Thursday, October 30, 2014

Addiction

Isn't it crazy to think that our addiction to television is another persons income?

Think about it... on average people watch 3 hours of TV a day and the people on the screen are all just actors & actresses playing a role that entertains us.

Create the right show, one that audiences can't get enough of, and it can easily create millions of dollars. That should be news to anyone though. Obviously, if a TV series doesn't do well, it gets taken off the air. But think about how us as a society have the ability to make or break someones career. I haven't watched Orange is the New Black but according to a lot of people I have talked to, and the things I've seen in magazines, its a hit. We did that. We made it a hit. It was added on Netflix and someone took a chance on this new series, raved to all of their friends about it, those people loved it and told all of their friends, and then BAM everyone is watching it. Word of mouth is by far the best advertisement.

Now lets think about the TV shows that continue to do well... Grey's Anatomy, they are now on their 11th season and they have done so well because we can't get enough. Its been announced that Patrick Dempsey, one of the main characters, makes $350,000 per episode. NCIS is on their 12th season and the main character, Mark Harmon (Gibbs) brings in $525,000 per episode. Law & Order Special Victims Unit is on their 16th season and Olivia Benson, played by Mariska Hargitay makes $500,000 per episode.




PER EPISODE!!

Mind blown yet? Us as a society can't get enough of this stuff. We form an addiction to a show, or television in general which makes it so that actors are able to make the kind of money they do. They know fans will cause some sort of riot over a well liked TV show ending suddenly and as a production company they know if they don't continue to make this show, someone else will, so they pay up. Its pure brilliance but its also in a way kind of sad. We get so attached to certain shows and because of it, we put money in someone else's pocket.

3 comments:

  1. That's how addiction works. The creators of the substance get the money and a lot of it. We can be addicted to good things as easily as bad. I am addicted to news, hearing my daughter sing, people telling me how wonderful I am, and my religion. Some of those are better than others morally, yet everyone has their own opinion as to which is which.

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  2. I've never thought of it that way. That makes me wonder how much money the actors/actresses from shows that aren't still making episodes, but are still frequently watched, are making. Like I know in class we both admitted to watching every season of One Tree Hill at least 3 times. Is Chad Michael Murray still profiting from our addiction even though the show has stopped making new episodes? It still has such a large fan base and so many people watching it every day. And what about Gossip Girl? These are just 2 that I know have such large fan bases but have stopped making episodes. Are they still profiting from our addictions even though the source of the addiction has stopped producing? That is weird to think about.

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  3. I think it's the producers that still make money from it and not the actors (although I am not entirely sure). But I had to think of the music business, where the artist and the music label make money from selling CD's long after it has been first published. But I think in the case of tv shows, the actors are not the ones that created the show, that's why they don't benefit once it's over.
    I agree that actors make ridiculous amounts of money PER episode. I belive Ashton Kutcher gets 1 million per episode of Two and A Half Men. And let's face it, I don't think it's such a difficult or challenging role to play.. I don't understand how they justify paying him that much.
    Or did you hear about the Big Bang Theory actors that demanded more money, threatening to leave the show otherwise ? I think that is pure blackmailing, they knew the producers would have to pay more if they don't want to cancel the show.
    But I guess that's just how the tv business works.. I really don't wanna compare their work and the money they make to other people's ACTUAL hard work and the small money they make compared to that, it just makes me kind of angry..

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