Today's Question of the Day relates to new TV shows and what it is that makes you decide which new show(s) to check out.
Is it because your favorite actor/actress is involved, or is it the writer, or do you check out the show based on the promo or storyline or do you watch all new shows of a particular genre regardless of the other things.
So Todays question is.
Which are your main factors when deciding to check out a new show?
Please vote in the poll below for all that apply and sound off in the comments, especially if I have missed a reason in the poll.
You can see previous Questions of the Day here
If you have an idea for "Question of the Day" please leave it in the comments or email me @ thespoilergirl@gmail.com
Thanks to TWoP for the image
I think its a combination of the storyline first and foremost but sometimes you check out a show if a number of characters you generally like are in it. Another main factor which you missed out is the reviews and buzz it is getting.
ReplyDeleteMostly, I check the storyline then I check the genre then lastly the cast and if I liked them or not .. but some shows click from just watching the poster for the first time (like how I become Life Unexpected fan) or just watched a promo on tv (like how I become The Whole Truth fan) some time it's the buzz & fan reviews that make me check it out too..
ReplyDeleteGenre, storyline, Promos/spoilers and cast. I also talk with my friends. They may have caught info I haven't and vise versa. Most of my friends more or less watch what I do except for LOST. (Which surprised me) Of course now they are oh so jealous and are catching up by renting the DVD's!
ReplyDeleteA combination of all the factors, but the main ones are the genre, the storyline and the promos.
ReplyDeleteBy the time i'm voting, 3 comments only (including mine) for 148 votes. Now i understand the meaning of the "Stop lurking day" thread :)
ReplyDeleteBack to the question : that would be the Genre for me (science fiction in this case)
Ha yes :)
ReplyDeletehahaha.
ReplyDeleteThe genre, promo's and storyline. Sometimes the cast and director/writer.
ReplyDeleteI tend to go for interesting premise, good looking trailer, and then also if there's a cast member I'm interested in. A couple of times I've tried shows just on who's in it and they haven't been great.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I watched the seven episodes of Raines because Jeff Goldblum was in it, and I thought it was great. But I may be on my own in that :P
The cast and promos.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to vote for other for when it's on. That's the most important for me.
The genre and promos. The rest for me doesn't influence too much as long as quality is its middle name :)
ReplyDeleteI usually check out a show if I like the actors or if the genre and storyline seem interesting.
ReplyDeleteFor me personally I NEVER watch a show because of an actress or actor. I have had my interest piqued by an actor, but if the show sounds uninteresting or like something I have seen too many times before I most likely will not watch. I also have never watched a show based on the director, but I have avoided shows based on a director. *cough* Jerry Bruckheimer *cough*... 100% of the timeit is storyline that keeps me into a series. Genre does not matter I have found since I have liked everything from a traveling supernatural circus to a traveling rundown military space ship, from undead detectives to brothers that kill undead, from sons following in their father's big island footsteps to Sons trying to get away from their father's two-wheeled legacy. All about good writing and good stories ... as long as no Jerry Bruckheimer.
ReplyDeleteHmmm... it's the characters, which is really a combination of cast and storyline.
ReplyDeleteWell I never really cared about Cast that much in the past considering most shows I watch are breakout roles for the cast (like most of the How I Met Your Mother guys, Smallville, Dexter etc....) but now anything upcoming thats got JJ Abrams or ANYONE from the huge Lost cast ensemble included i'll be sure to check out which actually looks pretty good for the future!
ReplyDeleteI ticked cast, storyline and genre, but you should also include critical opinion + reviews - most definitely a deciding factor for me. Also, if it's really popular and there's a thriving fandom for it, then I'm much more inclined to check it out, if only on the logic that there must be something to spark the buzz (of course, this isn't always true. Twilight is a case in point).
ReplyDeleteThe storyline. But since there can be a great storyline but awfully executed, I wait for a quite a lot episodes to air (half a season or more), to check out the reviews and ratings. I don't want to tune in the show that is bad or is great but has a poor ratings. Why tune in a show that would end without an ending? :)
ReplyDeleteFor me it`s a combination of the actors, writers/producers and network it`s on.
ReplyDeleteI like quality shows, therefor i stay away from shows like The Event, Chase and almost only stay with the comedy`s when it comes to normal shows that dont air on AMC, HBO, FX or Showtime. I almost watch everything from the four mentioned channels. Im sick of this bullcrap that comes from like CW these days. I really hate these shows like Supernatural(witch is like so dull, how much do the main characters need to die again?), Chase and The Event. They are poor written, and almost only the guest stars are the good actors with the exception of a few main actors.
From AMC and HBO you got pure quality shows like Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and so on. These shows have never disapointed me, and they keeps on beeing better and better. It`s like Breaking Bad, that shows have only had steps up. And the actors i love them. Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad, Jon Hamm in Mad Men, Steve Buchemi and Michael Shannon in Boardwalk and Andrew Lincoln in TWD. I mean the pilot to TWD gotta be the best pilot i have ever seen, and i tought before that Boardwalk had the best pilot.
Also you got these lovely shows that keeps you following even tough some episodes kinda get the show to go downhill, it`s go up again at a later point. Like Dexter, Justified, Sons of Anarchy, Weeds, Californication and so on.
So yeah. I prefer shows from AMC, HBO, FX and Showtime. I kinda just follow House, Chuck and Human Target that`s a drama or somewhat a mix with drama from the normal networks. But somehow some of the comedys from the normal networks really is good. Like Community and Modern Family. I every week want a new episode of these shows. I cant seem to get any reason to hate these two shows. I love em.
For me its the concept that first gets my attention but as with heroes a decent concept dosent always mean a good show. Since LOST i am more and more into sci fi/mystery/adventure so the genre comes into play but thats not the most important thing.
ReplyDeleteI know I first checked out Raising Hope because it's made by the guy who made My Name Is Earl, but I think that it more comes from just being more willing to check out a new something by someone who was involved with something I've previously liked... and if a particular person was involved in more and more things I like, then it goes into liking what that person does, regardless of if they're the writers or actors or w/e, which can spill over into the cast option.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the storyline is also an important factor, which varies depending on a person's particular tastes. For instance, I prefer more fantastical themes that in the ordinary world would NEVER happen, while I only like a few real life situational storyline-based shows.
Another thing that I just realized depends on whether I decide to check out a show is how it's advertised... If something's being shown off as a show where Actress A TOTALLY BETRAYS Actress B by stealing her boyfriend.. then I'm seriously not interested and would rather shoot myself. xD
I actually didn't watch Raising Hope because of the storyline. I didn't think I would like it. Then I saw some promo piece(?) here on SpoilerTV with the mom and Finn from Glee making up words and I had to check out an episode. I laughed so hard I couldn't breath. Probably the funniest thing I've seen this year is when Hope got stuck in the storage shed. Now I don't miss Raising Hope. It's funnier than Community.
ReplyDeleteIt's hilarious.. just like My Name Is Earl, which sadly I wasn't on the ball with that and started watching it after it got canceled. xD But yeah, after Raising Hope, if he comes out with something new, I'm so gonna check it out solely based on the fact that his name is involved [granted that doesn't mean I'll stick with it... but I'm much more open to anything this guy does from now on]
ReplyDeleteI usually look at the storyline and if its interesting. I also look at the promos to see if it is any good and check out the genre to see if its the type of show I'm interested in.
ReplyDelete1)The strength of the writing (usually over a period of the first 4-6 episodes...) If it keeps my attention for more than a couple episodes I hold on. If it sits there after the first few, I lose it. I always wait for that episode that finds its footing (like Supernatural did around "asylum") but if it piddles around and stupid writing ensues, I'm gone. (The Event...)
ReplyDelete2) The Production values: if it feels real, if it has that certain vibe that draws me in (again, I use Supernatural for its darkened tones... Fringe's graphics, the streamlined futuristic cinematography, etc.) it really has an intense effect on me. Other shows that I love for their cinematography/graphics/production values: Breaking Bad, Dexter, Damages, The Walking Dead, and Veronica Mars.
3) The Acting. Whether or not I know the actor/actress is not usually a deciding factor for me. It depends on how well they portray their character. (Michael C. Hall on Dexter, Glenn Close on Damages, Kristen Bell on VMARs,etc.) If the acting sucks, I jump ship. (Again, see The Event.)
4) I always look up reviews, but I take them with a grain of salt: tv reviews are very tricky because they aren't really as comprehensive like a CD or a movie is...they usually cover the pilot of the show or only the first 3-4 episodes... A lot of shows don't get into their strong stride until after the pilot or the first couple episodes, and it seems critics write them off from the beginning.
I seem to research and investigate and expect alot from tv today. lol
Now that I think of it, I do tend to check out EVERY new series on HBO, Showtime, FX and AMC. So network does mean something to me, but if I dont like the shows I checked out I don't continue to watch. One thing I will admit tho is that FX,HBO Sho and AMC ALWAYS have excellent acting and writing. Sometimes that just is not enough for me and for whatever reason I cannot connect with a show. I completely agree with you about CW shows.... bad acting and wroting. But just like how I can not enjoy an excellently written and performed series.... sometimes I enjoy a poorly made or mindless show like (duck and covering from the flames soon to come) Smallville and Supernatural. Both will never win acting awards and doubtfully writing either (other than maybe scifi awards shows which I hardly count), but I truly enjoy both series based on their fun value. Sometimes I think that entertainment value means more to many than artistic or technical excellence. I tend to enjoy more well-crafted shows than pure entertainment, but I enjoy what I enjoy regardless of technical excellence.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that draws me in is the plot (and whether or not it's based on a book series that I've read), then cast, as I'm pretty loyal to the actors and actresses that I like. I also am particular about genre. I'm more drawn to the supernatural, scifi, or fantasy genres (cases in point: Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, Eureka, The Walking Dead and the Stargate series) as opposed to the "high school" drama like 90210 or Gossip Girl or the ubiquitous procedural cop show genre that somehow keeps multiplying and spreading despite the fact that they all seem the same.
ReplyDeleteIf it's getting good buzz and/or if my friends in real life and online have good things to say about it, I definitely give it a go if I haven't already.
Definitely the storyline. Also the cast!
ReplyDeleteOne of the (few) advantages I have in living outside the US is that I get to check new shows out at SpoilerTV way before they get to local TV. Here I get comments from people who've actually seen the show, I can watch promos, and also see if it's rating well. Case in point: The Event has only just started airing on local tv - I haven't bothered to even watch it because I know it's going down the tubes. I haven't wasted my time with it and can move on to the next new show.
ReplyDeleteAfter checking a show out here first, I usually go for the storyline. I usually give new shows two to three weeks and if they don't grab me by then I'm gone. Bad acting and bad writing don't interest me at all so that counts out anything remotely resembling soaps, teen dramas, or the average procedural cop show.
genre, then actors
ReplyDeletestoryline? i'd be spoiled ;-)
Yeah, like i tend to watch episodes of CSI and The Mentalist when im bored, or dont have anything else to watch. I also watched both Lone Star and Veronica Mars when they aired, and loved them. Aslo took a peek on Hellcats(sorry, i kinda like girls so it`s better to watch then Glee). But i like focus just on seeing the shows from FX, Showtime, HBO and AMC.
ReplyDeleteI dont like Supernatural or Smallville anymore, the shows starting to get dumb. At least Supernatural, they have to destroy a car? Who the fuck came up with that story? He had to be high when writting that, or have at least a big fear of cars. And Smallville was great when i was watching it, but i fell of the wagon for some reason, and the show never gave me a reason to pick it up again. And to me i feel like Smallville destroys that little thing i have for Superman(i never really liked DC Comics, im more of a Marvel-fan).
Writer and director, then cast. That's all, no question.
ReplyDeleteI know that NOTHING exists without the writing.
A wise man once said, "He or she who votes for when it's on, obviously needs DVR"
ReplyDeletethat is the kind of attitude that ends shows
ReplyDeleteHe is Greg Garcia, in case you didn't know. He also did the show Yes Dear. Each show he does seems funnier than the last.
ReplyDeleteI chose storyline, but first someone needs to get my attention. Promos might do it, but more often than not it's an article in an entertainment magazine or, as Nick says, reviews and buzz. But the storyline needs to be my cup of tea, because if it is not what I'm in the mood for, the show can win a jillion Emmys and I still won't watch it (take that, Glee, Mad Men, and Modern Family!).
ReplyDelete