Comments on: Misfits, very British Teen TV

By: Leshu Torchin

Leshu Torchin — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 15:55:18 +0000

Thank you for this discussion of Misfits (a programme I’ve really come to enjoy) and more importantly, thank you for addressing the issue of E4’s brand identity. It has grated on me terribly that American viewers will often casually refer to such shows as The Inbetweeners and Skins as ‘BBC’ because they see them on BBC America. Of course, the usurpation of brand identity is an interesting one, even if I lack the competence to comment on it.

By: Faye Woods

Faye Woods — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 10:36:17 +0000

I found that the second season worked hard to bring a greater level of complexity to Alesha, beyond ‘she shags’, and really made consider the emotional toll of her power. I was surprised to find myself caring quite a lot about her by the end of the season. I’m very interested in how they will play out this larger scale arc that has been quite carefully seeded.

This arcing seriality is common, to varying standards – like US TV – across Brit youth drama (Being Human’s ‘big bad’ arcs not so successful). Skins is an ensemble drama but has its episodes from single characters POV and telling one story, which are tied into ongoing story arcs, which apparently because it was easier for inexperienced writers to tell. I think in season 1 Misfits was tying closer to that kind of storytelling (intertwined with its ‘freak of the week’ structure), but became more confident in its seriality in season 2.

I think 6 episodes is the UK standard for single-authored series for drama and sitcom, with runs up to 12 for multi-authored. Skins has 8-10 episodes from a writing team of established and ‘young’ writers. The UK has a different production ecology to the US and has been hit hard by the recession, thus you only get high-budget stuff in co-productions (Downton Abbey) and short runs (e.g. Sherlock’s 3 eps). Misfits season 1 felt micro-budgeted even by E4 standards, which I think contributed to its inventiveness.

By: Anne Helen Petersen

Anne Helen Petersen — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:53:44 +0000

Faye, you somehow answered all of my questions in 800 words, even if you didn’t define “fanny” for me. Thanks again for agreeing to participate!

I have yet another series of industrial question: what’s the general length of series? Is a six episode arc standard? Is this level of seriality typical for E4?

Now that I’ve completed Season 2, I’m even more compelled by these characters — and (no surprise) Simon and Alicia in particular. The amount of narrative complexity at work in the arc of the masked man was truly a marvel to behold — with a payoff far greater, in my opinion, than any reveal in Lost.