as opposed the the what's-behind-this-door-iness of the ending

Although, damn, for that kind of ending, once the lights go out and you go to the night-vision POV shot - hella effective. People were shrieking and gasping in the audience.

Also, I'm unsure what I'd do different with the promos, I think they're pretty spot on, actually.

I do too. I don't think the promos make it look like a second-rate anything. I think they give people a good general idea of what the show is. Very Seven-SotL-insert other creepy horror/thriller movie title here.

I mean, does it show all the various cool aspects of the show? Of course not. It's a 30 second spot. (And last night's seemed shorter. Maybe it was a :15.) It's a teaser promotional campaign designed to get a broad audience tuning in.

It's really hard to market "intense and rich" to a broad audience in :30.

Actually, isn't that Kristen's job?

No, I think you took that title from me somewhere around 2003.

It's really hard to market "intense and rich" to a broad audience in :30.

I never said it wasn't. Promos, in general, suck.

There is definitely a shorter one (the :15?) running around. I got very little feel for the show when I saw that one, but found the longer one a little more helpful. Still, I agree that it is very difficult to come up with a good promo, especially for more complex or nuanced shows.

I never said it wasn't. Promos, in general, suck.

What would your suggestion be? What would make you go, "Holy ass, I must watch this show."?

Depends on the sort of show. If it's a show that works with characterisation and buildup ... I'd just go for the pretty, and a bit of danger. And by pretty I don't so much mean people as I do cinematography.

Humour, action, and SFX are much easier to showcase.

I saw the promo, but -- and I doubt I'm the only one to whom this applies -- I'm so used to flipping the channel or doing something else as soon as a show goes to commercial that even when I do stick around the ads rarely penetrate the fog. The Inside promo was half over before I realized it was something I wanted to see. Unless the ads pummel me into submission by being shown every friggin' break (like House during the World Series) or have something that grabs my attention (like Katherine Heigl disrobing in every Grey's Anatomy spot, which of course means I miss everything else in the ad) I tend not to notice them.

What would your suggestion be? What would make you go, "Holy ass, I must watch this show."?

I've always liked the "profile the characters" gambit. Not necessarily all the characters in one go, but one ad skectching one character (maybe with a little key dialog), the next sketching another, and so on.

I don't know if that would work for the mass audience, though. Plus, I may just want Adam and Katie to get some showcase ads.

Well, really -- the teasers just tease. I bet there are promos coming up that will have more info.

I think that the only reason I've been catching them is that I tape 24 and look for them when I am ffing through the ads.

I'm glad they're promoting it regularly, but i sure wish they'd just GIVE US A DATE.