to 20 min? I was watching "The New adventures of Old Christine" tonight at 9:30pm on CBS and I swear there was a commercial every 5 min. The total length for the episode was 20 min, kind of like a cable episode-lol. So I'm wondering have Sitcoms been reduced from 25 min to 20 min or is this just something CBS does?


BTW: N@N eps are 1 minute longer-lol

I've timed several sitcom episodes this season and come up to around 21 minutes... hour-long shows are 42-43 minutes, so it's not just CBS.

I've timed several sitcom episodes this season and come up to around 21 minutes... hour-long shows are 42-43 minutes, so it's not just CBS.


Damm, Times are really changing. 30 Years ago during the first commercial break. the show came back on after 2 commercials now in 2006 it's back on after 7 commercials-lol

The nets are trying to make it shorter and shorter every year. It's gone from 23-24 mins in the late 80s to 21 now. Some are even edging that down in the 20-21 minute range.

But then again, given the quality of most of the sitcoms on the air on the networks right now, the less, the better, IMO.

The nets are trying to make it shorter and shorter every year. It's gone from 23-24 mins in the late 80s to 21 now. Some are even edging that down in the 20-21 minute range.

But then again, given the quality of most of the sitcoms on the air on the networks right now, the less, the better, IMO.



So that means in the future these shows will be 15 min in syndication-lol

But then again, given the quality of most of the sitcoms on the air on the networks right now, the less, the better, IMO.

:brent

It begs the question though, how short will they go?

in the 60s and 70s, a 30 minute show was on for 25 to 26 minutes.

When TV LAND showed that special from 1963 about 3 years ago "A TOUR OF THE WHITE HOUSE WITH MRS. JACKULINNE (or however you spell that:lol: KENNEDY" they broke for commercials every 5 MINUTES!!!!!

to 20 min? I was watching "The New adventures of Old Christine" tonight at 9:30pm on CBS and I swear there was a commercial every 5 min. The total length for the episode was 20 min, kind of like a cable episode-lol. So I'm wondering have Sitcoms been reduced from 25 min to 20 min or is this just something CBS does?


BTW: N@N eps are 1 minute longer-lolunfortunately, Solomon, no it's not just a CBS thing. Since commercials help pay for the shows, the networks will be showing more and more of them in the future. Sadly, that's TV in the 21st century. That's also why they split the screen during the closing credits.

I've always said, one day you'll turn on the TV and they'll just be showing one commercial after another.

unfortunately, Solomon, no it's not just a CBS thing. Since commercials help pay for the shows, the networks will be showing more and more of them in the future. Sadly, that's TV in the 21st century. That's also why they split the screen during the closing credits.

I've always said, one day you'll turn on the TV and they'll just be showing one commercial after another.


It was funny because after the first commercial break, there was another in 4 minutes and let's just say the tag scene was 4 min-lol

CBS does hack it's shows down, Every once and a while they cut the King Of Queen's theme song short, I dont like that...

CBS does hack it's shows down, Every once and a while they cut the King Of Queen's theme song short, I dont like that...

I also always remember CBS having a different way of airing it's commercials compared to the standard sitcoms. They would air after the opening tag, at 10 or 11 minutes, 20 or 21, then at the end as well. ABC's sitcoms (Roseanne in particular, because I remember this one), were at right after the opening tag, 15 minutes, then at the close. They were longer breaks, of course.

How long will they go? They keep trying to shave seconds off... but there's only so far you can go with that until it turns into minutes. It's like when you boil the frog alive in the pot by slowly heating the water... will there be a threshold past which people will say "Okay, enough," or will they just not notice?

It begs the question though, how short will they go?

I'm sure if they could get According To Jim down to 45 seconds, it might actually be funny. Let's aim for that.

CBS does hack it's shows down, Every once and a while they cut the King Of Queen's theme song short, I dont like that...


I hate when they do that! :mad: It's one of my favorite openings.

in the 60s and 70s, a 30 minute show was on for 25 to 26 minutes.

When TV LAND showed that special from 1963 about 3 years ago "A TOUR OF THE WHITE HOUSE WITH MRS. JACKULINNE (or however you spell that:lol: KENNEDY" they broke for commercials every 5 MINUTES!!!!!
Exactly. Which is why it infuriates me to see shows from that era that I would watch, be cut so drastically. I still don't get how a show was able to play that long THEN, can't be shown like that NOW. I mean, if there was time THEN to show commercials, there is still time NOW to show them. I remember watching Happy Days and there were little breaks for commercials. Ahhhh, those were the days. I wish you guys could have known what that was like.

Exactly. Which is why it infuriates me to see shows from that era that I would watch, be cut so drastically. I still don't get how a show was able to play that long THEN, can't be shown like that NOW. I mean, if there was time THEN to show commercials, there is still time NOW to show them. I remember watching Happy Days and there were little breaks for commercials. Ahhhh, those were the days. I wish you guys could have known what that was like.
oh, I can remember well what that was like! like you said, those were the days!

I can remember when shows had just one commercial break, 15 minutes into the show, withonly 2 commercials!

I heard once that the show "CEASERS HOUR", in the 5os, only had 1 30-second commercial break for the entire show. AND THE SHOW WAS 90 MINUTES!!!!

oh, I can remember well what that was like! like you said, those were the days!

I can remember when shows had just one commercial break, 15 minutes into the show, withonly 2 commercials!

I heard once that the show "CEASERS HOUR", in the 5os, only had 1 30-second commercial break for the entire show. AND THE SHOW WAS 90 MINUTES!!!!


From the Original Airings I received from the mid 70's, there were only 2 commercials after the closing credits. After the first commercial break it was only 2 commercials

Alot of the older shows (Roseanne) only have one commercial break in the middle, (if you dont count the one after the opening, and the one before the ending credits), but newer shows (like South Park) have two commercials in the middle. I hate this. Networks want good ratings, but they dont give us quality.

DAMN, SKIPPY!!!

THEY ALWAYS COMPLAIN AND BITCH ABOUT WHY THEY'RE NOT GETTING WHAT THEY WANT. WELL IT'S B/C OF THE STUPID ASININE THINGS THAT THESE PEOPLE THAT'S RUNNING THSE STATIONS ARE DOING!!!

I'm sure if they could get According To Jim down to 45 seconds, it might actually be funny. Let's aim for that.

:rotflmao:

:rotflmao:


Well NBC was no different Tonight after recording the new comedy-"TEACHERS". The total length for the episode was 20:30. lol

Well NBC was no different Tonight after recording the new comedy-"TEACHERS". The total length for the episode was 20:30. lol

And a pretty laughless 20:30 at that.

And a pretty laughless 20:30 at that.


No I disagree, I defintely laughed during the 20:30

The US gov't should regulate how many commercials air and maybe the amount of crap a show carries.

And a pretty laughless 20:30 at that.

Yeah... the original pilot was better.

and that's not saying much.

The US gov't should regulate how many commercials air and maybe the amount of crap a show carries.

:lol:

No I disagree, I defintely laughed during the 20:30
well, as my Dads college proffesor used to say "Well, great minds differ"!:lol:

You don't see to many producers complaining either, they probably think they may get fired. I know David. E. Kelley complained to ABC about the runtimes of Boston Legal compared to his 90's shows.

I watch George Lopez yesterday it came back from commercials for only three Mintues then it went to commercials again

Does it really surprise you Solomon? Before long shows will be 10 minutes long :rolleyes:

Does it really surprise you Solomon? Before long shows will be 10 minutes long :rolleyes:

Actually it does because I was under the impression that sitcoms in primetime were longer than the eps shown on N@N-lol Makes no sesne that a episode on cable is longer than a episode on Network TV

Actually it does because I was under the impression that sitcoms in primetime were longer than the eps shown on N@N-lol Makes no sesne that a episode on cable is longer than a episode on Network TV

Cable nets that airing repeats don't have to pay extremely high liscensing fees for programs, either. They just pay for the rights which, for some series, is not that expensive at all. I imagine N@N has made back its money several times over for many of the series its airing. Meanwhile most sitcoms on the air today cost $1 million for 1/2 hour and none draw great ratings.

Cable nets that airing repeats don't have to pay extremely high liscensing fees for programs, either. They just pay for the rights which, for some series, is not that expensive at all. I imagine N@N has made back its money several times over for many of the series its airing. Meanwhile most sitcoms on the air today cost $1 million for 1/2 hour and none draw great ratings.

Well they should not pay the actors, writers, producer so much. I don't imagine the technology to produce a show costs so much now, just damn stars!

Yes the ads are at least 3-4 min each. Then there is 3-4 breaks in each half hour. I tape many shows for I can fast forward. If I seen a show live, I can do my housework during the breaks. Probably if I tried I could make and bake a cake. Without a taping device, it can be murder to see so many ads. I like tv in the old days. No split screens, voiceovers and the shows were better.