Media Guardian: Has Dr Who got too complicated?
In the panic of dumbed down, low-brow, mass-culture media, an interesting phenomenon in recent times is that of dense, convoluted plotlines. Think Torchwood. Think Heroes, 24, Flash Forward and Lost. Why?
A simple answer could be that these kind of shows reward loyal audiences. The prize you get for turning up every week is a sense of self-satisfaction, that you are 'in' on the story and that you 'get it'. Loyal fans are good business for advertisers too - although this isn't the case for BBC broadcasts. Or is this part of a bigger cultural shift? That we have become adept at processing bite-sized chunks of multiple narratives, that we no longer want the over-arching 'grand narrative' as Lyotard states - the simple love story, the simple 'hero saves the day.'
Either way, complex stories seem to do the programme producers no harm. Doctor Who is currently the 6th most watched programme on BBC, beaten only by Eastenders and Strictly, and Torchwood claimed nearly 20% of the 9pm viewers. (Metro article)
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