Torchwood: Miracle Day. A thought about international Scheduling.

(Originally posted on Nik Nak and Grub’s Who Peculiar, 16 July 2011 10:47:00)

Hmmm …

OK, now that Grub’s had a rant about DVD prices … ?

Oh, AND about scheduling … ?

I’m thinking it’s now — officially — my turn.

You see, I’ve got to be honest, I normally don’t complain about gaps.

The gaps you normally get between a show being screened in one country — the USA, to give you an example — and the UK. To give you another.

Saying that … ?

Well …

Saying that, I’ve got to be frank, I’m maybe a TOUCH twitted off about Torchwood: Miracle Day, I really am.

Let me see if I can’t try and explain, shall I … ?

You see, I kind of like the idea of nattering away about TV shows I happen to like.

As does Grub.

You might have noticed …

At ANY rate, I like nattering about them.

As do a lot of other people.

Part of that pre-supposes that you, me, Grub, Debbi — my one of my regular commentors, over on Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar* — have been watching the show concerned …

At approximately the same time.

Approximately being the word: bless her, Debbi and her husband are in Baltimore: the recent first half of Season Six of Dr Who was shown by BBC America some 12 hours or so after it’s UK airing.

Which is sort of my point.

At least the BBC managed to air the show on the same day: even if it may have been with a twelve hour gap between repeats.

You see, what’s really frustrating for me … ?

Is that fact that there’s almost a week’s gap between the US and UK airings of Torchwood: Miracle Day.

Now, I’ve got to admit, knowing that I’ve just sat down and watched a given show with thousands of other people is a good thing. We’re human, after. Part of that, I think, is the simple fact that we’re tribal, and identify with others who enjoy the same things we do.

The sheer fact that footballº is as popular as it, is testament to that.

So the fact that Starz is airing Torchwood: Miracle Day a week ahead of the UK … ?

Well, I can understand the funding decisions behind it, don’t get me wrong.

But it’s STILL annoying … !

* It’s sort of a shame that Grub’s lost the password for one of his other blogs: 100 Albums You Must Have was a contentious, opinionated and beautifully written set of posts about the albums and LP’s Grub felt were indispensable parts of a music collection. It didn’t actually have enough ZZTop, Status Quo or Jean Michel Jarre in my humble opinion. But you notice I did say contentious …

º Grub’s a football fan, I’m not. So he’ll probably be a bit twitted off when I run this past you: What do you call a person in a funny shirt, who gets together with other’s in similar costumes, to watch the same thing, en masse, and sing strange songs about it? I call them football fans …