colbert Report. Each of these hosts has had to struggle through writer-less since early January, with the results falling everywhere on the spectrum between 'hilarious and moving' and 'uncomfortable and awkward.'
The effect on scripted dramas and comedies is not quite as clear. Many shows are expected to resume filming quite promptly, which may mean more episodes to air this season (Lost, My Name Is Earl). For some, there is no word yet as to when new episodes will be made or aired (Heroes, House). Other programmes, that were already struggling, have become casualties of the strike and will not return (Bionic Woman).
It's too early to fully appreciate the impact that this strike has had on the television industry. So many people and companies that work within or rely on the entertainment business have been hit hard. Still, that's the way that the game has to be played, and the result is fair residuals for writers when their work is distributed via New Media. This was a fight that had to occur - this emerging market has been garnering enormous profits for the studios, and the writers were not receiving anything for it. The fact that the AMPTP walked away from the table and allowed this strike to go on for so long shows that the studios were desperate not to share even the smallest sliver of the pie, no matter what the impact on the industry.
So the strike is now a thing of the past, the WGA has struck a fair deal, and shows can now resume production. Utter a prayer of thanks to Seshat, Thoth, Nisaba, Nabu, or your writing deity of choice, for this wonderful event.
One of the few upsides to the American writers' strike is that it has forced the Australian Networks to consider more Australian programming. Rather than develop a new concept, Network Ten have decided to revive a programme that disappeared from our screens almost 8 years ago - Good News Week. While I'm hoping that the channels with attempt to create some new and exciting Australian shows, I am certainly happy for Ten to soothe the GNW withdrawal I still feel to this day.
It's not surprising that Ten have decided to resurrect this mishmash of news, current affairs, comedy, and performance - it really did serve as a template for many of Australia's most entertaining shows of recent times. Although the ABC has had a lot of success with Spicks and Specks and The Chaser's War on Everything, there is certainly a gap in the market for this kind of programme, particularly with the axing of The Glasshouse and the absence of The Panel
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2007 is well and truly behind us, and with it a year of television that ranged from amazing to abysmal. As I was away from Orble at the end of the year, I now present to you a belated look at the stand-out episodes of the year that was. (As aired on Australian Television in 2007)
Lost – The Man Behind the Curtain
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After quite a hiatus, I have finally returned to the warm embrace of the Orble network. While my holiday ended some time ago, various circumstances involving Christmas, New Year, class and work have prevented me from posting until now. I had an absolutely wonderful time in Hong Kong and Beijing; as you can imagine, my time was spent shopping, sightseeing, and then shopping some more.
I didn't have much opportunity to check out the television while abroad. I did, however, discover that Hong Kong soap operas are every bit as terrible and hilarious as our own – and I was able to deduce that despite the fact that they were all in Cantonese with no English subtitles. Also entirely in Cantonese was the Beijing tour, which was challenging, to say the least! Thankfully my friend was able to translate the important parts for me. My whole trip was just amazing, and I can't recommend travelling there enough
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There will continue to be no posts over the next couple of weeks, as I am going away on holiday. I'm headed to Hong Kong and Beijing, about which I'm very excited! While I'm away, I will definitely take a peek at what television in these two places has to offer...
As a parting gift, I leave you with Cracked.com's list of the Top Twelve Words Created by The Simpsons.
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Yes, there has been a severe drought in TV Babble posts lately. And yes, unfortunately that drought is set to continue, due to the nemesis of every university student - exams. I will attempt to return to some semblance of regular posting when I can. To tide you over, here is some breaking programming news.
Joss Whedon, best known as the man behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly, is once again bringing his brand of entertainment back to the small screen. The new show, entitled Dollhouse, will star Eliza Dushku, best known for her role as rogue slayer Faith
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