I wonder how true that is with so many "commercial skip" features on VCR's and Tivos now. I've noticed that less programmes fade to black before switching to commercial - presumably to defeat such features.

TiVo doesn't ad skip. And I've been told that the ad skipping algorithms are so fancy that they'll get them without even a fade to black.

Liese, your hair is awesome! It looks great.

And I'd just like to second the praise for Fury's OMWF documentary from the previous thread. It's exactly the kind of thing you want in a behind-the-scenes featurette, integrating the rehearsals and filming with the finished product. Great stuff.

so after blaming them for the cancellations I tried explaining.

Did you yell, "YOU ARE ALL THAT IS WRONG WITH AMERICA!"? (I did that when I discovered my friend loved WB Superstar USA.)

Thanks, Robin, and all for the info. Very interesting. And thanks for the sweet words, all you others, too. Very flattering.

I think the earlier ad breaks are probably sweeter for the sellers.

I suppose there's overall tune-out-age, so the sooner you can stick your ad in there, the better the odds it'll get to the consumer. Although for my viewing patterns, if I'm tuning out of a show midway through, I'm probably tuning into something else.

Like a renovation show. Where I get to see the end result. Huh, wonder if the type of show affects where advertisers prefer their breaks, too?

Product placement makes sense to me. I mean, if a character is using a computer, and it's a Mac, well, why not? If it were no name brand or made up brand, that would be jarring. Why wouldn't Buffy drink a Diet Pepsi or a Frappaccino? Why wouldn't Angel slap on some Hugo Boss cologne before a meeting with a hot client? Why wouldn't Lindsey play a Gretsch?

And all that blends in the background and so it's fine. What isn't fine is the "Hey now, that's a snazzy new Ford Focus you're driving, Bill! What's the freeway mileage?"

Yeah, I agree with you, Allyson. There's definitely a line to be drawn there, wherein lies annoyance. I used to also be irritated by constantly noticing that you couldn't tell what the product was. All the turned around cans. And in "reality" type shots, blurred shirts.

I had my Firefly jacket on at a family gathering and a cousin (by marraige) said, "oh, wasn't that canceled?" in a very condescending manner.

I must have seethed pure rage, because he quickly added, "Oh, it looked like a good show, though."

Semantically, isn't it after the previous show ends?

Well, the fifth season of Angel technically started at 9:01, for some reason.

I remember reading something at Vidiot.com a while back moaning about how the hourlongs were getting shorter and shorter... whole seconds being lost to commercials!

I definitely remember reading that, however incredulously. I think there were lots of "THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!!!'s" thrown in, too. Sure, I get that TV show lengths are decreasing, and I would prefer them not to shorten too much, but really, as long as the shows are quality (and not rushed), then I don't really care.

Also, great hair, Liese!

I always wonder how product placement deals work. Like with The Restaurant. Huge deal with Mitsubishi. The front end of the car, with the Mitsubishi logo, is in the opening credits. So the show's been yanked or possibly moved to one of NBC's other networks to finish its run. Do they have to refund some money to Mitsubishi?

Also, I can't believe how hard it was to spell Mitsubishi four times. I need sleep.

A good friend of our does props, and meeting with product placement people is part of the preproduction process. A GOOD prop person, designer, and director will not agree to product placement which is out of place.

ETA-- He works on fiction films, where the products need to be part of the landscape and not call attention to themsleves. In reality shows, you can be much more blatant about it.

Forgot to mention--Liese. Gorgeous haircut. Gorgeous you!