Haha SPOILERS DON'T READ

[tencrush]

In Russell's world, bumsex with Russell Tovey pretty much fixes all your emo manpain, no matter how vast, yeah?

That's pretty faily right there. Not as faily as that thing with Martha and you know who, but still pretty fucking offensively faily. As was that thing with Donna. Wow, that's a lot of fucking fail to heap upon an awful lot of companions.

DON'T LET THE DOOR HIT YOUR ASS RUSSELL.

Also, did Simm just disappear, never to be mentioned again, or did it just seem that way?

Comments

[erinnthered.livejournal.com]

Exactly! Russell is established as being so bad with endings that I'm shocked no one has tried to reign him in and force a co-writer on him. Ah, well. He wont get away with it over here. Bigger pond, and a lot more talented fish around to keep you in check. heh

The good news is, the new guy is not as bad! He can do endings too!

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'Russell is established as being so bad with endings that I'm shocked no one has tried to reign him in and force a co-writer on him. Ah, well. He wont get away with it over here. Bigger pond, and a lot more talented fish around to keep you in check. heh'
Not to mention if he tried telling American fans that they just don't understand drama and should go watch something the fans would eat him alive. I can't wait.

[nobleroman1.livejournal.com]

Um, not only would the fans eat him alive, his Network boss would eat him alive.

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

That too. I wonder who's going to get the job of telling him that yes, he is RTD but he can't do whatever he wants with an American t.v. show.

[aviv-b.livejournal.com]

I volunteer! I'd be happy to give him a reality check.

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

Yay! Do you think hitting him with a large mallet (it works for the TARDIS) would work? Maybe you could train him like a dog.

'Bad Russell, bad. You have be nice to the fans. Be a good boy and I'll take you for a walkie.'

[erinnthered.livejournal.com]

Depends on the medium. Aaron Sorkin treated his online West Wing fandom like shit at times, but he's Aaron fucking Sorkin...oh wait, he did get fired eventually. Never mind. heh

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

Haha... There is something to be said for being nice to your fans. I do hate it when writers pander to their fans though. Not every male and female lead has to get together because the fans want it.

[siege-ofcahoots.livejournal.com]

Everyone needs someone who will say 'no' to them when they go too far into the realm of stupidity. I think that, in the days of free flowing funds, the only person likely to do such a thing to RTD was, theoretically, Gardner (whose job it was), and she was the other toddler happily playing in the RTD sandbox.

I have to wonder if, having got wind of the massive downsizing coming down the road in BBC world, RTD didn't decide to try to fish in (to his mind) a richer pond.

I will always believe he has no concept of how US television is so fundamentally different in both process and funding - otherwise, no one hoping to present himself as a attractive option could so spectacularly miss the concept that ratings here mean everything, and you don't get to sniff at the little people without dire consequences for your career and your bank accounts.

[erinnthered.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm going to be realistic here, and weigh a few things...

Well, first, RTD has shown that he can rake in the money, so he did earn the right for that creative control in the world of the BBC. What he did with it, and how he treated viewers, is another story. I agree that Gardner seemed to have dropped the ball at some point, and I'm not sure about rumors of Tranter's iron fist really mean anything since her best shows got shittier as she moved up the ladder.

I should clarify that RTD is supposedly still with BBC Wolrdwide. Tranter and Gardner just rule from LA, and they supposedly have him on "retainer" of sorts, so not yet gunning for American TV. I'm just guessing that Tranter, Gardner and RTD took this gig in the hopes of all of them making the leap. I'm betting Tranter has shot because ruthlessness is rewarded over here...at first. This means they'll get their American TV pilots, and probably get one picked up. There is just no way they'd be able to keep it afloat if they ran things like they did DW. I don't really believe that over the course of US TV show he could maintain things. Even with shorter cable runs. He has weaknesses that are exactly the kind of things that can turn off viewers over time. Unless he's tries with a sitcom...then Tranter would still have to be able to stay in check. He would need the Gardner or Tranter buffer to make it work.

Also, it's not ratings in the US. That's a misunderstanding. It's advertising revenue. You could be middle of the road ratings wise and be raking it in with ad rates because you have a small budget. You'd be in a better position than the number one show on television if that show has a huge budget, isn't near syndication, and can't cover the ad rates. That's how top 10 shows get canceled, and middling shows last for ages. It happens more often than people realize. Ratings is second, and even then it's timeslot averages and 18-34s, and not overall ratings.

Plus, everything is run by the networks now. Almost all TV shows are funded in some way by the network itself, so they have a lot more say. He's used to a different kind of network, and I'm anxious to see if he can adapt. Good showrunners know who to cajole to keep the right people off their backs. I'm not sure RTD has that, and the question then comes down to Gardner, Tranter, or whoever chooses to get into bed with him. Will another producer put up with him? I think they'd give him a shot based on his money making record. How long could he go before he crashes and burns, or could he find a way to stay afloat with oddball projects? That's the real question.

[as1mplegirl.livejournal.com]

When Gardner moved it was clear she was working for the BBC still. When Davies moved him still working for the BBC didn't get mentioned and the move seemed to be reported as a shock to them.

Do you think he had the 'retainer' with the BBC over there before he moved?

[siege-ofcahoots.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what I'm saying - the viewers matter exactly because they determine the revenue streams. Ratings (with the demographics factored in) are what drives revenue and that is a very, very different model from the one RTD is familiar with. There isn't the BBC charter of serving the public and there certainly isn't anything like advertiser pressure.

It's a radically different business model in the US. He's used to being someone with a great deal of cachet, and while it may get him a head start over here, he's going to have to learn the different rules and quickly.