The Original Sims

(If nothing else the posting title here will attract even more search results.)

Channel 4 pulled in 2.7 million viewers on Friday with Dirty Sexy Money.  I was one of the happy members of that set.  It’s been something of a dry spell for US drama in the UK; major exceptions being House - new series kicked off last week, too - and Mad Men - although I’ve yet to watch it on real TV.  I suspect this will be my first internet only TV series (thanks iPlayer).

Dirty Sexy Money has got all I want on a Friday night.  It’s smart, it’s funny and it’s on before bedtime - a rarity these days for most decent programmes.  The big bonus is Donald Sutherland. And Peter Krause is a mini-bonus (not so much "Six Feet Under" fan - although Dawn is more "Sports Night" )

Laugh out loud - more please.

"Over obsessing on the West Wing", I thought. "Reading too much into what’s happening!"  The West Wing has been off for quite a while now, and just when you might expect Series 8 to begin, we have a real life politico-drama playing out on CNN and BBC News 24. 

The young inexperienced Congressman fighting for leadership of the Democratic Party against the odds and the sitting VP.  The prize is the Presidency.  For that he will fight a "spry" Senator aged 70 and played by Alan Alda.  The real life story line is almost identical except the VP is the former Democratic President’s wife and the Hispanic Santos is Barak Obama.

I didn’t want ot mention these observations to anyone lest they think my enjoyment of West Wing is becoming obsessive.  Then I discover not only am I not alone, but my observations are correct.

Read On

Guardian

The BBC has relaunched the iPlayer on-demand programming service today as a more user-friendly offering available to Mac users for the first time.

FT Online

Hollywood’s film studios and television networks are seeking talks with the main directors’ union in hopes of bringing an end to the ongoing writers’ strike, which is set to disrupt US film production and TV schedules into 2008

New York Times

As a result of the now monthlong strike by the Writers Guild of America, almost none of the most popular shows on prime time television will be offering new episodes to viewers after the first of the year, or for the foreseeable future.

Independent Media

Who Dares Wins? TV’s indies did. But now they’ve met their Waterloo (Road). As the big fish eat the small fry, the pool of independent production companies is shrinking.

Independent -  David Usborne in New York
Published: 03 December 2007

California’s latest addition to the reality television opus is set to focus on the hopes, dreams and heartbreak of would-be immigrants into the United States and it promises to cross some borders of its own – those of decency and good taste.

Independent - Conor Dignam on Broadcasting

Kangaroo leaps into TV download, but Apple packs the bigger punch

Mark Sweney Guardian Unlimited Tuesday November 27 2007 

BBC Worldwide, Channel 4 and ITV are to launch a video-on-demand service offering more than 10,000 hours of TV programming.

The project has a working title Kangaroo as first revealed by MediaGuardian in June. Its launch next year could be a watershed moment in the development of on-demand video media in the UK.

Kangaroo, which one source has described as "wanting to do for broadband what Freeview did for digital TV", will be a joint venture in which BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4 have an equal share.

In a joint statement, the partners said Kangaroo "will work independently as an aggregator of both joint venture partners and third-party content".

 

More …

Media Guardian Jemima Kiss Tuesday November 13 2007

Youth social networking site Bebo will offer free content from major broadcasters - including the BBC - and record labels when it launches a series of media channels today.

The Open Media platform will also feature programmes from the BBC, ITN, Channel 4, BSkyB and Endemol in the UK, and CBS, Turner, MTV and ESPN in the US. Programmes will Include Robin Hood and The Mighty Boosh.

Companies can embed their own media player on their Bebo channel, including their own advertising, and customise the page for their brand. Following the launch at noon today in London and New York, additional media companies will be able to add their content through a "self-service" system.