I am "up" thankyou very much, there's no need to be patronising. I realise that More4 have just finished showing seasons 1 to 3, and I realise that they can't show seasons 4 and 5 until much later, but this shouldn't prevent them from showing season 6 if there is provision for it in Channel 4's contract of purchasing the UK rights from HBO.
Seeing as Channel 4 have this new channel available, and seeing as screenings of new seasons of The Sopranos invariably get postponed until Big Brother has gone from the schedules, don't you think it prudent for Channel 4 to premiere the sixth season on More4 as soon as possible in order to draw in viewers now, rather than leave them waiting six months?
More4 is, undoubtedly, the natural home for The Sopranos on UK television. To wait until the autumn to screen new episodes will only prompt viewers to find alternative outlets from which they can quench their first; ie. Irish Television or Bittorrentsl; thus reducing the actual viewership when these episodes finally air.
A favourite argument of mine is the proposal that US networks aim to set simultaneous global premieres for new episodes of TV series. This way piracy will be cut to a bare minimum, meaning more revenue for the network and, as a result, faster access to TV shows for viewers outside of the United States. Until this becomes a reality, UK broadcasters should strive to screen popular US imports as quickly as possible, as Sky has done often with 24 and Deadwood, and E4 has done with Six Feet Under. Channel 4 (and More4) should continue this trend with an earlier-than-usual premiere for season six of what is surely the greatest drama series ever produced, The Sopranos.
If it's not HBO, I don't want to know.
