|
|
Post by snacky on Mar 15, 2014 5:09:16 GMT
Tonight I read an article about steampunk culture in the New York Times - no mention of MM. I followed the article links to various steampunk magazines and conventions - still no mention of MM. It seems like people in the US who are such dedicated fans of steampunk that they run all over the country for the chance to wear aviator goggles with a corset have never heard of MM. Once again, this is a shocking marketing fail on Ovation's part. The people who only discovered MM when it started airing in the US already wonder why no one told them about this show 7 seasons ago. Now they have to wonder why Ovation isn't even bringing it up with its natural built-in audience! For heaven's sake, Ovation - you could have had a mention in the New York Times, and the US would be on its way to building up its own fandom. Here's a calendar of some steampunk events in the US if you ever get around to communicating with potential mega-fans: steampunkeventcalendar.com/Ps. While I was perusing the calendar I found a poster that Yannick would get a kick out of. Could someone with a twitter account pass this on?  |
|
|
|
Post by wildhorseannie on Mar 30, 2014 22:43:40 GMT
Even though I'm personally not a member of the "steampunk" camp, I agree that the marketing of MM is disappointing here in the States. I only just discovered the series through Netflix and found myself addicted by the second episode. The plotlines are such a unique twist on the tired "cop show" stick, I feel like a lot more people would become fans if they were exposed. Actually, it reminds me a lot of the show "Monk" that used to air on the USA network. After that show ended, MM could have stepped up to fill the gap and snatch up those fans, but we're left out in the cold!
Interestingly though, I have a number of Canadian and "steampunk" friends, and none of them have mentioned MM either.
|
|
|
|
Post by snacky on Mar 31, 2014 0:12:15 GMT
Even though I'm personally not a member of the "steampunk" camp, I agree that the marketing of MM is disappointing here in the States. I only just discovered the series through Netflix and found myself addicted by the second episode. The plotlines are such a unique twist on the tired "cop show" stick, I feel like a lot more people would become fans if they were exposed. Actually, it reminds me a lot of the show "Monk" that used to air on the USA network. After that show ended, MM could have stepped up to fill the gap and snatch up those fans, but we're left out in the cold! Interestingly though, I have a number of Canadian and "steampunk" friends, and none of them have mentioned MM either. I think MM has several natural audiences. The "Steampunk" group can be more broadly described as the "Cult TV" group: these are the people who revel in quirky shows and feel like they are more interesting, intelligent people for appreciating them. Another group is the "Moms". I had to laugh when Yannick Bisson made his rueful remark on "Air Farce" about being big with "the Moms". He was probably talking about older women turning groupie over handsome young men. However, in a more important respect, MM is "Mom safe". This is where I see your "Monk" parallel, but I think it also harkens to an earlier era of Family Dramas - Disney movies, Little House on the Prairie, Dr. Quinn, Murder She Wrote, and even Star Trek. I just discovered a new term on Wikipedia: Cozy Mystery. A Cozy Mystery downplays sex and violence (and foul language). The puzzle-solving and character relationships engage the mind and heart. Since MM is set during the Belle Epoque, there is also the nostalgia for courtesy - an environment that makes the Moms feel safe and respected. Soft-hearted Dads and ministers might be grouped in this category with the Moms. Since MM is a Canadian import, it might also draw a bit of the Mystery Snob audience: those who primarily watch PBS and don't regard a show as intelligent (re: upper class) unless a few British accents are involved. These are the people who think Poirot is Shakespeare. History majors/grad students - period shows are a nice way of reinforcing some basic facts about an era, and the costumes appeal to that escapist/antiquarian streak that probably drove them into the Humanities in the first place. Last but not least, there are Shippers of all ages. Shippers usually discover a show through belonging to one of the above categories, but what keeps them coming back is the arc of their favorite romance. I was once working as a temp in a group of under-educated, strongly religious women. One day the co-worker who sat next to me started regaling me with plot recaps of Farscape. Never in a million years would I have pegged her as a science fiction fan! To this day I'd like to know what her entry point for watching that show was. But once she started to watch, she became enthralled by the romance between the lead characters. Never underestimate the power of a good ship. Even the people who hate shippiness should respect its power to grow a show's audience and keep it on the air. Also, shipping breeds fanfic, fanvids, fanzines, and other active fan involvement that becomes very "sticky" over time. Yannick Bisson mentioned that MM needed to draw a younger audience: this wasn't dismissing the loyalty of the Moms - I think it was appreciating that younger people are more avid users of social media and can be powerful evangelists for their favorite TV shows. (Also, you get bigger advertising bucks for attracting certain demographics). I'm not sure if MM can spin much younger than it already is, but I think they would need to emphasize the steampunk angle to do it. Kids like to play with light sabers Tesla death ray guns. I also think with the increasing autism diagnosis rate and an era that can more or less be described as the Apotheosis of the Computer Nerd, William Murdoch's struggles could still lure in some of that elusive "young male" demographic as well. Ovation needs to start thinking in these terms instead of weak tweets to their existing "Ovation audience", if that seriously exists. |
|
|
|
Post by mrsbrisby on Mar 31, 2014 16:31:12 GMT
Well, Snacky, I have disagreed with you in the past, but on this issue I agree with you and everyone else 100%.
|
|
|
|
Post by snacky on Mar 31, 2014 19:00:20 GMT
Another demographic might be US citizens with Canadian roots. When I first saw MM, I didn't immediately think of it as a series for me. Once I realized it was set in Canada, I immediately thought of it as something for my Mom. Her ancestors hail from Quebec, and she has been most interested in that aspect of the family genealogy (probably because French=Euro-classy). I ordered her all 6 seasons of MM available on Amazon for Christmas. She loved them: it's possible the best gift I've ever given her. She's in a rural area with limited television, and this gave her something to enjoy at home (and with friends) for months.
However, as I watched a few episodes, I really enjoyed it, too. Once I had a couple seasons under my belt, I was a hardcore fan. This also gave me something to talk about with my Mom, which brings us closer together. We live in extremely different worlds, and it's hard for us to find something in common.
I just wish MM was available on a mainstream channel in the US so we could talk about season 7. T_T
|
|
