TV airing delays from UK to US make for a baffling case
“Doctor Who” was a rare example of a British show which aired simultaneously in both the U.K. and the U.S. This was done in order to counteract piracy. Pictured above is Matt Smith, who plays the Doctor, in the TARDIS.
By Samantha Suchland
Jan. 24, 2012 12:24 a.m.
I will cover my ears while humming the Jack in the Box Jumbaco commercial if it means avoiding a spoiler. But even Jumbaco couldn’t save me from an ambush of Internet spoilers after BBC aired the season two finale of “Sherlock” in Britain last week.
It’s baffling that British broadcasters delay the airing of new seasons of shows that are already popular in America.
Aside from making the Internet an unsafe space for avoiding a twist ending that had bloggers in tears and critics demanding award nominations, it’s a cruel experiment in temptation.
The recent SOPA protests and federal take down of Megaupload add insult to injury.
Sherlock Holmes would tell his pal Dr. Watson that this conclusion is elementary ““ that is, if he were both real and concerned with fans of television shows being unfairly spoiled.
This delay has become a familiar issue for American fans of British television. Take the Golden Globe-winning period drama “Downton Abbey,” which is a huge boon for PBS. “Downton” ended its second season in the U.K. with the largest audience for a drama in a decade.
Americans went on to twiddle their thumbs for two months. Or in other cases, bang their heads against their desks repeatedly asking what they did to deserve this.
The increasingly global nature of entertainment and the cracking down on file-sharing makes me wonder if British broadcasters are enjoying torturing and tempting their American fans.
The issue is different from the illegal downloading of television shows that can easily be watched on TV or bought online.
For “Sherlock” fans outside of the U.K., there is absolutely no way to legally watch the show when it airs.
Season two hasn’t aired on American cable or subscription channels, and neither the U.S. iTunes store nor Amazon Instant carries a digital version. While BBC has a global iPlayer app for iPads and iPhones, the “global” description only refers to 11 countries, none of which is the United States.
After several hours looking for a way to buy the episodes, I was left trying to physically shove my debit card into my laptop’s CD drive while begging for the BBC to please take my money already.
While the delay can be chalked up to international licensing agreements between the BBC and PBS, the channel on which “Sherlock” airs in the U.S., that doesn’t placate those who have been tormented by the season one cliffhanger for more than a year now.
If “Sherlock” were a brand new show, this marketing strategy would make sense. Airing the first season in Britain would build buzz so that American audiences would look forward to the premier.
But now that an American fan base has been built, and left with that season one cliffhanger, the second season is unfairly floating just beyond their reach.
Sure, a delay means spreading high ratings throughout the year, but how reliable will those high ratings be if American fans refuse to wait?
The worst part is that BBC is already aware of the issue. The sixth season of “Doctor Who” aired in both the U.K. and the U.S. simultaneously. According to The New York Times, this decision was made by BBC Worldwide America because of a jump in file sharing even when the airings were only delayed by two weeks.
For all of my temper tantrums, television life has been cushy for me as an American. The U.K. has been dealing with this issue for much longer and on a grander scale. American shows like “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” are only now making it across the pond, despite their popularity in the states.
So are Americans facing some sort of digital karma?
Either way, karma didn’t take long to strike back with CBS’ recent announcement of an Americanized version of Sherlock Holmes titled “Elementary.”
Will “Elementary” affect the success of “Sherlock” in the U.S.? That’s a case for Sherlock Holmes. One of them. Or maybe they can team up. Either way we won’t have the answer for a long while.
Are you suffering withdrawals from a favorite foreign television show? Email Suchland at [email protected].
