Thoughts on Television

Some of the familiar television series will be finishing this year - Sex and the City; Friends; and probably some local Australian shows as well! Do Australian shows survive as long as off-shore imports? How many in recent history have lasted as many seasons as Survivor or Buffy or the aforementioned shows - leaving out current affairs or non-drama content. Gone are the halcyon days of Prisoner, although Neighbours and Home & Away are still gracing our small screens. But are daily soaps in the same league as weekly sit-coms or dramas? Will they continue on regardless, not dependent on a stable stable of characters. Are the writing and/or production values inferior?