3 months ago
We constitute astir each 1 else’s awards shows each nan time, truthful I’d for illustration to return a infinitesimal first and fto Variety return a triumph thigh for its caller grounds 96 nominations for nan Los Angeles Press Club’s SoCal Journalism awards. My colleagues earning apical “journalist of nan year” nods successful various fields included Tim Gray, Clayton Davis, Owen Gleiberman, Chris Willman and Dan D’Addario. And humble brag alert, I received 9 nominations myself this year. Now it’s my move to say, “For Your Consideration.”
I bring each this up not conscionable to boast, but besides to statement that 1 of nan categories successful which I was nominated was for “feature nether 1,000 words,” for a portion I did giving a behind-the-scenes relationship of really Netflix revived nan drama “Girls5eva” aft it was canceled by Peacock. It was a nosy portion to report, and I sewage to show a quick, first-hand relationship of really things each went down. But it wasn’t a sweeping, agelong portion of mag journalism, and truthful it rightfully shouldn’t beryllium compared to a 3,500-word opus. (Those spell successful different category.)
It honestly reminds maine of nan ongoing statement complete whether it’s adjacent to lump broadcast shows pinch afloat 22-episode seasons successful pinch shorter-order, much bespoke 8-episode seasons that are now recovered connected streaming and premium cable.
Broadcast is simply a different beast. I sometimes inquire movie auteurs who person moved to TV — and make a six-episode passion task — whether they could ever fulfill a monolithic 22-episode order. They conscionable laugh. No way.
And yet, that utilized to beryllium nan TV norm. The past afloat 22-or-more-episode show to triumph a bid Emmy was “Modern Family” successful 2014. Last year, successful drama, nary show produced a play pinch much than 10 episodes. And successful comedy, only “Abbott Elementary” moreover deed 13 episodes (because it was a midseason premiere; this year, “Abbott” produced 22).
“It’s difficult to make 10 episodes of bully television, and to effort and do it 22 times is beautiful difficult,” “Abbott Elementary” exec shaper Patrick Schumacker told maine anterior to nan strike. “It’s conscionable gratifying to perceive that contempt nan measurement of episodes, I don’t deliberation anyone thinks that nan value has gone down.”
Schumacker’s chap exec producer, Justin Halpern, notes that nan 22-episode play gives nan assemblage a wholly different experience. It allows stories and characters to breathe. Viewers tin create a deeper enslaved pinch shows — that’s why truthful galore of nan room titles connected streaming services are comedies and dramas pinch heavy episodic counts, for illustration “NCIS,” “The Office” and “Friends.”
“The point it allows you to do is you tin do smaller stories that are very characteristic based,” Halpern says. “And you can’t do that successful a show that has 10 episodes. Those 10 episodes each person to beryllium a portion of a piece, and there’s nary existent wiggle room.”
The past broadcast bid to triumph a play Emmy was Fox’s “24,” successful 2006. We retrieve that show’s conceit — each section represented 1 hr successful a day, which meant 24 episodes for 24 hours. “The West Wing,” “Law & Order,” “The Practice,” “ER” — each were signature shows of nan 1990s and early 2000s that won nan play prize and are considered classics of their time.
Broadcast still has beardown shows. And group are still watching. Perhaps we’ve been looking astatine it nan incorrect way. Maybe location needs to beryllium a class for shows that nutrient 18 aliases much episodes successful nan people of an eligibility window. A afloat play bid is simply a different beast and deserves its ain accolade.
Halpern has an apt affinity for nan existent moment: “You’re comparing 1 edifice that is successful a mini abstraction versus this edifice that has to service hundreds of group each azygous day.”
Schumacker, reminded that nan fantabulous “The Bear” (one of his cardinal Emmy competitors) produced conscionable 8 episodes past year, pipes in: “I thought you were gonna say, like, a mini sandwich shop successful Chicago, perhaps.”
