While the TV industry across the world is trying hard to come up with innovations in their shows in terms of content and presentation, Indian prime-time serials still continue to stick to their age-old formulae and it is high time that these shows received a breath of fresh air. So, here is a list of things that Indian TV could learn from foreign shows to achieve some much needed change:
1) Shorter Length
Indian serials have a reputation of being on air for frustratingly long periods. There are serials that have more than thousand episodes telecast over several consecutive years. While this may not necessarily be a bad thing for reality/game shows, it certainly is an unattractive quality for scripted shows. It is even more annoying considering the fact that Indian serials tend to deal with redundant plot-lines and circumstances throughout their run which makes watching this shows a weary affair. Additionally, shows that are excessively long discourage binge-watching. An important reason why people are interested in finding and watching foreign series is their relatively shorter length. Following the seasonal format is one possible answer to this issue which would also help to instill a suspense-value to these shows.
2) Variety in Genres
It is a well-known fact that family-drama is the most prominent genre seen in Indian serials. Any variety in genre is mostly restricted to mythological shows and investigation thrillers with the occasional new kids’ show or comedy that wind up soon enough. There is a huge variety of genres suited for TV shows out there whose potential Indian directors have not yet started tapping. American shows have been particularly successful at coming up with diversity in their TV shows with each genre further divided into distinct categories based on the themes they deal with. At this point, any series which brings something original is more or less sure to garner a fair number of viewers
3) Engaging Plotlines
Though there are a lot of factors that make a show good, a decent plot is undoubtedly the backbone of a decent show. Indian serials do not always feature a proper plotline. Rather, most shows introduce the viewers to a set of characters who are positioned in predictable circumstances facing ordeals that are of a routine nature and these scenarios barely serve any purpose to the main story. It is time that Indian shows started featuring more structured plotlines with a definite beginning, compelling plotlines, and most importantly, a definite ending in sight. The constitution of the other elements of a show is futile in the absence of a great plot to drive them forward.
4) Characters with Depth
Matthew McConaughey delivered an exemplary performance as Rust Cohle in True Detective.
The characters featured in Indian serials are mostly just fall into stereotypes and more often than not, these characters lack depth of any sort. The significance of well-developed characters in making a show interesting must not be undermined by writers. Characters bring life to the story unfolding on screen and could sometimes be the main driving force of the show. Classics like The Wire and True Detective are prime examples for this as these shows told their entire plot through their characters and the way they grew. In fact, none of the character arcs from Indian serials made so far would be able to rival the depth of the journey Rust Cohle went through over merely eight episodes of True Detective’s first season. So it is important that writers come up with characters with interesting arcs for shows.
5) Better Performances from the Cast
Characters are only as good as the actors who play them. Casting an actor with poor talent will cripple the quality with which these characters were written. In most Indian serials, actors deliver performances that are subpar at best and the internet shows no hesitancy in criticising them straight. The casting team should ensure that they obtain actors who understand the characters they play well and can portray them with ease. To quote a recent example, The Path was one of those shows that rose to a better level thanks to its exceptional cast. A decent cast can seriously influence the overall quality of a show.
6) Boldness to Experiment
NBC’s Hannibal used a special visual style as a means of storytelling.
This is an important area where Indian serials have got to step their game up. Indian shows still stick to the rule of thumb of limiting their scope to mundane family dramas. Innovation could be brought about not just in content but also in presentation. American networks, again, have been doing a lot of experiments with their scripted series. Here again, the first season of True Detective has to be mentioned for how it transformed the overused concept of occult murder investigations into the spiritual journey of one man. To quote another example, shows produced by AMC are popular for their unique visual style and NBC’s Hannibal was nothing short of visual poetry. Novelty and experiments in approach can go a long way in making shows more entertaining to watch.
Tags: Foreign Shows Hollywood
