Not only has the cinematic world halted due to coronavirus but so as the production of TV series. It begs the question, what is the future of TV series under lockdown?
For many TV shows, they had to stop production due to social distancing measures put in place. This means some of our favourite shows won’t be on our screens for a while or if we are lucky enough, they are still on TV but just a reduced number of episodes.
Something different that is being produced is Isolation Stories, a four-part series due to be broadcast on ITV from 4 May. The concept of this series (created by award winning producer Jeff Pope) is 15 minute “mini-dramas” by four different actors including Sheridan Smith, Eddie Marsan, David Threlfall and Robert Glenister from the comfort of their own homes.
Now, you may question, is this legal with all the government restrictions put in place? Well yes, it is. This is the way forward for TV in terms of isolation as it is an “an attempt to create a drama series within those restrictions.”
However, even though this is something new being produced it still raises the question what is going to happen to our other favourite shows when they have finally run out of episodes to broadcast to us whilst in isolation.
One of the first resolutions is channels are making older episodes of programmes available to us. For instance, every Saturday night at the moment BBC One is broadcasting older episodes of Gavin and Stacey. This is a great idea for channels to do!
Not only can people reminisce of some of their favourites, but it allows youngsters such as us to watch shows people used to watch in the “old days”, and then maybe these shows (which are still on of course) will gain a younger and larger following!
With production not going ahead, it also questions how long can these shows really last? The most important aspect of a TV programme is they produce viewers from their content, in order to make money, maintain popularity and stay on air.
The longer we are in lockdown, the longer these shows can’t produce anything meaning they aren’t making any money. If they are not making any money, then they can’t pay their staff and therefore won’t be able to carry on. I’m sure this is a last resort for shows, but it is still a possibility. It is a danger we all fear, especially for all dedicated fans of shows.
Ultimately, the future of our favourite TV series is in jeopardy just like everything in our lives at the moment. However, producers are doing the best they can with what they have available to them, whether that is sharing some old classics with us to reminisce on or going in a different direction with concepts such as Isolation Stories. All in all, it leaves the question will this coronavirus really take TV away from us as well?
By Katie Green
Feature image: NPR