When a television writer or producer is thinking up a new show, they are rightly concentrating on the potential to grab a decent size of audience the first time it is shown. If you are undecided whether a new television show idea will bring in the returns who need - or even pay for itself - the deciding factor may be its after-life.
Some television shows have no after-life at all. These fall into three categories: (i) poor quality, (ii) black and white and (iii) topical.
I'll take these categories one by one:
Poor Quality
If a television show is not up to standard then it is unlikely to get its first showing let alone any future airings. The poor quality may be due to a poor script or poor production or may be a more technical problem such as inferior sound quality. There are many old Tv shows from way back in the 50's, 60's and even some in the 70's that were recorded for television but where the sound quality was deemed to be of insufficient broadcast quality. However, we may now see some of these shows aired after all, as modern techniques of improving sound quality are applied. Perhaps it is time to dust off some of those old tapes and films. I supposed that if the acting, scripting or general production values were extremely poor then this in itself may turn out to have some perverted merit as, sometimes, very badly made television from long ago can be quite funny to watch. Sad for those that made it, unless they are the living rights owners, in which case they could cry all the way to the bank!
Black and White
There are some in their younger years who don't even know what the term black and white means. Nowadays, film and video shot in black and white is sometimes used to bring some styling to a sequence. In times gone by, all Tv was in black and white. The trouble is that modern audiences are not used to it and it can seriously detract from the pleasure of watching a Tv show. Black and white shows can be digitally colored but this is an expensive business if it is done right. Watch this space, though, as digital colorization of old Tv shows becomes easier to do, some old relics will come out of the woodwork and be aired over the coming years.
Topical
Whereas (technical) quality problems and black and white will not be a problem for Tv shows that are made nowadays, topicality still virtually prohibits a Tv show from ever being seen again, save for a once only repeat perhaps a few hours or days after the original airing. Whether it is a comedy show based around topical events, a documentary or a chat show, unless the subjects being covered are still relevant many years later, these types of show will have no meaning to most viewers apart from those interested in the history of events. There will be exceptions such as shows that are simply too good not to be seen again, but even the best made documentaries - some of which may be landmarks in current affairs - will not be seen again, no matter how good they are. Program makers should take into account the full potential of a Tv show, including worth in years to come, and unfortunately topical shows will have one or two day after-life.
Some shows do not fall into the category of having zero after-life, but instead of having limited after-life. These are those shows that are set in contemporary times, especially where the culture of the day is represented. Pop music shows fit this category as do fashion shows. Dramas, such as soap operas have limited repeat appeal when the characters are of the moment. These shows often look out of context if they are repeated in their entirety, say 15 years later. Some of these shows can make us cringe as they expose the fashions that were so cool at the time. Another group of shows that come into the limited shelf life category are futuristic shows. These may be dramas or documentaries that attempt to forecast what life will be like in the future. The problem is that they are usually made with contemporary values and attitudes and can only use contemporary culture as their backdrop. No matter what future date one of these shows is set in, you can usually pin down their production date to within a few years. As real time catches up with them, their predictions are exposed with either hopelessly ambitious and unrealistic technology or gadgets that look hideous compared to the real thing that had been invented a few years after the show had been produced. There are notable exceptions such as Star Trek which has achieved a phenomenal after-life and is increasingly respected as many of its ideas about technology are seen as feasible and achievable.
And finally there are shows that have the longest and most valuable after-life. In this group can be included his torical dramas and documentaries, and wild life documentaries. History never changes (in theory) nor does wildlife. In fact, wildlife documentaries may win out above all others when it comes to after-life value. This is because wildlife is increasingly under threat and there is less of it as time goes on. This fact will make the wildlife documentaries of today very valuable in 100 years, if current trends continue.
My arguments above are based on today's tastes in television shows. I have made the point that old Tv shows have varying degrees of success in today's schedules. This however is only one way of looking at it. If we free old Tv shows from the shackles of having to fit alongside their modern counterparts and instead treat them as curios or antiques, then why shouldn't we re-run a futuristic drama, made in 1962 and based in 2006? No matter how bad the predictions were, wouldn't it be fun to see what they had in mind back in those days? And wouldn't it be a unique and refreshing experience to see a pop music show from, say, 1958, complete with commercials of the day? And why not have a few old black and white comedy shows from the 60's, some of which were classics.
There will be increasing demand for old Tv shows over the next few years, not as cheap fillers for modern schedules, but as part of a new genre: the antique television show. Perhaps there is life after the after-life after all.
Vernon Stent is the content writer for bygoneTv.com, which is all about old Tv shows of the 40's, 50's and 60's.
Author:: Vernon Stent
Keywords:: old Tv shows
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