TNT BRINGS BACK "MOVIE OF THE WEEK"

[vchimpanzee]

And yet you still have CBS occasionally doing Jesse Stone or Hallmark Hall of Fame flicks as part of their slate of specials (concerts, award shows, etc.) for sweeps and/or breaks for new episode/new show production.

Starting this weekend, it's actually ABC doing the Hallmark Hall of Fame.

 

[vchimpanzee]

The "never" coming back--as a regular feature, specials notwithstanding--was about broadcast. TNT is hardly alone in original movies on cable; Hallmark and Lifetime are two that have an extensive track record of original movies.

And most of those are chick flicks. My wife watches them all the time. :

So did I. I don't know what happened to them on my local stations. I liked them, especially if the chick was pretty.

 

[flashback]

here is a radical idea to some perhaps.how about judging each made-for-tv movie on there own merits?

 

[flashback]

the movies talked about are not theatrical releases .they are made for broadcast on TNT so there will be no edits or scenes cut out.

I've seen exactly ONE TV movie worth watching - "Brian's Song".

They showed that one to us in junior high.

I've seen numerous TV movies worth watching. I have around 500 imdb reviews. Many are for TV movies because I gave up on theatrical movies. I didn't feel I had anything worthwhile to say, and I just didn't have time to review every movie I watched.

ABC tv had a number of of good made-for-tv movies in the 70`i can`t think of all of the titles but i remember i liked a number of them.there were some good horror movies.one with small creatures in the walls of a house.one with a plane flight in danger because of a menace of some kind in a crate.i believe richard boones` "the last dinasaur" was an ABC tv movie.i know "killdozer " ,the one about an alien force possessing a big bulldozer was one.

"the night stalker" and "the night strangler" introducing darren mcgavin as carl kolchak were ABCmade- for -tv movies.

more made-for-tv movies made now can be good.

 

[LKellerIII]

You just don't get it. The door has been opened and I'm sure the networks are watching.
After all you were one of the ones that said this will never happen in our lifetime again........think again.

What will be your excuse when the networks do deside to go with it?

I'll be sure to work on one about the time hell gets frosty.

Ignoring facts doesn't change them, it just continues to demonstrate a flimsy grip on business realities. What TNT is doing is relatively new for them (at least framed as a series of genre-specific originals), but not new for cable. There's nothing new for the broadcasters to see now...and. Opting that changes the changed economics of the business.

I'm not clear what everybody is getting on about. Movies never went away. Quite a few cable networks run films. They have a lot of program time to fill. For example, FX runs a lot of action and sci-fi films from the last decade or so.

But movies will never come back as a staple on the big broadcast networks - with the occasional "big event" exception. Remember - the VCR revolution is now 30 years old. After decades of VHS followed by DVD, and premium cable - people are used to watching films uncensored, uncut, and without commercial interruption.

 

[nomadcowatbk]

You just don't get it. The door has been opened and I'm sure the networks are watching.
After all you were one of the ones that said this will never happen in our lifetime again........think again.

What will be your excuse when the networks do deside to go with it?

I'll be sure to work on one about the time hell gets frosty.

Ignoring facts doesn't change them, it just continues to demonstrate a flimsy grip on business realities. What TNT is doing is relatively new for them (at least framed as a series of genre-specific originals), but not new for cable. There's nothing new for the broadcasters to see now...and. Opting that changes the changed economics of the business.

I'm not clear what everybody is getting on about. Movies never went away. Quite a few cable networks run films. They have a lot of program time to fill. For example, FX runs a lot of action and sci-fi films from the last decade or so.

But movies will never come back as a staple on the big broadcast networks - with the occasional "big event" exception. Remember - the VCR revolution is now 30 years old. After decades of VHS followed by DVD, and premium cable - people are used to watching films uncensored, uncut, and without commercial interruption.

A lot of people (but not as many as in 1980) will still watch the annual holiday airings of "Wizard of Oz" on one of the Turner networks, "It's a Wonderful life" on NBC, or "The Ten Commandments" on ABC around Easter out of established habits, but you can't expect a large audience to watch a recent blockbuster on one of the networks like they would of in 1980. Network movie premieres were big events even into the 90s and many cheapskates would tape those cutup movies instead of buying the full uncut versions (at least those without a 2nd VCR to copy the rental from Blockbuster).

 

[Markxxx]

I don't know why but certain shows, like "A Charlie Brown Christmas" seem more satisfying when watch on OTA network TV with commercials. I guess it's memories

 

[LKellerIII]

I don't know why but certain shows, like "A Charlie Brown Christmas" seem more satisfying when watch on OTA network TV with commercials. I guess it's memories

That's partially nostalgia, and because you've been used to seeing it that way. The Charlie Brown shows were made for TV, and like all commercial TV comedies and dramas, they are paced for commercial breaks. In fact, many dramas and comedies made for non-commerical channels like HBO and Showtime - are also paced for commercial breaks because the producers know they can eventually sell them for repeats on commercial TV. Examples - The Sopranos, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Theatrical films are not written, edited, or paced for commercial breaks - that's why the commercials way more instrusive, and interrupt the action more than TV productions.

 

[johnnya2k6]

Back on-topic: Since it appears there'll be no NBA season after all, the movies are TNT's backup plan. But at least Ernie Johnson and the gang are already financially set for the holidays.

Which reminds me...During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, CBC aired movies under "Movie Night In Canada" to mixed ratings.

 

[johnnya2k6]

UPDATE: I pretty much spoke too soon; after nearly 150 days, a tentative deal has been reached, ending the NBA lockout.