In terms of drama on BBC One over the coming year there is a huge amount of returning/pre-commissioned shows by Jay Hunt and Ben Stephenson - the BBC's controller of drama. Whether this is a good thing or not for Danny Cohen is debatable. On one hand he has a slate of popular returning dramas which will pull in the ratings and means he doesn't have to spend his first months in office deciding the fate of countless shows. However, in terms of drama given how much of next year has already been commissioned - drama wise - it will mean Cohen's presence in drama will take longer to come through. While there will still be some gaps in the schedules for him to make his mark the full effect of Cohen's tenure - where drama is concerned - probably won't be felt until 2011.
So why is the next year so full in terms of drama? Well for a start there's the Doctor Who franchise which encompasses three shows; Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures. A sixth
season of Doctor Who is currently filming for broadcast next year though with a difference; it will be spilt into two blocks. The first part of season six will air in the Spring while the remainder will air in the Autumn. The "splitting" of seasons into two halves is a common occurrence in America allowing production to catch up and also creating the 'mid-season' cliff-hangers to ensure audiences interest is maintained. Next year will see the return of Torchwood following its absence this year and it'll be back with a ten-part series. Torchwood: The New World is a co-production between the BBC and Starz and will be a 'global' storyline with filming in Los Angeles and other locations. Actors John Barrowman and Eve Myles will reprise their respective roles though additional casting is yet to be announced.
The final spin-off in the Who franchise is The Sarah Jane Adventures which has only just returned for its fourth season! However, a fifth season has already been ordered and partially filmed with the remaining episodes to be produced next year. Strictly speaking The Sarah Jane Adventures is more CBBC than BBC One but it does air on the flagship channel in the children's strand of programming. However, as with daytime the BBC now consider children's television as an area requiring additional investment and boosting - to raise standards and keep that particular industry going. So Danny Cohen - working alongside the CBBC/Drama controllers - will be keen to ensure the BBC's commitment to children's drama and SJA plays a key role in that.
Read more at www.atvnewsnetwork.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment