Talking Pictures TV thread

[simpfeld]

The book talks about how Thames got a very expensive deal for Dallas that included the series "Highway to Heaven", which they didn't desperately want but was included (and wasn't exactly considered "must see" TV). When the other ITV companies objected to gazumping the BBC, worried that they would now be subject to the BBC outbidding them for US shows they had, Thames had to sell Dallas back to the BBC. They had to sell it back to the BBC for the original price, as I remember from the book. Thames lost significant money on every episode.

Or viewed another way, they just paid a fortune for "Highway to Heaven"!

Also detailed are the people at Thames who were then fired for trying to do this.

Interesting stuff.