BBC2 used to be the home of great American imports, The X Files, Star Trek, Larry Sanders, The Outer Limits. Now it has none and the ones they do have are rubbish. I remember reading how they said the BBC has pushed up the price of imports, I don't see how when Cannels 4 and 5 spend far more on shows than the BBC ever did. What's the matter can't the BBC compete financially anymore or is that their acquisition team can't spot a hit?
I did notice however that Medium will be coming to BBC1 in September, but this is more of a BBC2 type show to me and that channel really does need help.
I personally think BBC2 is doing just fine. Infact i think it's the best it has been in years.
I'm actually happy BBC2 dosen't pick up imports anymore, because if you remember their cult slot years ago where they'd stick such shows as the Simpsons, Quantum Leap, Doctor Who occasionally etc they would never treat it properly. It would always be shifted or cancelled for snooker. Episodes of particular series would always be played in the wrong order. It was a shambles really.
I personally think having Channel 4, Five, Sky One and to an extent LivingTV as the channel for imports is just fine with me.
I remeber BBC2 showing Quantum Leap on Thursday at 9 and it kept its primetime slot on BBC2 right upto the end. Have you noticed how Channel 4 is following BBC2's lead when it comes to their imports? BBC2 would show 24 with the next episode straight after on BBC THREE, with Lost and Desperate Housewives it'll be shown on Channel 4 with the next episode straight after on E4.
In fact I'd love BBC2 to show 24 again, I don't care if we are behind the US as lots of people still haven't seen it.
They are showing 24 on BBC One at the moment on Sunday nights if I recall correctly.
As for Quantum Leap, i'm guessing you are talking about its original showing. I'm talking about in the late 90s, early noughties, they stuck it in the cult slot, played about 5 episodes from Series 1 including the pilot then cancelled it for snooker. When it came back they suddenly missed out 2 entire series and started playing an episode in the middle of the 1991 season, and it eventually was cancelled again, and never returned after that.
I think the bigger question is what has happened to BBC2?
In it's effort to appear more of a public service in the run-up to licence renewal, it's lost alot of viewers - and the schedule has become terrible!
The daytime schedule from 3.30pm - 7pm changes virtually each week (as the BBC1 daytime schedule also does), with programmes moving from 3.30pm to 6pm, being 30 minutes one week, 45 the next ,60 minutes the week after!
As for imports - they still have a few. There best is Malcolm in the Middle but it's badly scheduled (currently 7.35pm on Sundays) - this would have been the perfect Simpsons replacement!
Arrested Development airs late on Sundays, while Kath and Kim had a primetime slot earlier this year.
The trouble though has always been with successful imports on BBC2 is they are often moved to BBC1 where they get a later slot, and eventually drift away (i.e. The X Files!).
I think the bigger question is what has happened to BBC2?
In it's effort to appear more of a public service in the run-up to licence renewal, it's lost alot of viewers - and the schedule has become terrible!
The daytime schedule from 3.30pm - 7pm changes virtually each week (as the BBC1 daytime schedule also does), with programmes moving from 3.30pm to 6pm, being 30 minutes one week, 45 the next ,60 minutes the week after!
As for imports - they still have a few. There best is Malcolm in the Middle but it's badly scheduled (currently 7.35pm on Sundays) - this would have been the perfect Simpsons replacement!
Arrested Development airs late on Sundays, while Kath and Kim had a primetime slot earlier this year.
The trouble though has always been with successful imports on BBC2 is they are often moved to BBC1 where they get a later slot, and eventually drift away (i.e. The X Files!).
I agree, the channel isn't what it was a few years ago, the decline actually started under Jane Root. No Simpsons, no 24 (okay maybe that was to do with money and clearances respectively), no more Curb Your Enthusiasm and they let Jamie Oliver go to Channel 4 where he got even HIGHER ratings!! And don't get me started on those idents. Channel 4 just seems much cooler and has more hits like Supernanny, Big Brother, Location Location Location etc. And the quality of their imports is much better too.
I also think BBC2 has effectively been squeezed by both BBC3 and BBC4 as they both take some of the programmes BBC2 would traditionally be home to.
BBC2, like C4, has always really had two sides - the youthful comedy side and the serious documentary side.
Though these programmes still crop up on BBC2, BBC3 is considered to be the BBC's home of youth comedy now, while BBC4's main focus is the documentaries.
In prime time though BBC2 still has it's hits like Coast, Springwatch and Who do you think you are? - and is now capable of beating BBC1 in the ratings (though that says more about BBC1 than BBC2!) - but I think it's the off-peak where BBC2 is suffering, with poor programming in the 6-8pm slots and post-Newsnight!
There's one import that the BBC should get..... Family Guy Series 4, might get a deal with fox and get American Dad too. Copy the success of Fox and show them next to each other thursday night, would fill in the gap for the comedy that will be sadly missed as from tongiht. I've seen a couple of the episodes and it looks fantastic. The F.G. film is very good, wait til you see what happened to Stuie for the reason he's been gone so long.
I also think BBC2 has effectively been squeezed by both BBC3 and BBC4 as they both take some of the programmes BBC2 would traditionally be home to.
And of course also BBC1, which takes anything which has been half decent on BBC2 and turns it 'mainstream'. I bet if Extras comes back for a second series it will end up on BBC1.
The channel has lost its identity really and is just a spill over from all other BBC channels. When digital becomes the norm BBC2 will suddenly find itself with about 12 hours per day to fill
I remember the BBC being a lot more edgier than it is now, and yes, BBC two just can't seem to hold on to anything anymore. I've never really understood why the BBC insists on tranferring good rated BBC2 shows and carry it over to BBC1. It's not like the swap from digital channel to analogue. The writers of the show seems to like it though, lets them go on Parkinson more often.