I had a couple of hours to kill yesterday and must have read just about every TV review in every paper. Almost without exception they heaped praise on Murphy's Law.
Imagine my surprise when I read it garnered just 4.1 million viewers and was soundly spanked by gentle comedy/drama Doc Martin with 8.1 million viewers.
Or is it surprising? Murphy's Law might be the critic's darling. But the critics aren't the average ''over 50'' TV viewer, who when given the straight choice between a dark gritty drama and a gentle romp with nice scenery, well, I think I know which they'd choose.
It's those ageing demongraphics again. Murphy's Law might be a good show, but it will continue to be soundly spanked when pitted against Doc Martin. I think it would add a million or two at least if it were in a different time slot.
I don't think that the BBC will panic about those figures. The critical acclaim will see it through. But it's a sobering thought that if not for the critical acclaim, on those figures and on another channel, that show might be in trouble.
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14 comments:
I spot a flaw in Murphy's Law: it has James Nesbit in.
lol lucy. I think he is an actor who you either buy or don't in a certain type of role. A bit like Robson Greene.
The problem with James Nesbitt is that he is deeply physically unattractive in a really fundamental way - blokes champion him because they think he's Everyman and that means ordinary blokes stand a chance out there. But he's more unattractive than almost any ordinary bloke I've met - he's creepy, smug and neanderthal-looking. If he came upto you in a bar you'd think he was a f***ing serial killer. I don't know why he still manages to hack it as a 'leading man' because in even the grittiest drama you still need to want to be/shag the lead. Robson Green is a bit vanilla, but you probably still 'would' after a couple of Barcardi breezers.
Debs
I agree Debs. I would definitely shag Robson Green and not James Nesbit. And that's saying something because I wouldn't shag Robson Green normally 'cos he's so damn short, but if they were the last two blokes in the world I'd def go for Robson. Of course, they might BOTH look at moi and rather let the human race die out, but that's unlikely 'cos I is, like, well-fit, man ; )
I agree that James Nesbit usually appears like a smug, self satisfied git but Murphy's Law was a bit of a revelation. Watched it for the first time last night and it was good. Too 'gritty' to ever beat Doc Martin or most of the other schlock that ITV puts on at 9. And the problem is that if the beeb moved it to a later time slot ratings would surely fall further. Personally I think the bbc should stop being so ratings obsessive and just get on with making decent programs.
Personally, I love Murphy's Law (I don't particularly fancy Nesbitt but I do rate him as an actor). For me, the really stupid thing the BBC did was put the final part on against Heroes on BBC 2. I would have thought the demographic would be roughly similar?
I personally wouldn't shag James Nesbitt and I'm not normally fussy. But then again Doc Martin ain't no stud either. If I had a choice of shagging a tv face I guess I would go for DCI Hunt. What about you Dave who'd be your top tv shag? I'm guessing the younger, slightly dirty looking Mitchell sister off of eastenders. Am i right?
Donna
I agree that the BBC should definitely become less ratings obsessive. So long as a programme doesn't actually have a huge amount of detractors a huge audience should be looked on as a bonus. Ratings don't always lie. Sometimes a programme just doesn't cut it. But sometimes there are many other factors at play which should be taken into account. The BBC doesn't have the same financial pressure on ratings as the commercial channels and should be more willing to take those other factors into account.
I'm staying out of the Robson Greene/James Nesbit debate as I fancy neither.
Close Donna, very close, but I'd go for the girl playing Mercedes in Hollyoaks. lol
Actually the last Brit TV girl I really fancied was probably way before most here's time! Alexandra Bastido in a series called The Lotus Eaters.
This is going to date me so much but... for those who want to look her up, it's Bastedo, not Bastido. And she was also in the Champions, which is where I remember her from.
Liz
Lol you are right Liz, Bastedo!
Or Alexandra Bastardhairdo as we used to call her. It was a monster.
lol, in the morning it looked lovely!
I wish.
Having got over the teenage rush of blood to the.....something earlier I did some research and I think the series was actually called The Aphrodite Inheritance, not The Lotus Eaters. That must have been a Freudian slip.
It was a particular scene where she was bathing naked in a waterfall. Having been precluded by lots of character work obviously.
I vaguely remembered The Lotus Eaters (I would have been too young to be allowed to watch it though. Honest.) so I went and looked it up. The Lotus Eaters was the original series. The Aphrodited Inheritance was a follow up.
(Why yes, I do have a deadline. Why do you ask?)
Liz
lol Liz, me too!
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