The Death of Drama?

I've just been looking at the BARB figures for the week ended 23 July. The three much hyped new shows from the networks, Sorted, The Chase and Jane Hall all had LESS viewers than Big Brother.

Man that saddens me. We can't make good enough drama to entice people away from watching ordinary people being.......ordinary.

But.....it's the summer. BB has a built in audience. New shows take time to bed in.

Yeah maybe. I hope the figures get better, for all our sakes. Otherwise the accountants are going to decide that drama just ain't worth it. Okay a degree of hype there but also a grain of truth. Witness the pitiful amount of original drama available across the networks.

I know the amount of hard work and talent that has gone into producing those shows and in no way am I attempting to be snarky. My hat is off.

But in all honesty does the premise of any of these new shows make you say to yourself 'Yep, I'm staying in to watch/set the video for that?

It really doesn't matter how well written they are. You have to attract an audience to them in the first place. I'm not feeling it, and judging by the figures so far I'm not alone. Maybe they are slow burners. I hope so.

Some good news on the horizon. My agents inform me that ITV are dropping their snoozefest dark dreary dramas from the 9 0'clock spot in favour of lighter more entertaining fare.

So get writing!