NBC figures out why we're not watching new shows

[YRBB]

It's because people don't want to start watching a show unless they can catch up with the episodes they've missed.

 

Well, obviously. 

 

It's not the only reason, of course, but the quality of the shows is irrelevant. The numbers are pretty definitive: Over 70% need to be able to catch up with all the previous seasons before deciding to pick up an ongoing show, something certainly true for me as well. The shows that are made available in their entirety on streaming have more of a chance of getting me to become a weekly viewer once I'm caught up. I particularly like it when shows become available soon after their season is over, and not a few weeks before the next one starts -- that's not enough time.

 

Then again, most shows get canceled, so I often tend to wait at least a season or two to make sure they'll probably have a healthy run.

 

What do you think? What are some of the reasons you wouldn't start a show, even if you wanted to watch?

[Khan]

People don't want to watch new shows before catching up, because new shows are too heavily serialized, and trying a new show in mid-stream is next to impossible if you don't know everything that happened before.  That's what I love now about shows like "Columbo" and "Murder, She Wrote."  They're intelligent, they're non-violent, and they don't require my researching them on the Internet before each episode.

[DRW50]

The main reason I don't watch most new shows is because most of them aren't worth watching. Yes it helps if they're easily available, but most of them just aren't worth the effort. And I agree with Khan that pointlessly serialized shows do no favors, as ABC has learned. 

 

NBC should spend their money making programs that are actually good. 

[Cheap21]

the tv format has changed with digital streaming being a thing. I much prefer to binge watch a show than the old tired format of waiting a week, sometimes more with irregular schedules due to holidays, winter breaks, events, etc...

[frequentsoapfan]

So ture! Sitcoms and procedurals are the easiest shows to pick up after they've already started because you don't have to research online or watch all the episodes to start watching.

[Khan]

Agree.

 

Furthermore, non-serialized shows perform better than serialized ones do in reruns, not only because it's difficult to watch unless you start from the first episode, but also, once you HAVE watched the entire series, you probably don't need (or want) to watch again, save for favorite scenes or episodes here and there.

[depboy]

I watched all the CBS seasons of Poppy Montgomery's Unforgettable, and knew it was moving to A&E.  I totally forgot to set a season pass to record the new season and started recording about 6 episodes in.  I have yet to watch the episodes I have on the TiVo because I can't find the first episodes of the season on demand or online, so I'm not "caught up".  I'm hoping A&E will do a marathon before they start a new season. Otherwise, I'll just delete the half season I have recorded and call it a loss.

There are only a few shows that I've watched that I started by binge watching seasons before the newest season premiers.  I did that with True Blood and Arrow.  I usually watch shows from their network premiere to their ending.  I did that with shows like Lost, Desperate Housewives, The Mentalist, Wilfred (even when it switched from FX to FXX).

[~bl~]

I actually like starting in the middle of some shows, if I know I'll eventually be able to see the whole program. (This comes from years of watching things that were syndicated.) If I have a choice though, I tend not to watch things like "Columbo" or "Murder, She Wrote", and the shows tend to cut out portions in reruns making them unintelligible. A&E destroyed "Murder, She Wrote", and honestly I barely have any memory of it when it originally aired even though my family viewed it regularly. If I want a mystery fix, I tend to read a book instead of watch a television show.  I find them both too slow and I'd rather spend my time doing something I can invest in on an emotional level. If I just want something to watch without thinking too hard or "caring", I'll watch a game show or something of that nature.

 

With reruns, I think lightly serialized shows do better, than the ones that are so specific that if you miss an episode you're completely lost. With re-watching I think that completely depends on the person. Some people love doing that, others view once and move on, it depends on how you are. There have been times I've loved to watch things numerous times, and others that I just replay the best bits in my mind. I know some people who do view things again and again, and for the most part I only do that if it is something I like and then happen to see on television when flipping around. I don't go around watching the same television scene on YouTube numerous times unless I get nostalgic. (This happens sometimes, but since there are so many options, I tend to watch more new and/or new to me material instead.) If I miss a show, and don't get a reference, I don't see it as a big deal, as even if I did watch something again I still may not see it. 

 

When it comes to the style of watching, I like to binge and have for ages (even when VHS was the only format). That's part of why I like limited series that tend not to be solely American, because they can be viewed easily over a weekend. I like being able to watch a show that is only 5-10 episodes and tells a complete story. 

 

Speaking about my issues with NBC, I think I'd watch more if the quality of their programming was better and if their on demand service would improve. I understand the need for advertising, but if I'm viewing something that is 2-3 months old there is *no need* to make the person watch a barely 40 minute program for 55 minutes. Not a Nielsen home, so no one gets money, all it causes is annoyance. I'll choose something else before I have to suffer through that many ads, and if I fall asleep while watching well I'm out of luck and have to start again from the beginning. The amount of ads and the inability to fast forward segments that recap previous episodes, action scenes and the like are annoying. If I don't like something/someone and they have too much focus on a show, I'll give it up eventually. I did watch Blindspot on NBC this year, because they actually did the smart thing and had a marathon on USA before it came back for the second half of its season in January. Between Hulu and USA I was able to see the entire show, which granted was a little bit crazy, but due to the weather it wasn't as if I was going anywhere.

 

The other thing I do agree with about waiting until a show has been renewed. I don't like watching things unless I know it will be either limited or not. If it is DOA unless there is someone/something about it I'm interested to see, I'm not going to take the time. That said if it is DOA, and has a sufficient ending, I may take the time out of curiosity to figure out why it didn't work. Sometimes watching shows that are "failures" can be fun and you can be surprised what you can learn from them. Of course, some are just so dull that you can't even make it through a half season.

 

 

bl (who is done rambling, sorry...this is something I'm interested in generally, which is why I've written so much.)

[Khan]

Unfortunately, A&E cancelled "Unforgettable."  Sorry.

[dragonflies]

It's cause 99% of their show's suck. I don't watch much regular programming on ABC, NBC and only a few on CBS.

[Gray Bunny]

I hate procedurals, but I understand why they work well and why they do so well in syndication. I myself like serialized storylines, particularly if they're kinda sudsy. NBC doesn't seem to go the sudsy route with their serials. They tend to be more... "masculine"(?) for lack of a better word. I'm a big champion for NBC and love their tentpoles like SNL, Today Show, Tonight Show, and DAYS, but I don't find myself EVER watching anything they have in primetime. The Olympics will be the first time I record any of their primetime lineup since... the 2012 Olympics? 

[depboy]

Eh, no big loss. It'll just free up space on the TiVo.

[Fevuh]

Similarly - if something looks interesting to me I still wait to see if it's going to get at least 1 renewal.  Or, if someone tells me a show is good.  I was so mad Penny Dreadful ended and didn't know it was going to happen. Someone recommended Queen of the South (on USA) to me, and I binge watched the first 6 episodes last weekend...I really like it and all 6 shows are available onDemand if you want to start watching.  I feel like it will get a renewal...the acting and story is really good.

And I'd like to watch Scandal but didn't watch the first few seasons but I don't feel like catching up that far....

Also - I really like The Affair - but it's on Showtime.  I love it....and it's had 2 seasons but each season is only 10 or 12 shows, so you could easily catch up before next season...the writing and acting are great. It just starts off a little slow but stick with it because I think it's one of the best shows on TV right now.

 

[Gray Bunny]

Over the years, I've thought some series would benefit by having shorter seasons, to keep the writing tighter and not have some stories go off on tangents. It really depends on the show, though. For instance, I used to think Devious Maids would've benefitted with a network home like Marc Cherry's 1st success, Desperate Housewives. However, now in its 4th season, I think a shorter arc of only 10 episodes is for the best. 

 

Shows like that, such as UnReal (which I LOVE!!!) and How To Get Away With Murder are better as short arc seasons. With so many twists, turns, and backstabbing, it would become overkill too quickly as a 22-episode season (in fact, HTGAWM is already suffering from burnout after only two years....) 

[quartermainefan]

Game Of Thrones ratings have risen year to year.   NBC makes crap shows.   So do CBS and ABC.  I am watching Stranger Things on Netflix.   Why wasn't that on NBC?   The networks have no artistic vision when it comes to their shows, they churn out formulaic crap, and for the network who spent 20 years making "Law and Order: Billings" practically along with the other 500 versions of that show, it's a little late to start wondering where they went wrong.  Their writing, the commercials, the ridiculous scheduling practices....let them keep thinking "oh, if people only had access to season 1 of 'desperate nanny wives poising as maids' it would be the new big thing".    They only want to find fault everywhere else except in their own office.