A little over a week ago, I was able to sit down and watch the much anticipated series finale of Life With The Anthonys, the hit crime drama that is run simultaneously on truTV and HLN. With a turkey sandwich in hand, I sat down on the couch next to my roomate and watched with giddy anticipation as arguably the most vivid and fully realized drama of all time raced towards its epic conclusion…
What has separated The Anthonys from its predecessor shows like Law and Order and CSI is its commitment to focusing on a single criminal case and the family that surrounds it. The result has been the steady accumulation of a loyal and rabidly-devoted following, one that has redefined the television experience and has corporate executives rushing to find the next big hit. The slow-building structure of the show’s plot is compounded with the innovative strategy of outsourcing the footage itself to a multitude of networks outside of HLN and truTV. The show’s unique and truly groundbreaking contract with the networks allows them the right to choose how much of the crime drama they wish to broadcast, as long as the coverage is more retrospective in nature. This phenomenal business strategy is predicated on the simple belief that more publicity yields more viewers, and the show’s success will grow exponentially as a result. Continue reading
