• Variety, Monday, June 15, 2009 9:30 AM

Miniseries and made-for-TV programs were a network staple in the 1970s and '80s -- now they are thriving on cable and public television. They are proving invaluable in building a cable network's brand.

Case in point: HBO's "Generation Kill," a gritty tale of Iraq War soldiers that debuted last year. It didn't need high ratings to reinforce HBO's reputation for boldness and quality, its budgetary might and its adult attitude. HBO scheduled the miniseries to run across seven weekly installments, regardless of the first-night Nielsen ratings.

An active cable market for miniseries and made-for-TV programs means that suppliers like the BBC can let the production scope be dictated by storytelling needs. "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency," this spring's BBC-HBO partnership, was originally optioned as a feature, but the source material "was several books, and it suited itself more to a series," says BBC executive vice president Jane Tranter. The story's the thing, she insists. "If you start with 'the deal,' you're absolutely stuffed. You have to start with the creative and work out from there, then find [partners[ who want to join you on that journey," she says.

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