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Death Comes for Shrek: The Musical
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testyaccount
10/30/09

In reply to Death Comes for Shrek: The Musical
i love comments! #shrek
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nozer
10/22/09

In reply to Death Comes for Shrek: The Musical
I love Broadway and musicals, and Shrek received some good reviews, but looking at that picture makes me want to kill everyone involved in it.

I understand that the end of Shrek signals a lot of people losing their jobs, but thank god that overblown trash is shutting down. I hope the entire Broadway-spectacle-industrial-complex comes crashing down around itself so some creativity can find a home. #shrek
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FormerEnglishMajor
10/22/09

@nozer: it's a chicken-and-egg problem. The audience now is mostly tourists, and they want the Broadway Spectacle. So that is what gets funded. Not sure if the spectacle drove away the locals and is now self-perpetuating, but if your paying customers want X.... #shrek
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nozer
10/22/09

@FormerEnglishMajor: Definitely, further proof that free market systems just don't work.

But seriously, my hope would be that as more tourists stop coming to see these shows that the whole Broadway economy would contract, causing less money to get funneled into it. This would hopefully cause producers to seek out quality since they can't have quantity. Or the entire industry could just crash. I think when theater is genuinely good or buzz-worthy, NYers will flock to it, and tourists will begin to pay attention to it. The way it exists right now, however, is just really sad. It reminds me of the kind of shows you can watch at a Six Flags.

Maybe if we didn't have Shrek, The Little Mermaid, and Rock of Ages, tourists wanting a Broadway experience would still go see Patti Lupone in Gypsy or Passing Strange or the recent revival of Company. Those might not be the most revolutionary nights in theatre, but I think they at least represent an attempt for artistic merit. #shrek
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TipsyVonDrinklestein
10/22/09

In reply to Death Comes for Shrek: The Musical
Sadly, the House of Cards series will never succeed unless it gets picked up by a cable net. If it remains true to the miniseries and the novel, the main character is far too eagerly evil and ruthless to be palatable for mainstream American audiences. Or, they could dumb it down like they have any number of other British adaptations and ruin it, which I guess is far more likely than a good cable run. #shrek
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ampersandparade
10/22/09

@TipsyVonDrinklestein: Having been unfortunate (read: drunk) enough to see the series finale of the US adaptation of Life On Mars, I must concede to your point. And the sad thing is, I don't think Americans are against ruthless unlikeable characters (professional wrestling continues to do very well, despite all odds), I just think television producers continue to look at polling from 1960 and make their decisions from there. #shrek
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TipsyVonDrinklestein
10/22/09

@ampersandparade: Also, see "Cold Feet", "Teachers", "Men Behaving Badly", and the failed attempt to produce "Top Gear". I definitely think there's a huge problem of network executives underestimating their audiences.

However, "King of Queens" was very successful so I could be wrong. Sigh. #shrek
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ampersandparade
10/22/09

@TipsyVonDrinklestein: The Top Gear situation can also directly link back to the NBC thread about the failure of that network to understand how to appeal to anyone, ever, under any circumstances. The idea that Knight Rider had anything to do with Top Gear is laughable.

But truth be told, I could easily see NBC making the American Top Gear very 'Spike TV' thinking that women are not interested in cars, and it suffering similar defeat. Maybe the best think Americans could do is take five minutes to come up with an original creative idea, or to import the original British idea without sticking it on BBC America. #shrek
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limber
10/22/09

@TipsyVonDrinklestein: Could have a lot to do with Brit series having more flexibility than the US, too -- are there US series that have had only two or three series, intentionally, even if they're popular? That seems key, as does the shorter run element.

Also, "Spaced" and "Green Wing" are both on Hulu right now. The Hulu gods will make a killing if they keep that up for all good Brit series... #shrek
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TipsyVonDrinklestein
10/22/09

@limber: I also think the major networks have a very distinct fear of showing unpalatable, but successful, characters.

Look at "Bodies". That series was a horrifying look at incompetent doctors in a hospital--incompetent and unpunished (for the most part). The FU character from House of Cards is the same way--despicable, but victorious (again, for the most part). The teachers in "Teachers" are unmotivated, show up to work hung over, and make dubious choices where their students and jobs are concerned. They're also very human. But never in a million years would they portray teachers in a light like that on NBC, or any other major network.

And yes, limiting series is great! It keeps them fresh. I believe that telenovelas often do the same and are wildly successful. #shrek
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limber
10/22/09

@TipsyVonDrinklestein: I did once get the UK "Teachers" theme in my head, abruptly and without warning. I was totally confused until I realized Andrew Lincoln was BIKING towards me along the Caledonian Road, thus kicking off the theme instantly, Palov-like. It was a great day.

You're right, many of the shows aren't uplifting. But they are awesome, which helps. #shrek
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TedSez
10/22/09

In reply to Death Comes for Shrek: The Musical
Unfortunately, even people who want "Dollhouse" to succeed have to struggle to like it. Yes, it's an intriguing concept, executed by incredibly creative people. But the problems (plot holes the size of potholes; a powerful conspiracy run by amazingly inept conspirators; a main character who's barely a "character" at all; too-frequent scenes of mindless women being whored out, even if the practice is depicted as mostly evil) are just too big for the writers to overcome. A show like this would have trouble staying on the air even if it were great -- but under the circumstances, it's unlikely that too many people will be upset if Whedon & co. have to move on to other projects.
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Thistledew
10/22/09

@TedSez: I agree. It's a shame a Whedon vehicle like Firefly which some solid writing and plot direction didn't get the same longer chance that Dollhouse did. #shrek
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Pope John Peeps II
10/22/09

@TedSez: Yeah, there are two kinds of shows that are too "challenging" and "complex" for television. One is the truly great, truly memorable things like "Carnivale" (which ended because of a dispute with the producer, or something?), and the other is the faux-depth of something like "Dollhouse". Which pains me to say, because I loved firefly to no uncertain extreme.

You know, I think shows like Dollhouse fail precisely because they're not insane enough. Dollhouse and something like The Sarah Connor Chronicles are mostly weepy soap-style dramaction shows, with long sad loving looks and saving babies, and stupid undercover agent scenes, and not enough fun insane fantasy. My favourite dollhouse episode was the outrageous post-apocalyptic episode. So good. #shrek
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FormerEnglishMajor
10/22/09

@Thistledew: Firefly was too damn dark and not in a writing way, but in a lighting way. I kept looking around for a light switch. #shrek
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JennaW
10/22/09

@TedSez: It has been so uneven, too. It's hard to feel there's an overarching story because everything's so disconnected but it doesn't work as purely episodic, either, because then it's just mindless 'ho/Echo breakdown of the week.

Whedon should have gone for Firefly 2 when Nathan Fillion was available. Ah, well. #shrek
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