Tamra gets shortened to 16 episodes
by javabeans
Geez, what is MBC’s deal? First they butchered Strike Love’s ending — which already had a more fleshed-out ending filmed — and now they’re cutting their low-rated but well-received weekend drama Tamra the Island.
According to Group Eight, the drama’s production company, “We received the report from MBC that the broadcast will end with the 16th episode. As we prepared for 20 episodes, this is disappointing.”
Fan response is largely opposed to MBC’s move, saying that even if extensions are out of the question, to curtail a 20-episode drama to 16 episodes is absurd; furthermore, the drama’s own development will be impeded. Many statements opposing the decision are being posted on MBC’s drama homepage, and as of the source article’s printing on September 1, it had received 1,700 responses in protest. A further 1,179 were posted on another site, Agora.
Tamra has been lauded as a “premium drama” and called a fresh trendy sageuk, despite the ratings that have lingered around the 5% mark. That’s low, to be sure, but as I understand it, most of the drama had been filmed in advance. That means that a shortening of the drama’s run will require a lot of rushed editing. One broadcast station source expressed dismay that high-quality dramas have been unable to grab ratings numbers, and said, “If the broadcast stations cling too much to ratings numbers, they will cause adverse effects on the development of dramas.”
Via Asia Economy
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Tags: Im Joo-hwan, Seo Woo, Tamra the Island
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1 more
September 1, 2009 at 2:42 PM
im not sad this looks so cheesy
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2 Madita
September 1, 2009 at 2:44 PM
Thats really sad and annoying news.
I love this drama. They should concider us international net viewers,too.
I hope the protests will help MBC to change their mind.
Its a light drama, nice to watch after a hard day...:)
Its like a live comic...thats what I enjoy the most at TAMNA
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3 ivmarz
September 1, 2009 at 2:48 PM
ahh im sad it was the only drama i am currently watching
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4 BubbleTea
September 1, 2009 at 2:50 PM
WHAT?! i havent had time to watch past ep 6 but i really enjoy it....seriously if they screw it up like they screwed up Strike Love im gonna be so ANGRY!
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5 linz
September 1, 2009 at 2:51 PM
@more, you keep dissing stuff you haven't seen. maybe you should actually watch something before calling it bad.
It's a cut e drama. Screw MBC!!
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6 Shay
September 1, 2009 at 3:15 PM
@more, stop mindlessly criticizing things as if you know everything about them.
I really like this drama, it's wayy better than the dramas that have been receiving a lot more attention (especially Style, omg).
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7 belleza
September 1, 2009 at 3:20 PM
Tamra's the kind of show that should have been made into a dinner time sitcom, or optioned to a cable station like OCN. The ratings for the show are really about right, given that this is an experimental drama with an inherently limited household market. If KBS ran this show, they would probably stick it out to the end.
Plus, this will cause complications for the next drama -- Eugene's Creating Destiny. Now you've forced their shooting schedule to bump up 2 weeks, meaning they have only a month before they start airing. Should have made this announcement much earlier.
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8 langdon813
September 1, 2009 at 3:23 PM
This sucks! Tamra is one of the cutest, most entertaining dramas I've ever seen, I've thoroughly enjoyed it. JB, do you think this decision is etched in stone or might the viewer protests have any effect? I'll continue watching no matter what, but it is really a shame that the story won't be told the way it was meant to be.
@1 more
You should give it a shot, I think you'd be pleasantly surprised! Like JB said in her first recap, the first 15 minutes of Episode 1 are definitely cheesy, but from there on out, it's a lot of fun!
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9 hjkomo
September 1, 2009 at 3:25 PM
젠장!!!!
This is SERIOUSLY DISAPPOINTING!!!
Imagine if Return of Iljimae had been cut short...or what if Chuno's numbers aren't high enough when it airs.
*#%!@^)O#@!!!!
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10 Meix2
September 1, 2009 at 3:26 PM
@Madita
I absolutely agree with you... well, I can't say I love it but it's light and fluffy and absolutely perfect after a long week. It's no-brainer TV!
On MBC's decision to cut short Strike Love, I was just getting into it when the reviews/comments on the ending stated to appear... which pretty much killed my interest in finishing the drama. I have no problems with shortening dramas as long as they could wrap it up with a fitting ending. Same goes for extending a drama, no problem with that as long as it adds to the story that is being told and not just filler scenes. I was watching a very popular Taiwanese Drama a while back which was originally scheduled for 12 episodes, it was so well received that the network extended it to 24 (!). It a complete shame because it was such a neat interesting, tight storyline in the first 10 or so and then it just became ridiculous with so many contrived arcs obviously written simply to extend it...
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11 Javabeans
September 1, 2009 at 3:27 PM
@belleza, Tamra is actually a dinner-time sitcom (er, drama), in that it airs at the earlier prime-time hours on the weekends (not the 10pm hour). I agree with you that the ratings aren't surprising -- it's a quirky, different drama with a mania fanbase.
@langdong813, I'm not sure how "definite" the decision is. Broadcast stations have been known to change their minds before, but I don't think MBC has much incentive to give Tamra more time. They didn't even give Strike Love more time when that drama started raising its ratings and broke 10% near the end. :(
@hjkomo, If they'd cut Return of Iljimae I would've had a fit. But I don't think MBC would have dared piss off PD Hwang In-roi (not if they wanted to work with him ever again!).
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12 nixxochick
September 1, 2009 at 3:28 PM
oh wow that really sucks..i really like this drama. its is super cute and entertaining.
MBC really gets on my nerves
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13 sippycup
September 1, 2009 at 3:29 PM
This is disapointing. I was actually enjoying this drama :(
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14 meeee
September 1, 2009 at 3:39 PM
oh noooo.... i'm enjoying this drama.
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15 belleza
September 1, 2009 at 3:40 PM
@hjkomo,
I wouldn't be surprised if Chuno doesn't get double-digit ratings, esp. if it's more experimental like Conspiracy in the Court or Shin Don. The show will probably compete with Lee Jung Ki's Hero and the idol drama with Jang Geun Seuk/Park Shin Hye.
But KBS will commit to a full run. Thinking it over, it's really obvious that Studio 8 should have given the show to KBS.
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16 Kat
September 1, 2009 at 3:41 PM
I am so bummed out. I hope they change their minds.
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17 random
September 1, 2009 at 3:49 PM
this is why I hate MBC.
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18 Ora
September 1, 2009 at 3:55 PM
ура!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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19 loveydovey
September 1, 2009 at 3:59 PM
sorry to say this but good. it is a light and cute drama but it's not that great to me as i can't seem to get hooked into it. the quirkiness is great but maybe it's the story that's not very interesting. and i actually TRIED so hard to get into it because of the positive comments from people, but i still can't get past the first part of episode 2. strike love seemed to me like it had a better storyline so i don't know about that one but this one is eh. next. wonder what's after it?
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20 random
September 1, 2009 at 4:01 PM
@hjkomo
hush! hush! don't say such things! if it's any consolation for Chuno, I read in another board that PD Kwak said it will be catered to a broader audience than say-- Conspiracy in the Court. The writer also gave the biggest romantic-comedy of 2009 (that Kim Ha Neul- Kang Ji Hwan movie), so let's hope they have that going for them. If not... :-( nooo.
@belleza
I think Iris will go against Jun Ki drama and You Are Beautiful. Chuno is set for a winter airing. unless, IRIS gods change their minds again and push Chuno forward.
:-( Tamra was fun. Just a little acquired taste. heh despite its toilet humor.
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21 loveydovey
September 1, 2009 at 4:09 PM
that's a really good word for it @random! it really is an acquired taste. but then again what isn't huh?
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22 Masaya
September 1, 2009 at 4:25 PM
This is very frustrating. I want the drama to end appropriately as it was planned. I really enjoy it the most out of the dramas I'm watching currently.
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23 Elena
September 1, 2009 at 4:41 PM
I love Tamra - I love everything about it. Maybe the extra 4 hours would be stretching the story too much...
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24 amy
September 1, 2009 at 4:58 PM
This news is breaking my heart.. seriously. There are many people who are losing sleep over this. That is how much people love this drama. It's got beautiful scenery, quirky lines and great actors who have completely become their characters. The directing is just wonderful. I doubt the next schedule drama will get better rating than this drama so why cut this short? I can't believe they're doing this.
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25 all4movies
September 1, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Aw shucks, that's too bad for Tamra, just as the story is developing and getting better, the axe falls. I guess it's a little too different from the usual korean drama.
I think international viewers have more diverse viewing habits.
I, for one, will be with Tamra until the end because it provides a refreshing break from everything else I am currently watching.
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