Leaving dramas on the shelf - why?

[Jark]

I notice that the 'new' drama Sleep With Me on ITV tonight has been 'on the shelf' for two years now, as was the case with both Mister Eleven and Englishman In New York both also aired this month. Why do ITV leave it so long to air television they've already paid for? Especially in the case of anything over a year old - ITV always have shit Christmasses so why weren't they aired this time last year? And more importantly why aren't they just aired on a weak weekday night sooner after being bought?

I just don't understand. :confused: WHAT is the benefit of holding on to them for so long if they're just going to attract appalling ratings at Christmas anyway? And do other channels do this?

[Sild]

Due to ITV's accounting system the cost of a drama doesn't go on the balance sheet until it's shown - even though cast/crew etc will already have long been paid for. If they record a loss, shareholders are unsatisfied. It's a shit system, but then ITV are a mostly shit network anyway.

[cwej]

wow is that true? :o That's actually really interesting!

[Slave]

I can't imagine that the BBC do it THAT much (if at all) - can you imagine the uproar if it transpired that things were being filmed and then "shelved for later".

It makes sense in the short-term (if you had two series' and they both looked like winners, it'd be silly to screen them close together or against one another) but ITV's strategy is nonsensical (besides appeasing shareholders) - just say that something like Mister Eleven had been a runaway success - how would you assemble the cast to do more when half of them have moved onto other things?

[GraceOfGod]

I wish they'd shelve indefinitely everything starring Martin Clunes, Neil Morissey and Caroline Quentin.

For me though, ITV have never made good dramas anyway so whether they shelve them or not is irrelevant as I shan't be watching.

[Halli]

That thing with Michelle Ryan was shelved for about a year wasn't it?

[Jark]

18 months I think I read.

[Emma]

wow is that true? :o That's actually really interesting!

Sounds well dodgy to me.

Have they never heard of Sarbanes Oxley?

[Madison]

As a plc I can't believe the auditors or audit committee would ever sign off on it.

[smexy]

Perhaps ITV has the same accountants as the EU? :basil:

[Sild]

A few other examples - the Poirot shown on Christmas Day was the last of a series of 4, the other three having been shown 15 months earlier. Also the third series of Marple began in September 2007 (again four episodes), of which the last didn't go out until 16 months later - in fact, in both cases you could have watched the final episodes of each in question a year before as they came out on DVD!

It's the form for plenty of ITV shows to be shown in other countries first - Kingdom in Belgium, Primeval in Germany and Spain, Law & Order: UK in Canada, Marple in America - all at least a few months before the UK sees or will see them.

[smexy]

Is it just me, or can you often easily pick the dramas that have been sat on the shelf a while. 'Mister Eleven' - in a low key Friday night slot - reeked of being a 'bit crap and expected to do anything'.

[Jark]

All the press really hammered Mister Eleven and made a big deal of it being held back for months but to be honest I wouldn't have known. :D I really do have a rubbish radar for rubbish drama.

[FetchFugly]

Mister Eleven wasn't very good at all. Michelle Ryan was completely wrong for the part I thought and those classroom bits were dreadful. It was (slightly) redeemed by Adam Garcia in his pants and Amira from Eastenders.

I'm a little surprised Englishman In New York was held back on the other hand. It didn't feel like an ITV drama at all though which was part of the problem I suppose.

[Jonfessions]

I thought Englishman In New York was MARVELLOUS

I really want to see The Naked Civil Servant now.

[Sild]

Yes, watched it myself and last night and it was superior stuff. Just shows what can be done with some effort!

[TurnerPrize]

It's such a bizarre habit, and i'm surprised it's even legal. ITV have a few things that i don't think they've EVER shown, either. There's a six part series called Bombshell that was made by the Footballers Wives people about 5 years ago, starring Zoe Lucker as soldier who shags everyone, and it was never ever shown. I wonder if it ever got put through the books.

[RobotBoy]

I really want to see Bombshell. It was released on DVD in Australia. I might treat myself.

[cwej]

Have they never heard of Sarbanes Oxley?

I haven;'t...

[TurnerPrize]

I really want to see Bombshell. It was released on DVD in Australia. I might treat myself.

I keep meaning to also. I read an interview with Jeremy Sheffield (i think) who said that it was the worst thing he has ever been in and how he's glad it was never shown. That makes me want it more.

[lolly]

ooh

Does Jeremy Sheffield get his kit off?

[Jark]

Given that Jeremy Sheffield has been in MURDER IN SUBURBIA this Bombshell thing really must have been bad. Then again I adore MIS purely for being so trashy.