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Why is British and American serial TV so different in terms of numbers of episodes produced? American TV producer typically take a week to make a 30 minute show, and produce 22-26 episodes per season. British TV makes far fewer episodes. Typically if a show is popular, an American TV actor starts being paid the really big money once there are more than about 60-70 episodes produced. Other than soap operas, it seems that it is very unusual to have a British actor make more than 70 episodes of a TV series.
A popular comedy like "The Big Bang Theory" was viewed first run by as few as 7.34 million people (in first season), and a high of 20.0 million (in the last season). Even given the difference in population size (by a factor of about 5) between the USA and UK, the most popular TV shows in Britain do regularly pull in over 10 million viewers. Yet, they typically make no more than 13 shows a year, compared to 23 a year in the USA.
As of August 2013, approximately 80 million American households receive BBC America, so their is another huge outlet for British shows in addition to 25 million UK television households.
Dr Who
David Tennant ... The Doctor / ... (49 episodes, 2005-2013)
Matt Smith ... The Doctor (46 episodes, 2010-2013)
Christopher Eccleston ... Doctor Who (13 episodes, 2005)
Karen Gillan ... Amy Pond / ... (35 episodes, 2008-2012)
Billie Piper ... Rose Tyler (35 episodes, 2005-2013)
Arthur Darvill ... Rory / ... (27 episodes, 2010-2012)
Freema Agyeman ... Martha Jones / ... (20 episodes, 2006-2010)
Catherine Tate ... Donna Noble / ... (17 episodes, 2006-2010)
As Time Goes By
Judi Dench ... Jean Hardcastle / ... (67 episodes, 1992-2005)
Geoffrey Palmer ... Lionel Hardcastle (67 episodes, 1992-2005)
Moira Brooker ... Judith / ... (62 episodes, 1992-2005)
Philip Bretherton ... Alistair Deacon (59 episodes, 1992-2005)
Friends
Jennifer Aniston ... Rachel Green (238 episodes, 1994-2004)
Courteney Cox ... Monica Geller / ... (238 episodes, 1994-2004)
Lisa Kudrow ... Phoebe Buffay / ... (238 episodes, 1994-2004)
Matt LeBlanc ... Joey Tribbiani / ... (238 episodes, 1994-2004)
Matthew Perry ... Chandler Bing / ... (238 episodes, 1994-2004)
David Schwimmer ... Dr. Ross Geller / ... (238 episodes, 1994-2004)
Last edited by PacoMartin; 09-16-2013 at 11:54 AM..
ya know I have always wondered that too. I think that in the US it is more for advertising and you always have filler episodes and toss away episodes. When you make it to 100 episode in the US you have made it to syndication and thats even more money. they can play the show on other networks and for more money.
I think that British is it has always been Quality over Ouanity.
The two British shows you used as examples are produced by the BBC, which means they have no commercials and channels without commercials tend to run shorter seasons because they actually run for the full hour or half hour, not 42 or 20 mins. Compare them to shows produced by US channels like HBO and Showtime and you might find more similarities. Take, for example, Game of Thrones (HBO) - the last season ran for only 10 episodes.
Additionally, you have to consider budgets. Dr Who probably takes a lot more to produce than Friends because of the make up, costumes, and special effects that Friends didn't require. Bigger production costs may mean they can't produce as many episodes.
You simply can't compare a show like Friends with a show like Dr Who, they are at completely opposite ends of the spectrum in so many ways - not in the least of all, genre, where they are different standards and expectations.
You know I think the Brit producers get a pretty good return on their series investments. If you notice they get a pretty good markup of their series here in the US. They are not cheap. It's almost as if they have that upscale British 'brand' and can charge higher prices. I'd think it's a model that works. Look at the huge success of Downtown and the price of the dvd shows it!
Additionally, you have to consider budgets. Dr Who probably takes a lot more to produce than Friends because of the make up, costumes, and special effects that Friends didn't require. Bigger production costs may mean they can't produce as many episodes.
Traditionally comedy production budgets are more about salary, and drama is more about sets, writing and cinematography.
BBC paid £22m to 19 stars who are all being paid more than £500,000-a-year (DAILY MAIL REPORTER 12 July 2011)The article speculates a number of names that are being paid from £500,000 to £2,000,0000 but none of them are in scripted television. With Graham Norton and Gary Lineker at the top of the heap.
In comparison Angus T. Jones, the 18 year old star of Two and Half Men was being paid the equivalent to a whopping £4,000,000 per year (he has since been replaced).
So while BBC is possibly the world's foremost producer of dramatic television, the budget for sets, costumes, and writing must still pale in comparison to star salaries.
Americans were shocked when Dan Stevens left Downton Abbey after three years and 25 episodes. It is very rare for an American TV star to voluntary leave a show before having 80 to 100 episodes.
Forbes list The Highest Paid TV Actresses Of 2013 which was just published 4 Sep 2013 is indicative. The list includes all sources of income (not just TV salary), so marketing icons like Sofia Vergara and Kaley Cuoco top the list. The list excludes women like Oprah, or Judge Judy who make far more money behind the scenes or playing themselves. The inclusion of reality stars is a judgement call on the part of Forbes.
Sofia Vergara: $30 million (comedy)
Kaley Cuoco: $11 million (comedy)
Mariska Hargitay: $11 million (drama) Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian (each): $10 million Bethenny Frankel: $10 million
Tina Fey: $10 million (comedy)
Melissa McCarthy: $10 million (comedy)
Ellen Pompeo: $10 million (drama)
Cobie Smulders: $9 million (comedy)
Alyson Hannigan: $8 million (comedy)
Amy Poehler: $7 million (comedy)
Julianna Margulies: $7 million (drama)
Lena Dunham: $6 million (drama)
Zooey Deschanel: $6 million (comedy)
Courteney Cox: $6 million (comedy)
Whitney Cummings: $5 million (part earnings are for production credits) (comedy)
Mindy Kaling: $4 million (comedy)
Kerry Washington: $3 million (drama)
Sofia Vergara probably makes 70% of her income from sources other than direct salary. She is the rares of female celebrity endorsers because she is liked by both men and women, Anglos and Latinos.
Actors generally make more money than actresses, although no TV actor topped $24 million in last year's list. The list won't be updated for actors until next month.
ya know I have always wondered that too. I think that in the US it is more for advertising and you always have filler episodes and toss away episodes.
They are usually referred to as "bottle episodes". They have no guest stars and no expensive special effects and few scene changes. If they do have scene changes they are very mundane settings.
The funny thing about "bottle episodes" is they often have the most brilliant acting and sometimes the most gut-wrenching scenes.
I saw two bottle episodes on Doctor Who: (1) "Midnight" (14 June 2008) and (2) "Turn Left" (21 June 2008) where both shows were done with basically one star: (1) David Tennant, and (2) Catherine Tate.
The "Turn Left" show was one of the most emotional episodes of Doctor Who in the series.
If the biggest paycheck for a TV star in a British scripted drama is under US$1.5 million, then it must be a real coup for Hugh Laurie to come to the states and make $18 million in one year for TV show House.
The character Sean Lincoln is a TV writer in "Episodes" (actor Stephen Mangan). At one point he says "You can say what you want about Americans, but there sure are a lot of them". He is referring to the ratings he gets from a bastardized version of his British television show. While it is true that there is 5 times the population of the UK in the USA, the TV audience is much more fractured. The 10 - 12 million people who watch a Dr Who episode would be considered a big hit in America as well. The very highest rated episodes of scripted TV (NCIS got 21-23 million viewers per show in the dead of winter) are not achievable with the smaller population, but there is still some resale value.
Quote:
Originally Posted by travric
You know I think the Brit producers get a pretty good return on their series investments.
I think so as well, but I don't think the British actors can make a killing like US actors.
ya know I have always wondered that too. I think that in the US it is more for advertising and you always have filler episodes and toss away episodes. When you make it to 100 episode in the US you have made it to syndication and thats even more money. they can play the show on other networks and for more money.
I think that British is it has always been Quality over Ouanity.
Althought I could be wrong
American tv is far superior to british this past decade and more , its a real golden age of u.s drama , british tv hasn't done anything spectacular in quite a long time unless you consider " downton abbey " to be real quality
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