What is wrong with AMC?

I know very little about the television business behind the scenes. I don't know what it really takes to make a show/movie/etc. The money, the organization, shooting, I know it's a large effort. A 30 minute episode usually takes at least a week to shoot. That's all I know.

So anyway, AMC has been producing quality programming since 2007 with Mad Men. Between Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and Walking Dead, they've got three of the best shows right now in television on their network. Usually that's something only HBO could ever claim. But this small (lame) cable channel which usually only plays old movies 8 times a day pulled it off. The shows are winning multiple Emmy's for Best Drama, Acting, and so on. This isn't happening by accident.

These shows cost significant money to make. Again, I don't know the financial scheme that goes into making these shows. What I do know is that AMC is trying to cut costs to make these shows. They did it a few months ago to Mad Men, trying to cut characters, lowering costs of production, etc. Then they cut production costs to Walking Dead by about $200k an episode (which speculated why show creator Frank Darabont left the show). Now they're taking on Breaking Bad - opting to cut $250k an episode or making the show's fifth (and presumed last) season to 6-8 episodes.

I know everyone wants to save money to make more money of spending less money. BUT -- when you are making an established, quality product, it will eventually cost more to maintain the level of quality. Cutting the costs of a show can consequently cut the quality, which cuts the fans faithfulness to the show.

AMC doesn't really have any leverage here. They have 3 top of the line shows that cost money. It's not like this is a terrible show on CW that is barely staying alive. The shows have all the power because of their critical acclaim, so AMC just looks selfish instead of honoring the shows that made the channel actually worth watching. It's definitely brought in more business and helped boost revenue for the station, so why can't they respect that? What does that say about AMC when future shows consider having their show made by AMC? Might steer them away towards a HBO or something else.

I don't know, it's annoying that shows that so many people enjoy/adore cannot be seen the way it was intended. Shows cost money. Making shows that are critically acclaimed usually cost more money. To keep making critically acclaimed shows costs more money than that. That is business. And AMC is showing their lack of knowledge over business. All this arguing over a few million dollars? You're going to tell me AMC doesn't have it? Their parent company doesn't have it? Can't they charge more for advertising? Seems to make too much sense.

The Sopranos

Okay, so I finally saw The Sopranos all the way through for the first time ever. I know, I wanted to have it done much longer ago too. Whatever.

Preface: I had seen bits and pieces of the show, I received Season 6 Part 2 on DVD as a gift when it came out in 2007ish, but I never saw the episodes prior to. Seeing the last season of a 7 season show is as brutal as it gets; no clue what was really going on, just enjoying 9 episodes and saying "okay, well, that's how it ends." In between I had seen some of seasons 3/4/5 through friends and On Demand, but I never really saw the whole thing. This past December Best Buy had a deal on it (and I was going stir crazy) so the timing was great. Add in the cold weather and lots of long Bolt Busses between NYC and Philly, I've had enough time on my hands to bang this out. That's also why I haven't been blogging much. I didn't forget you kids. I'm coming back to you.

So my verdict? I really enjoyed it. I didn't love it. I think it really messed me up that I knew much of what happened - especially key things in the second half of the series. Especially the ending. Try watching Lost for the first time when you know how it ends with all the smoke monster/Jacob/flash sideways crap from the very beginning. It ruins the whole show.

To be honest, the first and second seasons really weren't that great to me. It felt like an early Mad Men where every episode has a new "client," and the new "client" is "dealt with," and then you never hear about it again. There wasn't as much flow, so it didn't work for me. In that same sense, some of the story lines really didn't add up - and I think it's because "x" amount of time is supposed to pass between each episode, but for me it was about 3 seconds. AJ goes from coming out of suicide ward to getting a girlfriend, blowing up a car, getting a job, and getting a new car in about a episode and a half. When did Bobby Bacala become a serious player? Some of the things shows do to keep it interesting - new characters, or the short story arc characters - most of it felt forced, like you knew they weren't going to be here past the season anyway. Like Julia Stiles' character on Dexter.

I think there's two things that lead me to my verdict: a) I'm 100% biased by The Wire, and because I believe that they set the bar so high, it's hard for anyone else to really compete with it (in my mind anyway). In seeing that first, Sopranos never had a chance to be the best. Reason b) because everyone says Sopranos is good/greatest/best ever, it makes you look harder at the series because you want to be able to justify it for yourself. I can justify The Wire, I don't know if I can justify this in the same way. Not yet anyway - let me watch it again in a couple months knowing the whole story and let me analyze it again. I said the same thing about Mad Men, when I first saw it, I thought it was as boring as a PBS telethon. Now I can justify it better after having it in my system for almost a year. It's also been almost 14 years since the original premiere of the pilot. It's safe to say a lot has happened in the real world that effects the way we tell stories - mainly with the way we communicate over cell phones and the internet.

Quick side note: I would love to see one more season of Seinfeld with e-mail/cell phones/texting/facebook/youtube/twitter/wikileaks/Antoine Dodson and just see the dysfunction. They started with e-mail on the finale, but now that we're so techy, it would be great to see how George would handle the Facebook breakup. Kramer could make a killing on eBay. Elaine is on match.com. Jerry's get's videos on YouTube of how much his acting sucks, etc. It would be beautiful. That's what season 7 of Curb was missing.
It's so different watching a show on demand/DVD in succession because you can go through episode after episode without having time to really process/think/ponder/speculate on what's next, instead you just go into the next one. Obviously I used this blog last year as my Lost brainstorm, where every week I'd go "OMFG THIS IS WHAT I THINK MIGHT HAPPEN, BUT IF IT DOESN'T, THEN IT WILL BE THIS, BUT I COULD ALSO SEE SOMETHING BETWEEN THE TWO, BUT, THEN AGAIN, I'M TOTALLY WRONG WHAT IS GOING ON AHHHH." That conversation basically went on in my head for a week straight, until a new episode, when I'd start the process all over again. I'm not kidding. Anyways, you don't do that when you can watch multiple episodes at a time. Or maybe I'm just growing up. Probably not though.


There felt like there was too many people on the show. I couldn't keep up, they all looked the same and would come/go/die too quickly for me to tell the difference or to care about the minor characters. I say the same thing about Boardwalk too. Speaking of that - I realized I just really don't like Steve Buscemi's style. He plays Tony's cousin in Sopranos, and I wasn't sure the difference between that and Nucky Thompson except for speaking style and attire. Feels like the same character. Clearly I'm in the minority, as Stevie is winning all these awards for Nucky. Good job kid.


As for my take on the "final scene" - I don't think he died. That's such a stupid idea. They called a truce, it was over. The smash cut to black is just a way to end the show. Meadow walks in, they sit down, it's all fine. It was a way to have it go out with a bang instead of a "fade to black" as they all sit at that diner. Whoop-ti-do. It got your attention. It worked. Everyone can't be content with the way a show ends, that's just how it works. You love it or you hate it.
I think we're a little obsessed with the idea of the mafia, and as we heard in the news lately, it's much more real than some of us admit/realize. I have no idea how "real" any of this really is. I'm sure some of that stuff goes on. I'm sure some of it doesn't. I would like to believe that the FBI would have developed enough technology to stop these shenanigans, but I also believe that since 9/11 our attention has turned towards protection than fraud - similar to the cry we hear in The Wire, where nobody cares about the drug addicts as long as no bodies are dropping. This story isn't totally about the mafia, that's where people who haven't seen it are misled. It's called The Sopranos, not The Mafia. The story is about impact of real family as it's impacted by it's father is a mafia boss. How Tony balances being a boss while being a father. The special treatment by others. The arrests. Etc. That's the story here, not just the mafia. That's the wrong answer.

Speaking of The Wire (is it clear how hard I crush on that show? This post is about another show and I'm already over it) I've got two great articles I've been meaning to share - the first is from Wire creator David Simon, as he bashes back against the Baltimore PD who claims Baltimore will take years to overcome the "smear" that was left from The Wire. Awesome "Eff You" letter.

The other is very stupid, but I love it. Social Media According to The Wire. If you've seen the show, you'll agree, if not, don't waste your time.

If you don't laugh at this then we can't be friends.

I'm getting very sidetracked, so before I stop, I do want to say that James Gandolfini did an excellent job as Tony Soprano, the mob boss we all kind of picture in our head, really is one of the reasons of the shows success. An actor like him who has such a presence and ability to play so many different roles on one; Mob boss, father, husband, nephew, cousin, therapy patient, etc.
I'm looking forward to watching The Sopranos again in a couple months, and I'm sure upon a second take will have further appreciation for it. Next up on my TV conquest - Breaking Bad. or I'm re-watching The OC. That wasn't a joke.

The TV 'Hook'

I've been posting my TV thoughts over the past couple weeks and talking with my friends about shows etc and I keep talking about the "hook" and nobody seems to understand what I'm talking about. I think I know a bit more on shows than my friends - maybe I have too much time on my hands or I'm a loser, either/or I'm okay with. I am who I am.

When I talk about the "hook" it's really simple - it's something to get you really invested into the whole show. When you watch a new show you're really "eh" on it until something happens that really makes you want to come back next week. The problem is we typically don't have the patience for it to develop - or the patience to watch. As critically acclaimed as The Wire is, they were on the verge of being canceled almost every season because it didn't see any success at the time with the limited viewership. Arrested Development was recognized as the best comedy on TV, but couldn't stay alive because of ratings. That new show - Lone Star - was heralded as one of the best new shows of the fall, but it couldn't make it past two episodes.

My point is - the best shows don't always make it because they don't have a hook - they can't keep people's attention. I wouldn't necessarily say it has to be some cliff-hanger or truly "shocking" event, just something that says "I really want to keep watching." And when it's a new show fighting to survive it needs it in the pilot or it's going to need a network with enough faith in it to see a few more episodes.

Easy examples of "the hook":
Dexter: Dexter was able to do it in the first episode - establish Dexter the character and the antagonist of the Ice Truck Killer in the opening 60 minutes. The end of the episode where Dexter says "Yes, I want to play." actually got me really excited to watch more.

Lost: This one is too easy. Watch "The Pilot" and there's so much you want to know - what happened? Where are they? What is that noise? What's everyone's background? And can I marry Evangeline Lilly?

24: Mmmm, how about every episode? When I was younger and first started watching it every week and was innocent and thought that Jack might actually could die, I thought to myself "Ohmygod what's going to happen?"

Sometimes though, the hook doesn't really come in the pilot, and it takes the whole first season to really get into it. Surprisingly, these shows turn out being some of my favorites.

The Wire: I'll be completely honest, when I first started watching it I didn't like it. Too slow, too boring, not enough actually happening it was all talk. I think a few things - I was spoiled by Lost and 24 where every episode you'd go "what the hell" and think about it all week until the next episode. The Wire kept building and building and building. It's real 'wow' (read: I was hooked) moment came when Kima got shot and they ended the episode with Foxtrot and police everywhere. It was gripping and real, and I was addicted ever since.

Mad Men - I'm in the middle of re-watching the whole series - the first time since I've first watched it and didn't know what was going on. The hook here didn't really come till around the 5th episode, "5G", when we find out that Don's not really Don. The entire show then becomes, who the hell is Don? It takes some turns and doesn't just stick to Don, but let's not kid ourselves - Don Draper is the focal point here. His past, his present, his free-fall, and the unknown of where he'll end up, all encompassed in the 1960s.

Boardwalk Empire - I really should watch this again before I can fairly say when it is, but I'm going to commit anyway. The pilot was great, but I didn't think the show was great until about halfway through, when the FBI came and arrested some of Nucky's Irish 'brothers' for illegal possession of alcohol. It was the first real confrontation - and outside of the pilot it's felt like the only action in the whole season. There was a lot of talking and everyone literally looked the same - too much abstract talk to follow everything.

Sometimes though, shows need a game-changing moment to recapture people's attention after waning interest - a few years on air. The moment leaving you staring at your TV with your jaw open and the only thing you can say is either "what just happened" or "holy shit." (Queue Fred Ward's "Pardon My French". What a classic line.)

The perfect example of this is:

Lost. In season 3 when everyone's going "they're just spining their wheels, they don't know what they're doing, they ran out of stuff" they drop the "WE HAVE TO GO BACK" bomb that literally shocked everyone. That was when I went nuts for the show. Even I was losing interest in season 3, as they had such bogus episodes that felt like wastes of time. Of course, the Season 4 island-disappearing act was just as game-changing. That's part of what made Lost Lost. It's why there were endless discussions on sites like Lostpedia and other outlets to discuss and try to theorize what in the world was going on.

Other "game changing" examples:

24 - Two things, all happened in the same episode of season 6. Come season 6, we sort of know a few things, mainly that Jack won't die and that he'll always protect the country. But then they actually detonate a nuclear device. The post-bomb chaos was uncharted territory that showed more than we ever wanted to see. It wasn't the worst terrorist attack ever, but it was devastating. Then, Jack shoots Curtis. I never thought he was actually going to do it. But that is why Jack Bauer is Jack Bauer. Didn't hesitate, didn't miss. It upset him - the most upset we've seen him since Teri was murdered - and that was part of what made it so important and qualifies as game changing

Entourage - I know it seems random that I included this in here, but I really believed that the end of season six - Ari's Terinator scene, E dropping the "will you marry me" bomb, really got the "feel-good nature" of the show back and gave me renewed interest.

You see other shows pulling some kind of a stunt at the end of the season to make the next season seem interesting - Nip/Tuck moving from Miami to LA, Weeds moving from the rich white suburbs to Mexico, the ever-evolving name of where Don Draper works, Jack Bauer moving from LA after 6 years to DC then New York, when Heroes introduced Villains. It's all kind of a cheap way to renew interest.

Anyways, I'm starting to ramble, but I've gotten my point across. I'm not sure why I really felt the urge to post this, and realize I probably watch way more TV than most of my friends.

Do you guys still want to be my friend?