The O.C. - Damn Promo Monkeys!
Network Ten have decided to continue what they started with Jericho, and are airing Season 4 of The O.C. a few days after it screens in the US. It will air in its usual time slot of Tuesday 8.30, starting November 7. While I’m not a particularly huge fan of the show, I like that Ten is responding to a common complaint among television viewers, particularly those in their target demographic – the often-excruciatingly long wait we have for American shows. Ten certainly deserves a pat on the back for actually giving a damn about their audience.
However, what I’m not liking so far is the advertising. Last year, most of the promos for the OC focused solely on Marissa, even when she wasn’t the focus of the episode. Someone at the Network had it in their head that all the audience really cared about was her, eagerly awaiting what the poor-little-princess would do next. In fact, most of the avid OC fans I know despised the character as it was portrayed by Mischa Barton. I became so fed up with her Season 3 plotlines that I stopped watching altogether. I only started viewing again when I accidentally read a spoiler that she was going to be killed off. Quite frankly, even her death was a let down.
So when I first saw Ten’s new ad for the OC, I was hoping they would focus on Ryan, the reason the show first came into being. Maybe they could highlight Seth and Summer, two of the most likeable characters on the series.
Instead, they have decided to go with Kaitlin Cooper, otherwise known as Marissa 2.0. I certainly wasn’t a fan of her character last year, so I’m not fond of the whole idea of the OC: The Next Generation. I’m even less fond of months of nothing but ads featuring her every time I switch over to Network Ten. To make it even worse, the advertising even features a reference to the now-departed Marissa. Please, just let it go!
Why does Ten think we care about these awful, unpleasant characters? Why would a reminder that these characters take air time away from the ones we do like make us want to tune in? All these ads do is make me want to tune out.
But perhaps I just travel in snarky and cynical circles, and in reality these ads do attract viewers. Have I got it wrong? Are these the characters that the target demographic wants to see? If that is the case, I guess I’ll have to give up my lifelong dream of being a Network Ten Promo Monkey.
*Image courtesy of Wikipedia, and used under Fair Dealing to illustrate the work being discussed
The OC - Season 4 Cast*
However, what I’m not liking so far is the advertising. Last year, most of the promos for the OC focused solely on Marissa, even when she wasn’t the focus of the episode. Someone at the Network had it in their head that all the audience really cared about was her, eagerly awaiting what the poor-little-princess would do next. In fact, most of the avid OC fans I know despised the character as it was portrayed by Mischa Barton. I became so fed up with her Season 3 plotlines that I stopped watching altogether. I only started viewing again when I accidentally read a spoiler that she was going to be killed off. Quite frankly, even her death was a let down.
So when I first saw Ten’s new ad for the OC, I was hoping they would focus on Ryan, the reason the show first came into being. Maybe they could highlight Seth and Summer, two of the most likeable characters on the series.
Instead, they have decided to go with Kaitlin Cooper, otherwise known as Marissa 2.0. I certainly wasn’t a fan of her character last year, so I’m not fond of the whole idea of the OC: The Next Generation. I’m even less fond of months of nothing but ads featuring her every time I switch over to Network Ten. To make it even worse, the advertising even features a reference to the now-departed Marissa. Please, just let it go!
Why does Ten think we care about these awful, unpleasant characters? Why would a reminder that these characters take air time away from the ones we do like make us want to tune in? All these ads do is make me want to tune out.
But perhaps I just travel in snarky and cynical circles, and in reality these ads do attract viewers. Have I got it wrong? Are these the characters that the target demographic wants to see? If that is the case, I guess I’ll have to give up my lifelong dream of being a Network Ten Promo Monkey.
*Image courtesy of Wikipedia, and used under Fair Dealing to illustrate the work being discussed
Celebrity Obsession
Like you, I stopped watching the show because I couldn't stand Marissa. And now they're making her little sister the star!! Looks like I still won't be watching it!
I can't believe they're doing the Kaitlin angle. Marissa was such a woeful character, why do we need a replacement? I didn't end up watching the season premiere, don't know if I'll bother with the show at all.
I used to hate Misha/Marissa but I missed watching season 3 when everyone else did so I watched it a couple of months later, in a couple of hits and then I went back to the beginning. Now I love all four main characters like family!! I conclude it was jealousy that made me hate her.
I wasnt keen on the Kaitlin storyline, she seems like a horrible creature and her voice is irritating but I think it might be the "promo monkeys" because I've watched all of the new season and you can see they're pulling her into a lead role but the focus so far HAS been Seth and Summer.