In a world where there are so many types and forms of entertainment there are some that stand out.
I like watching funny movies and series (not the Friends kind but the Seinfeld kinds). It started long back in school days when I first saw series like Mind Your Language, Faulty Towers and Are You Being Served. I thought nothing could get better than this, then came Seinfeld and Two and a Half Men and I again felt nothing could get better that this. And again I was proved wrong by The Big Bang Theory, which I have watched it many times over again and again and again and still not bored.
I have worked in the advertising and communications industry for almost two decades and sometimes I feel that the thought put behind some of the writers to come up with such concepts is amazing. The new ‘Sherlock’ being one such example. After watching different version of Sherlock Holmes for ages the new series brings so much freshness. And when you start thinking it can’t get better that this, comes ‘Elementary’ where the twist is that Holmes’s legendary side-kick Dr. John Watson is now Dr. Joan Watson (played by Lucy Lui). Although Elementary may not be as popular as Sherlock but can’t help but say – What an idea, Sirji!
These, I feel are strategic creations because it is created keeping in mind the tastes of a few people who are fans of a genre or character. The creators are aware that there is a certain amount of fan following for the Sherlock Holmes character. But by creating another series set in the early 1900’s again may not cut ice with the fans and hence gave it a completely new imagery. There are lots of other examples like solving a crime got new a whole new dimension with the CSI series or FBI using data analysts to solve crime in Numbers. Oh! and I am still amazed that somebody could think of making a serial killer the hero in Dexter, who by the way is also a blood spatter analyst.
Long live the strategic creators, for me entertainment is still exciting because of them. Today I look forward to every new launch with the intention of seeing what new creation have they come up with. Currently, I have been watching the series ‘How to get away with Murder’, which has so many twists and turns in the plot that it will put any saas – bahu series to shame.