American TV series - Why have a break mid season?

peterattheboro · 5 Jan 2009 at 19:52

Just looking at when the next episode of Prison Break and Terminator are on.

Aparrently episode 14 of Terminator is on in February (Pointless 2 month is break?) and Prison Break is back in Spring, could be season 5 or the second half of season 4, I have no idea?

Anyway, my question is... Why do these types of shows have a season set out over say, 6 month but have a 6 month break in the middle of it. What utterly pointless, irritating crap that is! Why not have the break at the end of the season in preparation of the next series?

Kinda makes me glad I never watched some stuff right from the beginning. Recently started watching Sopranos on DVD and I have 7 seasons to look forward to, without adverts and without stupid mid season breaks!

SourChipmunk · 5 Jan 2009 at 19:53

Sweeps are irritating. I've completely lost interest in "Lost" because of it.

edit: not Sweeps. But now is like the lowest viewing time of the year. People on holiday and such.

Hxc · 5 Jan 2009 at 19:54

Prison Break is series 4 when it comes back still.

It's quite fustrating indeed :/

jonislost · 5 Jan 2009 at 19:55

I think this has only happened this year and last year, before that I remember they'd have about 3/4 weeks break and then back into the shows again, but they would have a few weeks without episodes around april as well. It seemed to change after the writers strike last year either way it's annying as hell!

peterattheboro · 5 Jan 2009 at 19:55

Raist said:
Sweeps are irritating. I've completely lost interest in "Lost" because of it.

edit: not Sweeps. But now is like the lowest viewing time of the year. People on holiday and such.

Sweep?

And who cares if people are on holiday, why spoil it for the rest of it. They should have Sky+ or the American equivalent.

Freeman · 5 Jan 2009 at 19:56

Tell me about it.

Makes it a nightmare to torrent...

oops...

daz · 5 Jan 2009 at 19:56

American Writers Guild strike - other performing arts people have to support the writers (e.g. actors won't cross picket lines) so there was a period last year when nothing was being made so everything is basically 6 months behind what the networks had scheduled.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007–2008_Writers_Guild_of_America_strike

Raymond Lin · 5 Jan 2009 at 20:01

Well, i rather have a mid season break than they either cut the season short all together.

Think about this.

You get 22 episodes a season, we the UK makes 6 episodes and that'll call it 1 season.

It runs from September til April/May, fits in with the school schedule.

It gives the studio to catch up with script writing, filming. It takes longer than 1 week to write, film, post production an episode.

Besides, it doesn't happen for every show, some shows just have the odd 2 weeks break.

Bry · 5 Jan 2009 at 20:07

nothing to do with the writers strike this has been done for many a year.