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E4 leave negotiations for Teen show "Glee"

(May 2011)

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BR
Brekkie
It really would damage the HBO-style image they are trying to create for Sky Atlantic though - arguably Sky1 needs the more mainstream dramas more now considering Sky Atlantic is creaming off the quality stuff and they are losing content to Sky Living too. The likes of Lost and 24 may have sat comfortably on Sky Atlantic, but I don't think Glee would at all.
WH
Whataday Founding member
Judging by what fans have been saying on Twitter over the last few weeks, Glee is nowhere near as good as it was first series, so I wouldn't pay a premium to have it on my channel. Sky should have gone for it in the first place, and the fact that they didn't shows that they won't know what to do with it when they have it.
HO
House
House posted:
How is Glee going to cope when the leading actors all get too old to play their parts, or their characters have been in the final year of high school for 3+ years?

Some of the actors are pushing 30 already aren't they?


As I understand it from interviews, the current cast are being phased out during the (next) third season, which I believe will see the show's demo share decrease significantly. It's an interesting idea for a series and it's done brilliantly for Fox, but it was never a show that could succeed long-term.

They've kind of denied that though recently and said they were misunderstood in those interviews.


"Kind of" being the key word. Cast members claim to be rather out-of-the-loop, while various sources claim it's a done deal.

In a recent interview, however, series creator Ryan Murphy said of the third series:

Quote:
It’s senior year , and we’re writing toward an ending that’s very emotional and dramatic. I’ve always been adamant that the show should be real in terms of timeline . Next year, there will be four new castmembers, kids that come in with their own stories.


They're also hiring new writers, which again could be potentially make-or-break.

I would read that as confirmation that the cast will indeed start moving on, but in such a way as to not overly-worry teenage fans. If they're moving with real time, the cast would have to move on unless Glee will continue to follow them post-High school, which would presumably go against the premise of the show.


Edit: Regarding Sky's deal, presumably it would be headed to Sky One?! It's the only channel at Sky that has the prominence and potential-reach for such a show, surely? It wouldn't fit with Sky Atlantic's remit, and I can't imagine any other Sky channel being worth the proposed per-episode price.
WP
WillPS
Judging by what fans have been saying on Twitter over the last few weeks, Glee is nowhere near as good as it was first series, so I wouldn't pay a premium to have it on my channel. Sky should have gone for it in the first place, and the fact that they didn't shows that they won't know what to do with it when they have it.


But that doesn't explain why they'd pay £500,000.
NG
noggin Founding member
Judging by what fans have been saying on Twitter over the last few weeks, Glee is nowhere near as good as it was first series, so I wouldn't pay a premium to have it on my channel. Sky should have gone for it in the first place, and the fact that they didn't shows that they won't know what to do with it when they have it.


But that doesn't explain why they'd pay £500,000.


Presumably there are two sides to this. Buying Glee does two things.

1 - potentially bring new audiences to a Sky channel (and increase pester power to "get Sky")
2 - just as importantly, it weakens E4, a multi-channel competitor.
BA
Badger264
2 - just as importantly, it weakens E4, a multi-channel competitor.


That's certainly plausible especially with Sky Living stealing Katie Price from ITV2. But that didn't exactly go to plan as ITV2 just replaced her with Kerry Katona and the Sky Living ratings were low, so I'd imagine they'd be a bit more reluctant to try that tactic again.

If Glee has many episodes to run on E4, they could now be equally as petty and ruin the programme and its audience with erratic scheduling before it moves to Sky. Channel 4 are experts in that field.
DV
dvboy
E4 have already decided not to show episode 21 on Monday 30th, where it would have been. There are 22 episodes in the series and the last goes out in the US on 24th May so there's no obvious reason for the break.
JO
Jon
2 - just as importantly, it weakens E4, a multi-channel competitor.


That's certainly plausible especially with Sky Living stealing Katie Price from ITV2. But that didn't exactly go to plan as ITV2 just replaced her with Kerry Katona and the Sky Living ratings were low, so I'd imagine they'd be a bit more reluctant to try that tactic again.

I just think the Sky Living Katie Price show wasn't marketed very well, the name of the show and the promos were just too subtle for it.
IS
Inspector Sands
I'd assume it is destined for Sky1 - doesn't really fit the quality threshold of Sky Atlantic

Which is?
WP
WillPS
2 - just as importantly, it weakens E4, a multi-channel competitor.


That's certainly plausible especially with Sky Living stealing Katie Price from ITV2. But that didn't exactly go to plan as ITV2 just replaced her with Kerry Katona and the Sky Living ratings were low, so I'd imagine they'd be a bit more reluctant to try that tactic again.

If Glee has many episodes to run on E4, they could now be equally as petty and ruin the programme and its audience with erratic scheduling before it moves to Sky. Channel 4 are experts in that field.


Worth remembering that Living signed Katie Price quite a while before Sky took over. It was a naff deal if you ask me anyway, the series on ITV2 had gradually lost viewers, and with a whole series before the change of channel ITV2 quite rightly chose not to publicise their final series at all.

I still think £500,000/episode is too much for anybody to splash about 'spoiling' the competition. It's not like E4 is totally dependent on this and has never experienced a similar hit before (and isn't likely to again). This has to be destined for Sky Atlantic - use it to persuade Virgin to sign for carriage (which would surely cover quite a bit of the cost). Whether it works or not I don't know. As for it ruining the 'HBO' like nature of the channel - tbh look at their daytime schedule. It's not exactly top notch.
IS
Inspector Sands
This has to be destined for Sky Atlantic - use it to persuade Virgin to sign for carriage (which would surely cover quite a bit of the cost). Whether it works or not I don't know. As for it ruining the 'HBO' like nature of the channel - tbh look at their daytime schedule. It's not exactly top notch.

Quite, Atlantic hasn't exactly set the TV world alight has it?

I'm not sure it was ever meant to be an HBO type channel, just the home of their programming. Then again HBO isn't an HBO type channel, our perception of it in the UK is different to what it actually is - a movie channel with a few well produced programmes in the evenings. Sky Movies is nearer to HBO
GS
Gavin Scott Founding member
2 - just as importantly, it weakens E4, a multi-channel competitor.


That's certainly plausible especially with Sky Living stealing Katie Price from ITV2. But that didn't exactly go to plan as ITV2 just replaced her with Kerry Katona and the Sky Living ratings were low, so I'd imagine they'd be a bit more reluctant to try that tactic again.


Actually, ITV dropped Katie Price in order that they could continue with the much more popular Peter Andre. Katona and Andre share the same management, so ITV got her show as part of the bargain.

Living was all together a nicer channel before they put that trollop on it.

One example where Sky didn't steal a popular show. She's just not that popular, and certainly not as much as she thinks she is.

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