Merlin (TV Series)

[Felon]

Can't say I've noticed it in anything other than Merlin.

I first commented on it in this forum during the second season of Doctor Who, a couple years before Merlin. I was like "interracial couple in this episode...interracial couple in this one....interracial couple again....mm-kay, what's going on here? Was that series of coffee commercials really that big of a hit in Britain???"

 

[nerfherder]

I first commented on it in this forum during the second season of Doctor Who, a couple years before Merlin. I was like "interracial couple in this episode...interracial couple in this one....interracial couple again....mm-kay, what's going on here? Was that series of coffee commercials really that big of a hit in Britain???"

Ah - I guess I didn't notice it because it's not that uncommon here, especially in London and other British cities. Certainly not uncommon enough to seem unusual to a British audience.

Oh, and taking us back to Merlin, the only famous coffee commercial I can think of featured Anthony Head...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igi9u6X4y-s"]YouTube- Nescafe Gold Blend Adverts 1980s[/ame]

 

[Orius]

I'll give the BBC this though: they seem to offer far better CGI effects than shows here in the U.S. Wonder how they pull that off?

Aren't TV seasons on British television only about 10 episodes long? With a leisurely schedule like that, they have more time to work on post-production.

 

[nerfherder]

Aren't TV seasons on British television only about 10 episodes long? With a leisurely schedule like that, they have more time to work on post-production.

Why would you think that the schedule is more leisurely? Surely a 10 episode UK series takes as long to make as 10 episodes of a longer US season.

 

[Felon]

Right, but U.S. series have about twice as many episodes in a season than Brit series, don't they? Heck, used to be that Brit series only ran for six episodes. Kinda sad that there aren't more Fawlty Towers.

 

[nerfherder]

Right, but U.S. series have about twice as many episodes in a season than Brit series, don't they? Heck, used to be that Brit series only ran for six episodes. Kinda sad that there aren't more Fawlty Towers.

A British series is as long as it is - 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, whatever. I still don't understand your logic of why that would mean that more time would be spent in post-production. If you have a budget of $6m and 3 weeks to film a 6 episode British series, why would the CGI be better than in a US season of 24 episodes with a budget of $24m filmed over 12 weeks?

Anyway, sorry to go on about this, I'm just trying to see if I've missed some logic.

In more interesting news, S3 has started filming this month

 

[Orius]

Our TV seasons (series being the entire run) average somewhere around 20 episodes. Cable series tend to have shorter seasons, and I think the seasons have been getting shorter over the last few years.

But in any case, my guess is that British television, which has shorter episode counts per series, might not have the same rushed deadlines American television has. I think it takes about an average of two weeks to produce an episode of American television (supposedly the process is fairly hectic). The dealines are becuae of things like sweeps and television scheduling, where a season usually starts in the fall and wraps up in the spring, and in recent years, there's a short break around December because network executives figure no one's watching during the holidays. So if say the producers have maybe 3 weeks (or more) instead of two to work on an episode, maybe they have more time to polish up the effects. That's just a guess though.

 

[Sarkoloff]

Merlin?... absolutely incredible show!

Sorry, but I just HAD to register on this site so I could comment on this particular topic.. I'm so glad to see the show is catching on on the Syfi channel now; after NBC gave it a dismal summer replacement run, in a lousy time-slot, and thus declared it a "dud" before handing it over to Syfi (stuipd NBC!). I've been a devoted, die-hard fan of this show since Season 1 Episode one, (btw, I'm in So. Calif) and me, I can't begin to give the show enough praise, for the writing, the actors, production, costumes.. just "everything about this show" makes it by far the best show on television today (in my opinion). Not only that, but it's a true 'family show', something the whole family can enjoy, without awkwardness nor embarrassment, and it upholds traditional morals and values <-- a true rarity it today's commercial television world. I gave up on watching TV decades ago, but this show has restored my faith, (yes, it's really "that good!"). So I advise anybody who hasn't given it a go, to do so.. try and watch from the beginning and the episodes in sequence, though, because it's just that kind of a show. I discovered it at the end of the first season, actually, but watched all 13 episodes within a few days online; I was hooked... couldn't get enough of it. This past season, (season 3).. the finale ..was just amazing! - Three thumbs up from me. - Watch; you'll see! ;o)

 

[Bold or Stupid]

I love this series! Good action, forgivable reset (though I wish they'd just break the status quo), great characters and fun plots. My other half is playing a bravura warlord inspired by Arthur in the show.

 

[Orius]

Well, NBC does own Syfy, so it's not like a huge shift. Though really, they shouldn't have expected much from summer programming in the first place. Or maybe they should have, I don't know, promoted it a bit more? I mean it's not like the show probably cost them that much to air, since they weren't spending money on actually producing it.