quote:
Originally posted by sugarplum87:
it seems paul abbott has surcome to something of a rating winner than something of art and comedy genius.
I find that quite an insulting slur on Paul Abbott. No credible writer would continue to write a show if they didn't think it would be any good. Especially not one who is in such strong demand by other channels and has the luxury of financial security.
Paul Abbott should be praised for what he's doing here, far too many British writers chicken out once they've got a bit or praise and selfishly end their programmes 'on a high' when there's clearly a lot of potential left in them. All because they're scared to upset the British critics, who are renowned for turning on any programme that makes it past the third or fourth series.
Ricky Gervais is the most recent high profile example of this and it's the very reason i won't go near anything he writes, because hes a self conscious moron who cares more about how he's perceived in the media than the fans of the shows he writes for. (That's how i look at him anyway) The fans want more of The Office, the actors want to do more of it, the BBC want more of it, yet he wont give them more because he's scared it might bomb with the critics and hurt his previous image. I haven't even watched it simply because i don't like him or find him funny, but it clearly had a big fanbase that he's let down with his selfish attitude.
By not only continuing with Shameless, but increasing its yearly episode output to 16 Paul Abbott is taking a massive step which could improve the British industry and he's putting his neck on the line in the process.
I'm sick of watching shows I've grown attached too disappear off the air after a mere three mini series, all because the writers and cast are too scared to continue because the critics might turn on them. I also find it highly laughable when cast members walk away from shows to 'Do something different' speaking as if they've been in it for ten years and done hundreds of episodes, when they've done something like 20 (equivalent of one 'season' in America).
The British Television industry is suffering horribly because of writers and actors who are failing to commit to programmes for even a respectable length of time. This is why most British dramas are only managing eight episodes a year nowadays, while in the USA they get to enjoy almost three times that.
I fear in the future if they keep doing this they will ruin the commercial television drama industry beyond repair and the schedules will just be full of cheap reality crap, look how many reality shows we've got cluttering the schedules already. It's just going to get worse if we keep calling for great shows like this to end prematurely.
Luckily we'll still have the BBC to bail out the unemployed actors by running dramas that would never survive commercially. That's not a bad thing, because drama that isn't commercially viable can still be good drama but how long will we have the BBC? The public are even moaning about the license fee now and wanting it scrapped.
I have the utmost respect for the remaining cast of Shameless and Paul Abbott for continuing with this. If this all goes well they'll have taken a massive step to improving the British industry by showing them we can produce and sustain good quality drama that lasts longer than your average mini series on the BBC and ITV.
Maybe then other channels look at Abbott's continuing success (lets hope) with Shameless and start taking risks in commissioning longer series.
Shameless has made C4 a mint so far and is one of the few highly profitable dramas it has, so if they axe it because of a down turn in ratings this series (which hopefully wont happen) then I'll be severely pissed off at them and so will Abbott no doubt. I'm not sure where C4 stand on this, but I'd hope they appreciate what Shameless has done for them so far and give it a bit of security by promising a few more series in advance. I imagine C4 do appreciate this and that's why they'd funded this massive set for the show, which seems like a statement that they will stick by for a few more years at least.
I suppose I've kind off drifted off into a massive rant about the British TV industry with all that, so back to Shameless lol...
I've read most of the story-lines for this series and it sounds like it'll be fantastic too me. It's time to move on and forget about Steve, Fiona, Kev, Veronica and Sheila, sadly the actors have made their minds up and there's nothing more anyone can do about it.
The positive is we still have all of the Gallagher family (bar one) and they are who really make the show great imo. I love all the story-lines involving Frank, Lip, Ian, Debbie and Carl but also feel that other bit part characters have the potential to be just as good as them if given the chance. The Maguires are brilliant, and while they aren't as attachable to the Gallagher's they add a lot to the show comically and can be used for some really hilarious story-lines. The reason some hate the Maguires is because they aren't as nice as the Gallagher family and so you don't grow attached to their characters as most can't relate to their attitudes. They still add a lot to the show and that should be respected, even if you dislike the actual characters.
The way i understnad it is Shameless is going to change the same way The Simpson's did after its first few years. While it'll still contain story-lines solely about the Gallagher family, it'll also contain loads of others that go outside the family but will be linked back to them in some way. This sounds great too me, we could have story-lines about Lip's life at University (if that happens) for example, or Ian running into trouble at school for being gay after being outed, Monica getting a job in a corrupt company that's using illegal practices such as slave labour, Frank clueless waking up in a skip in Scotland with no way home, The Maguires launcing a Chatsworth wide investigation after they're stash gets robbed, Carol getting in a taxi to the bingo and ending up involuntarily taking part in an armed bank robbery, Marty getting a job as a fireman (the irony lol), Carl getting a job as a perverse window cleaner and taking pictures of girls from the estate into school. New Gallagher family members could be introduced, such as a psychotic cousin, a long lost brother they never knew they had that turns out to be a hermaphrodite (half man half woman) that Monica had abandoned. Yvone paying for the help of the Maguires to run a competing shop out of business after sales get tough. News of an escaped murderer sending the estate into a state or paranoia and anarchy, with milkmen, postmen and anyone who looks different ending up in A&E. Lilian fatally knocking a window cleaner off a ladder and being accussed of attempted murder / manslaughter, with Marty defending her in court.
These are just examples, i'm sure they'll come up with much better ones than that but i'm illustrating that the range of possible story-lines and situations the show can focus on with this change is much wider, if not endless, its going to be brilliant i reckon. The storylines focusing on the family as a unit will still continue aswell, they'll just be mixed.
It'll still something of 'art and comedy genius'.
Paul Abbott is a genius writer and he knows what he's doing. Shameless will probably improve with this change.
It may lose fans because of the cast departures, but they weren't really fans of the show - more acurately just fans of the actors who played departed cast members - because up to now this show has been a story of the Gallagher family and a few close neighbours. Not only will it continue to be so, it'll go outside that and become even bigger. I can only see that improving the programme and making its fanbase even bigger.
