Impatience is a virtue

When you were younger, it is probable that upon demanding something ‘now’, you were cautioned by an annoyed teacher, parent or by another, miscellaneous adult that “Patience is a virtue”.

Well, it would seem that this is an important lesson that the big American televison companies are keen to reinforce. While their reasons for this are no doubt less altruistic than those of the condescending guardian, they are just as bothersome. However, it seems in my opinion that this may backfire in their collective giant, apparently impassive faces.

At the end of each episode thus far aired of Lost, season two, I have been looking forwards with considerable enthusiasm and excitement towards that which followed it. So, you might imagine my dismay when I was informed that there would be a three week delay before the next episode aired. If producers are attempting to induce yet more enthusiasm amongst the viewers, then this is the wrong way in which to go about it. In fact, by the time three weeks had passed, I could barely remember the details of the preceeding episode and was in no particular hurry to watch the newest one; indeed, I put it off for several days. “To be continued” does not work if one does not remember what it was that was to be continued.

So what of Star Gate SG-1 and Atlantis? As I recall, seasons of both terminated abruptly half-way through with “To be continued”, and yet the precise plot details of these escape me to such an extent that I could no longer give a damn about what they were, nor how they conclude. In fact, I feel little incentive at all to watch these once they resume airing, but for the near infinite boredom I experience in an average weekend.

So why do television producers persist in using “To be continued” in inappropriate places? At season’s end, they might provide a basis to attract more viewers back for the successive season. However, to break up a season in the first place is something that should, in my humble opinion as a customer of Sky Digital (the UK’s satelite TV provider), be avoided at all costs. If they run out of episodes to broadcast, then they should have started broadcasting later. Frankly, there is no excuse, and there is plenty of competing programmes. Who knows, perhaps there’s something more interesting I could watch in the stead of Lost or Stargate.