Execs seldom focus on the same things we do...

From: chance <chance_at_unix.infoserve.net>
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 1996 08:18:34 -0800

>>>Yeah, that I can understand (Although that I think that they should do a
>>little bit deviation by focusing on Feral or some other characters instead
>>of focusing just on the SwatKats.), but why is that Feral wasn't in "Cry
>>Turmoil"? It's a real pain to see someone was cut from an episode.
>>
>>Hmmmm . . . are you talking about Callie? <Meaningful grin and a wink>
>
>Er, yes and no. I really hate it if one of the character was cut from an episode. But really, I do think >that she get a good character placement in "Cry Turmoil".

Part of the reason that the supporting cast wasn't developed is likely that a
"kiddie" ac/adv effort has to remain focussed on those elements that will
hit the toy shelves before Christmas. If you take TMNT for example, the
first miniseries kept the camera tight on the four turtle-dudes, April, and
Shredder..which were indeed the only toys you could purchase that first season
(as I recall). Followup seasons of the 'Kitties would've seen both an expanded
toy line (according to Remco), some new bad guys, and some stories that
would've shared the spotlight with the other castmembers interspersed with
the giant monster battles we all know and love.

I also think Turner vastly underestimated the average intelligence of viewers
in general, but Kats viewers specifically. Most of the people on this list that I've
spoken to over the course of a year or so are smarter than the average bear, liked
the Katseps completed to date, but saw that more "mature" storylines were possible
within the context of Kat-dom without shaking off the "other" audience. Look
at the fanfic for example. The execs had been with other shows in kiddieville and
learned their stuff during the mid-80's or earlier when things were a bit different.
Everyone in 1991-93 was trying to come up with the next "Ninja Turtles" without
realizing that it's unlikely a single property will ever again capture that kind of
audience share now that the structure of things is so different from when the TMNT
hit air in 1987. Problem was, Tedco expected TMNT-style licensing returns
without venturing into TMNT-style licensing, and wasn't willing to give the program
the support it needed to return the investment (something 'Garfield's Mark Evanier
calls "deficit-financed").

Anyway, whenever you ask yourself a question that begins "why didn't they..."
in terms of more adult storylines and such, remember that the creative crew
were probably thinking along those lines, while the execs were thinking "it won't
sell in toy stores". (I dunno, *I'd* certainly have purchased a "Feral" ac-fig...but
then again I'm not a 9yr. old MMPR fan)
_____________________________________________________
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 antitoxin six hundred miles over rough ice, across treacherous waters,
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Received on Sun Mar 17 1996 - 11:26:49 PST