No, this isn’t stating the obvious, it’s cheap, unthinking cynicism. In reality, TV shows compete against each other very aggressively, and having more complex, interesting, realistic characters can and does bring a huge competitive advantage to one show over another.
TV shows do compete aggressively, but having complex and realistic characters is only a good investment for the small minority of shows that are highly serialized and oriented around complex characters (Mad Men and Breaking Bad are good examples). There is a market for shows like this, but it is small and not terribly profitable.
The big money comes from shows with simple cardboard characters and one-off storylines like The Big Bang Theory (which set a record for biggest per-episode syndication deal ever) and Baywatch, which was syndicated in 142 countries. They have mass appeal and—most importantly—are easy to sell into syndication, where they become permanent cash cows.
Nope. To check this I just looked at the average ratings of The Big Bang Theory and compared it to The Walking Dead. TBBT had higher average ratings all three seasons The Walking Dead has aired. A quick check confirms that Two and a Half Men also had more viewers.
To be fair, TTBT episodes are short and easy to watch. It’s the fiction equivalent of candy, or of a casual game. Could you have a look at the DVD sales?
TV shows do compete aggressively, but having complex and realistic characters is only a good investment for the small minority of shows that are highly serialized and oriented around complex characters (Mad Men and Breaking Bad are good examples). There is a market for shows like this, but it is small and not terribly profitable.
The big money comes from shows with simple cardboard characters and one-off storylines like The Big Bang Theory (which set a record for biggest per-episode syndication deal ever) and Baywatch, which was syndicated in 142 countries. They have mass appeal and—most importantly—are easy to sell into syndication, where they become permanent cash cows.
Not too long ago, the highest rated TV show in the U.S. was serial drama The Walking Dead...
Nope. To check this I just looked at the average ratings of The Big Bang Theory and compared it to The Walking Dead. TBBT had higher average ratings all three seasons The Walking Dead has aired. A quick check confirms that Two and a Half Men also had more viewers.
Really?
That’s only 18-49. Wikipedia sources TV By the Numbers, which includes people not in the 18-49 demographic.
To be fair, TTBT episodes are short and easy to watch. It’s the fiction equivalent of candy, or of a casual game. Could you have a look at the DVD sales?