Outcasts - Coming Soon to BBC1

I'm guessing that's what the title applies to now, but as I pointed out before Outcasts was originally based on characters exiled from Earth. A concept that is far more interesting than another show about pioneering colonists in space IMO.

 

Currently bracing myself for the finale of Outcasts.

I predict it's gonna end in one of two ways... i) they'll tie everything up in a hurried and ultimately inconsistent way, or ii) it will be left open since they were expecting to be recommissioned.

 

I'm expecting the latter

I have forced my way through the show and seen some ideas very badly implemented and would at least like some closure however badly written than to be left hanging as is often the case.

 

Ten minutes to go. It's gonna be something of a come down after the quite excellent Wonders.

 

Brian Cox is awesome, Outcasts not so much.

 

So......which was it?

 

Cliffhanger. BBC confirmed today that there will be no series 2.

This is, most probably, the right thing to do... but there is a little voice in my head saying it deserved a second crack of the whip. After all, it did at least try hard; it did at least have some big ideas and try to communicate them in an unconventional way. This should be applauded, I think. Probably. The last episode was actually alright... the kind of slow paced thrill that you can only get to after weeks of even slower build. The climax was no about action, rather discussion. So it was unique in that respect.

I'd like to know what becomes of Julius, Cass, Fleur and Tate. I actually found myself caring about Cass and Fleur (that's been the case for a few episodes now). I saw a tweet that nicely summed it up: Great cast, great production values, some interesting ideas but ultimately poor/cliched writing will sink this. I hope the plan for series 2 is revealed, as there are about six billion plot strands hanging and I'd hate to not know what was supposed to happen next.

I hope the fallout doesn't centre around how much it cost, and how much the 'licence fee payer' has lost as a consequence causing the BBC to shy away from other expensive but risky projects like this. We do need them, and we do need them on primetime.

 

The BBC should not bow to ratings needs, they are not dependant on ratings like ITV & Channel 4 are for advertising revenues.

BBC get money regardless and should make shows for a minority audience hence why they have so many channels. But also, if the show costs them a lot of money to make and is not getting enough viewers for the slots in which they place it perhaps it isn't worth their time.

Big-budget drama shows are important though. The Deep & Outcasts were not as good as they might have been, but such shows should still be developed.

 

The BBC should not bow to ratings needs, and are not dependent on ratings and ad revenue like ITV and Channel 4... but for a journo it is the easiest thing in the world to write a story about how licence fee payers' money is going to waste on x, y or z. That sort of pressure is unjust, but very powerful.

 

Too long has the BBC let the media and politicians push it around and tell it how it should be doing things, it should simply get on with doing things the way the charter dictates and keep on making quality shows.

It is the need for "ratings" that killed great shows like Robot Wars & the Techno Games.

 

I've missed the last few episodes, and Orange are "upgrading" my broadband, so it's running at snail's pace and not allowing me to download anything, so I'm missing Clone Wars, Stargate Universe, Shameless and Benidorm as well as Outcasts.

 

BENIDORM!?!?!?!?!