by Ray Burke

Created on: November 18, 2010

Channel 4 and US TV programmes

What is it with Channel 4 and the ever-shifting schedules of its imported US drama and Sci-Fi TV programmes? Only this week, Smallville returned for its 9th and penultimate season. While this super series was previously broadcast on Saturdays or Sundays in first runs on T4, it has now been relegated to weekdays at 11am, as if anyone will be around to watch it then. Instead of months for the show to play out and be savoured, Smallville will be run out in breakneck speed within a month, like a cheap repeat. That’s no way to treat a popular first-run show. If it was half-term for kids or if it had been promoted it may have made sense, but no, nothing. Channel 4 has a history of treating US imports rather badly mostly in favour of low-cost (mostly British) reality shows.

 One of the first shows which disappeared from Channel 4 after years of being faithfully shown on the weekends was Stargate SG-1. Back in 2006 as its last season approached, the show was poached by satellite TV giant Sky. Having missed out on the original, its spin-offs, Stargate: Atlantis and Stargate: Universe also went to other channels. This would be a taste of things to come as loyal viewers were left high and dry if they did not have Sky TV.

 The next two programmes were Alias, staring Jennifer Garner as the super spy, and Angel, the Buffy spin-off. Channel 4 did not know when to schedule these two -tea time or primetime? They tried 4pm to 6pm slots, which didn’t work and lo and behold, these two shows sunk, only for both to be picked up by [Channel] Five, which promptly shoved them into late night slots. After season two, Alias disappeared to a cable channel and Five never got to the last season of Angel. Were the ratings poor because Channel 4 placed them in dismal time slots or were they in those scheduling dead-spots because Channel 4 didn’t know what to do with them? If Channel 4 cannot back shows then why procure them in the first place? It is a disingenuous policy to have shows, but not to advertise or back them adequately and then dump them.

 The biggest loss to Channel 4 was Lost. The battle for Lost was won by Sky after two seasons on the terrestrial channel. Money had won out and fans were left fuming, again, having to switch their loyalties from one channel to another. Luckily, the DVD market has made such channel transitions easier to avoid. That was a big-time hit to Channel 4, but things are still wobbly on the

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