Mini Series

Like most of the population, I haven't kept up with my New Years Resolutions. Although I haven't seen too many films this year, Rogers Cable has actually given me a reason to look forward to February and trust me, not a lot of Canadians look forward to February. They've announced the addition of AMC and TMC (Amercian Movie Classics and Turner Movie Classics) and I am excited to see a lot of classic films I've missed and revisit the ones I've already enjoyed.

I've been watching the new seasons of '24' and 'Lost' and was musing at how the mini series has become a series. Thanks to DVD distribution, broadcasters don't have to rely soley on syndication ad revenue, freeing them up to play with traditional television formats. While broadcasters have repeated the series, it is something that needs a commitment from the viewer as the storylines are linear and it is tough to just pick up half way through. I have watched most of 24 on dvd and for the first time (they're on season 6) am watching it broadcasted. As is a common theme on my blog, I do find it amusing that everyone is trying to predict what this means for the 'future' of television as if it were an 'either or' world. I suspect that it will run it's course and eventually people will become bored when the new shows are rip offs of others and we'll see another shift. It seems to me that the pattern often resembles the 'everything old is new again' formula. The mini series has reinvented itself as the maxi series and we are full circle once again.

For now I'll watch '24' and ponder how this sadistic show can be so damn entertaining.