9 Huge TV Industry Ramifications Of Ripper Street's Amazon Instant Video Resurrection

By Natalie Stendall /

4. The End of Cult Classics

The resurrection of popular shows has its fair share of potential problems, not least a concern that fan favourites will be bled dry. Did Ricky Gervais get it right with The Office and Extras when he decided to leave audiences wanting more? Arrested Development€™s resurrection had mixed reviews and was even seen by one critic at the Wall Street Journal as a €œshaky imitation of itself€. With audiences divided, it still looks likely that Arrested Development will return for a fifth season and possibly even a feature film, but will its legacy be damaged as a result? While Family Guy and Doctor Who€™s resurrection have been a bone-fide success, Futurama€™s resurrection on Comedy Central led to falling viewing figures and a cancellation after two original seasons. Futurama is not alone in its short-lived resurrection, Primeval and Jericho also met with a similar fate. Will the revival of axed programmes see us milking even more future classics to death? And will fan demands and enticing offers from on-demand services combine to create too much temptation for show creators who should know when it€™s time to quit?