Serial killer II: When research will trump rating
Television in Pakistan has emerged to the fore as a popular medium for entertainment. Among the ongoing socio-political cauldron in the country, it is increasingly being utilised as a form of escapism. According to Taqi Shaheen, senior producer at Express Media Group, “Western countries can afford to show graphic and violent content on TV, such as that in Breaking Bad and True Detective, as they are not marred by the problems we have.”
Some may argue that the reason why TV series have been limited in Pakistan is because of the limited intellectual capacity of an average audience. But television actor Adnan Siddiqui argues that audiences today have become mature in their choice of content.
Citing Indian shows, such as Kaun Banega Crorepati and Satyamev Jayate, he says, “These shows are followed by Pakistani audiences but whenever we try something similar, they show no interest at all.” He adds, “Look at the show Fakhr-e-Alam and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy did to highlight social issues (Aghaz-e-Safar). Unfortunately, it did not pick up but game shows continue to be raving successes.”
Veteran actor Samina Ahmed shares similar views regarding the intellect of local audiences. “It would be unwise to underestimate the audiences, as it is up to the creators to make their shows interesting,” she comments. “If the show is unable to garner the audience’s interest, then it is the show that is not up to the mark.”
A major reason behind the lack of TV series in the country is the high cost of production that it would involve, as opposed to that of a TV serial. This is why channel executives are unwilling to place their faith in shows of this nature. Actor-producer Azfar Ali says, “It is not feasible for a producer to make an engaging TV series in almost half the price and time. For channel executives, the return on investment for a series is less as compared to that for a TV serial.”
If the TV series format ever picks up, the television industry would have to undergo a host of changes, according to industry notables. First, the writing styles would have to be revamped, as television today has trained drama writers who seem to be following the same format, which has inadvertently resulted in monotony of content, according to Azfar and screenwriter-actor Vasay Chaudhry.
Azfar points out that a series needs to have multiple ideas encapsulated in one episode, so that it can engage the audiences for at least a season. Samina, who has been a part of popular sitcoms Family Front and Azar ki Ayegi Baraat, believes that “writers need to focus on stock characters and ensure they develop over time, so that the audiences connect with the series and its characters.”
Many people argue that a major reason why the format is not implemented in Pakistan is the Fixed Point Chart (FPC), which has a schedule for Pakistan television outlined. Azfar sees Pakistan breaking out of that mould in the coming years, “The current generation doesn’t understand the primetime culture. By the time they grow up and take over, they will change it.”
Taqi feels that it would be unfair to blame the FPC for this, as the primetime slot will remain the same, with shows that rivet the audiences the most taking up those spots. He gives the example of the Indian show Comedy Nights with Kapil, which has a primetime slot due to its popularity.
Despite this, he is hopeful that TV will benefit from the growth of Pakistani cinema. “TV shows, such as Game of Thrones, are part of the spillover effect of cinema in the West. Due to more and more commercial films being made, producers have gotten the chance to explore television. Hopefully, this will be the case in Pakistan as well,” he states.
Disclaimer:
Serial killer is a two-part series of stories in which actors, writers, producers and channel executives comment on the dearth of TV series in the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2014.