I had to interrupt my summer hiatus (I’m working on a book so I haven’t been posting in this space for a few weeks) to say the Emmys Are A Joke.
I’m not talking about the nominations – for the most part, it’s the same actors year after year after year. TV comedy is in big trouble. The only broadcast shows nominated are getting really old. New comedy doesn’t exist on broadcast.
But that’s not at all the point I want to make it.
This is my point: “HOUSE OF CARDS” IS NOT A TELEVISION SHOW!
It is a series of webisodes.
High-quality webisodes.
It was not produced for television…
It did not air on a television network…
It is not a television show.
“House of Cards” is an internet series produced for online and mobile delivery. The last time I checked, TV shows are produced and distributed for satellite, cable and over-the-air broadcast networks.
The TV Academy can’t just cherry pick internet webisodes that it likes and call them TV shows.
And the TV Academy shouldn’t be claiming the Internet as their own – even though on their website they say: “The Television Academy, the only major organization devoted to the television and broadband screen entertainment industry…”
In reality, they have as much claim over the Internet as I do.
And it would be impossible for the guys in the TV Academy to watch all of the content produced for the Internet (so, to make it easy on themselves, they just give the nominations to Internet content that features big stars – Kevin Spacey, Jason Bateman, Zach Galifinakis, etc.).
Can you imagine these TV Academy members sitting with their iPads watching every series produced by comedy improv troupes around the freakin’ world? “Hey, did you guys see this one from some guys in Des Moines that make fun of working in an office? It’s hysterical! It should nominated for an Emmy!”
On top of that, the TV Academy refuses (because of arrogance) to even acknowledge The CW as a legitimate producer of programming (how “The Gilmore Girls” on old The WB never got a nomination is still one of the great injustices in entertainment history – and that’s no platitude) and yet they’ll throw a few nominations to Netflix to prove some kind of point. To show that the TV Academy is aware of the future and is very much on the cutting edge of content production.
But they’re not. When you think of the TV Academy – you still think it’s just a room of old white guys longing for the days of Norman Lear and the three powerful networks that everyone watched. Remember when the cable industry had to form their own pathetic award show (the Cable ACE Awards) because the TV Academy didn’t allow cable shows to be nominated?
Now, anyone can be nominated for an Emmy. Maybe I’ll produce a series of webisodes about my dog and submit it for consideration. It won’t even be looked at because my dog doesn’t look like Kevin Spacey.
You never know, maybe the TV Academy is changing with the times – and if they are – maybe they should change their name.
“The Transmedia Academy Of Arts & Sciences!”
Now THAT has a ring to it.
A couple of years ago, I wrote “Broadcast Networks: On Death And Dying” to illustrate that Broadcast Networks are in complete denial that one day they will just be another button on the grid – the master grid that gives equal weight to every type of format imaginable on our connected TVs (broadcast, cable, YouTube, Netflix, games, family videos… everything equal).
Ted Sarandos of Netflix is absolutely correct when he says: “Television is what’s on the screen – not how it gets there.”
But that doesn’t mean “House of Cards” should get an Emmy nomination.
It’s not a TV show!
Jill Kennedy – OnMedea
And how do you really feel about the subject? Lol
True that, Jill! And it is all about star power—a few years ago, big names like Spacey and Wright would never have considered a web series. I loved the show, it’s ground-breaking in it’s quality for the web, great story-telling—but technically, not a TV show. You’re right! No fair, cherry picking. The Emmys need to get with the times or a new awards system has to crop up that’s just as respected.
I couldn’t agree more but the truth is netflix and HuLu are coming up better programing and the Emmys want a piece of the pie.
House of Cards is a TV show that happens to be one the web. It looks, just as good or better than a lot of “TV” show. If it looks like a TV, have actors the are in TV shows, and make money like a TV show, get nominated for awards for TV shows, then you are a TV show.
I can’t believe this is serious. Yeah, we should look at a drama like “House of Cards” and classify it as the same thing as some cheaply produced comedy show on YouTube. That makes soooo much sense. Netflix isn’t producing little five minute drama clips.
“House of Cards” has the same episode format and length as most cable dramas. To watch legally, “House of Cards” requires a monthly subscription to Netflix just like a subscription is required to watch HBO and Showtime shows. So because Netflix isn’t some premium channel on your cable box, the shows Netflix produces are just high budget webisodes? Anything that challenges the typical way TV is ran shouldn’t be left out because it requires an internet connection. Emmys need to keep up with the times or else they’ll just be another relic. Netflix is doing something different without the crutches of regular TV. Saying that they’re just producing webisodes is a joke.
That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, Mike. That’s like saying “The Blair Witch Project” isn’t a movie because it didn’t cost $200 million. Or a Woody Allen movie isn’t a movie because they have low budgets. What makes a TV series a TV series? Acting and good lighting? Have you seen some of the stuff being made today? So if it’s a great looking production made by nobodies, then it’s a web series. If you put movie and TV stars in a production produced only for the web – it’s a TV series. Your logic makes a lot of sense.
My logic makes sense, we just have a different view of what a TV show is. What you’re saying is like thinking “American Pie Presents: Band Camp” isn’t a movie because it went straight to DVD instead of theaters. You’re saying that Netflix shows aren’t TV shows because the shows aren’t on networks, despite being the same quality as other premium network programs. “Dr. Horrible’s SIng Along Blog” aired on the CW, so that makes it more of a TV show than “House of Cards” because it aired on a network, right?
I watched all of the seasons of The Wire on HBO GO. I streamed it, The Wire just has that luxury of airing in the typical TV way. The only difference between HBO and Netflix is Netflix does a better job making their content available on most devices. Netflix original programming should be compared and held at the same standard as other TV shows. The only thing HBO has over Netflix is a channel number. Some TVs have built in ways to access Netflix. That’s not much different than a cable box.
What’s a “great looking production made by nobodies” that’s online that should be considered by the Emmys?
No – it’s very simple! A TV show is a show that is produced for television. A web series is produced for the web. Why do web series suck and TV shows rule? There are really terrible TV shows and really (REALLY) terrible web series. House of Cards is a really good web series. It wasn’t produced for TV. American Pie: Band Camp was made as a direct-to-video. I suppose calling that a movie is what we’re all used to doing – so maybe you have a point there because it’s really just piece of shit – not much of anything.
And, I don’t have an example of a really good webs series that should be nominated for an Emmy – because the Emmys are supposed to be television. Since when did the Emmys get domain over the internet. The internet should have their own awards. The Webbys don’t include TV shows. Why not? They show on the internet – streaming over the broadcast websites.
This article is absolutely asinine. House of Cards is a TV show. It doesn’t matter how it gets to your screen. The Emmys are embracing a new format.
This entire bunch of thoughts, opinions, ideas, etc. all add up to one major question (older than all the writers):
“Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” To quote Jill K.,”… it is all just a
piece of shit.” I found the writing to be pure boring bullshit with no literary worth whatsoever. Fads rarely are worthwhile or lasting.