Why do British Children's shorts only last for a season or so?

[calolines]

lately, I've been watching several shorts on Youtube of British imports that aired on Nickelodeon's "Pinwheel" when I was a young child.

I read on Wikipedia that most had about 13 or so episodes; and I'd like to know why?

Why did these amazing shows last such a short time?

Is there some BBC mandate of it or something?

 

[anaesthesiologist]

TVTropes actually has an article on the phenomenon:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BritishBrevity



Bagpuss, one of the series that was included in Pinwheel, was made y two men in a shed and so definitely falls into the "fairly small creative team" bag. The creators did make aqnumber of other series beforehand and afterwards, though.

 

[Ink addicted]

I guess King Rollo and Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings also falls into that category as well.....

 

[crazyforspace]

British society only exists for 6 weeks. After that, the entire country is reset and has to start over again.

Things are definitely changing, especially as now getting other countries to import has become a business model. More and more UK shows are aiming for something like 13 episodes a year compared to the past where you made a show to fill a UK TV slot and other countries wanting to buy was extra money in your pocket.

 

[FR33STYL3DUNK3R 37]

What about Dangermouse and Count Duckula and Bananaman?

 

[Tinymouse2]

Duckula I believe got the then standard syndication package of 65 episodes because it was an American co-production. Danger Mouse kept on going and going because it was really popular. If a British animated series lasted 6 to 13 episodes, it would generally because it was only intended to be one or two series, or because it was not successful enough to carry on.

 

[Caly]

Well I never knew that! I thought it was a full UK prodduction like Dangermouse. Where did you read that?

 

[Kyogre40]

It's mentioned here on this rather lovely CosgroveHall fansite:
http://www.nyanko.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/chamb/duckula.html
(Second paragraph in the "comments" section)

Even if that's inaccurate they were certainly keeping a strong eye on the American market, which can be gleemed in the show itself from American terminology and Duckula's transatlantic twang, so it would follow that they produced the necessary number of episodes then required for American syndication.