Subject: Re: Why Twin Peaks was put on Hiatus
From: ma8ajb@gdt.bath.ac.uk (A J Bowie)
Date: 1991-02-21, 06:03
Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks

From article <1991Feb20.070432.1277@daffy.cs.wisc.edu>, by michaell@cat55.cs.wisc.edu (Michael Lee)writes:

>> One thing that I feel that the networks could learn from the Twin Peaks
>> experiment is that rather then just targeting open-ended series, or one week
>> mini-series, there could be a very good market for a "Maxi-Series" -- a weekly
>> show, a la Twin Peaks, but something that is to end, very definitely, when the
>> story line is completed. This should be planned from start to finish, at
>> least generally. This allows some more freedom in television ideas, but
>> doesn't force strict forms. However, there would have to be a certain level of
>> commitment from the network to show the entire series.

>I agree with this wholeheartedly....don't they do this in Britain? I seem
>to remember someone telling me that they do...
>

>BOB Cappel

It is very common in Britain to have limited run quality series. The
advantages of it are that a small group of writers can plan out a whole
series to its completion at a finite point in time. The series will then
keep the same 'flavour' throughout with the same director(s) etc. It
seems to us in Britain that the nearest you get to these are high-gloss
mini-series. I suppose the reason for the absence of such series is
that there is a viewer drop-off when people miss an episode and then
feel they can't come back into the story very easily, but commercial
television over here manages them (not all those British programmes
on PBS are made by the BBC).

Much as I'm enjoying Twin Peaks in the UK, I would be very happy if the
series was nicely wrapped up and rounded off - not left at an
indisciminate cliff-hanger though.

Adam Bowie

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