the problem with the streaming companies TV shows.

[bigmike20vt]

This is and always has been a problem with TV series which don't wrap up and that end on a cliffhanger but is it just me that thinks it has gotten worse with streaming?.
I have just finished watching the (superb) apple TVs Silo season 2. Now glass half full it has been green lit for season 3 and 4 to fully wrap up the series so I am really happy about that however it is likely not gonna air till some time in 2026.
I don't know if it is because money is tighter so they are more hesitant to renew (possibly because of lower viewing figures due to fragmented services) or if it's just because costs are so much higher but waiting for over a year between series on any program really kills the enthusiasm imo
By the time the next season comes along I will have lost the urge to watch and likely will have forgotten where I was up too.
Add to that any show with kids in get kind of ruined when you have someone who was meant to be an 11 year old a few months later (in story time) has suddenly become obviously a teenager!)
also whilst I know it's always been a problem but am sure more shows get cancelled on a cliffhanger now than used to happen


ok rant over! what do others think? is the huge gap between seasons a problem. for you or is it me moaning about a nothing issue?

 

[Subliminal Aura]

heh.... Thanks, didn't realise there was an S02

Will take it slow and learn not to binge

 

[LuckyBenski]

A year between series sounds normal, maybe even a bit too soon. Maybe I've just never been watching release dates too closely?

I definitely remember having to wait between prime time series when I was a teenager. The 9pm slot would change periodically.

 

[Rroff]

This has killed Severance for me - maybe I'll get back into it I dunno - end of season 1 I was really anticipating season 2, now it is out I've lost all interest and have struggled through a couple of episodes and not got back into it...

There is the other extreme as well where they are increasingly making TV shows which are like half the content of a traditional show, then that is padded out to make two seasons, often with some added agenda stuff - DEI or environment or whatever - to make up some extra length which frankly adds nothing, you do then get a bit shorter gap between seasons but it kills what might have otherwise been good shows for me though seems sadly far too many people lap up this ****

 

[Mr Badger]

A year between series sounds normal, maybe even a bit too soon. Maybe I've just never been watching release dates too closely?

I definitely remember having to wait between prime time series when I was a teenager. The 9pm slot would change periodically.

I presume what's being referred to is a long gap between production whilst a decision is made on whether to renew. So rather than writing, shooting and broadcasting seasons pretty much over consecutive years, large gaps can creep in because the network isn't prepared to commit in advance. That's aside from the risk of something unexpected adding to the delay, such as a pandemic, industrial action or key actors being unavailable.

 

[Sythe79]

It's not a streaming thing, it's an American TV thing, I'm sure there's a million YouTube videos and articles on TV show that have been cancelled without an ending.

On shows taking longer to reappear, that's probably more to do with the fact that they no longer need to work to a schedule, in the old U.S. network dominate days you were expected to have the show ready to air, usually in autumn even if it wasn't finished.

The plus side is that there seems to be fewer shows where half the episodes are filler because the network required 24 episodes to fill out their season, and you could only write 12 decent ones.

 

[bigmike20vt]

yeah you are right about the cancelled thing always being an issue and esp with American shows. My view has always been if there is any doubt on series renewal they should film what would be the 1st episode of a 2nd season at the same time as the 1st. obviously this would not wrap everything up but it would mean a series would not end on a cliffhanger never to be resolved. (it would be added to the end of a series if it was then cancelled)..

you wouldn't read a book which is meant to have 200 pages that ended mid chapter half way through.
the increased game however if definitely worse today than in years gone by. perhaps it isn't just a streaming thing but it does seem worse with them.

 

[MartinPrince]

I was thinking that this week.

With regards to Silo, I had to watch season 1 again, though with my missus who hasn't seen any, before going on to season 2 because it was so long berween seasons and I couldn't remember some of the details.

I'm going to have to do the same with Severance.

Gone are the days when you had 24 episode seasons so it was 6 months between them.

This is why I prefer getting into shows when they've all been completed and wrapped up.

 

[VincentHanna]

This is why I prefer getting into shows when they've all been completed and wrapped up.

Am sort of the same now

I only recently started watching 'The Expanse' now I know there's 6 seasons and an actual ending, even though a few friends were banging on about it for ages.

The last TV series I committed to as it aired was 'Better Call Saul' and luckily that also got a proper ending (plus as a prequel, it couldn't massively disappoint)

 

[LuckyBenski]

This is why I prefer getting into shows when they've all been completed and wrapped up.

This, for sure. I like to know I won't be having to watch something bit by bit as it releases.

But also if someone recommends a show to me and it has about 7 series, it's daunting. I quite like getting into something I know I will actually reach the end of. Some shows take a massive dive in quality after so many series and you wish they'd ended it sooner.

 

[Raymond Lin]

I remember shows used to be every year, 24 episodes.

Lost? West Wing? 24? 6 feet under? Nip Tuck?

Then Game of Thrones (or was it before?) changed all that, I think it was slowly too. (just checked), it used to be released every April, hence the Winter something slogan, but once the books were finished they had a year gap between 5 to 6 and 6 to 7.

I also checked, even Breaking Bad were an annual release.

 

[Raymond Lin]

I was thinking that this week.

With regards to Silo, I had to watch season 1 again, though with my missus who hasn't seen any, before going on to season 2 because it was so long berween seasons and I couldn't remember some of the details.

I'm going to have to do the same with Severance.

Gone are the days when you had 24 episode seasons so it was 6 months between them.

This is why I prefer getting into shows when they've all been completed and wrapped up.

My fiance hates seasons for this reasons, why she won't start a show if they are still ongoing.

 

[GGizmo]

I watched the Australian tv series Five Bedrooms. I think it took 2 years between the first and second series, then a year apart for the rest of the series.

Another annoyance is some streaming services only have some of the series.

 

[VincentHanna]

I remember shows used to be every year, 24 episodes.

Lost? West Wing? 24? 6 feet under? Nip Tuck?

Then Game of Thrones (or was it before?) changed all that, I think it was slowly too. (just checked), it used to be released every April, hence the Winter something slogan, but once the books were finished they had a year gap between 5 to 6 and 6 to 7.

I also checked, even Breaking Bad were an annual release.

Back in the days where Network TV reigned supreme, It was all to do with broadcast syndication.

If you made 100 shows, you used to be able to make lots of money on syndication. So often TV series would be 26 episodes and by the end of season 4 they could guarantee you can sell the TV series to other channels.

You did end up with lots of filler episodes though, which didn't really go anywhere and overarching plot lines were far less common. It was generally just a 'story of the week' with very little character development.

Game of Thrones was made by HBO, which was a Cable network. They didn't have to worry about syndication, though it was a big risk to make it before it became a ratings smash.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Back in the days where Network TV reigned supreme, It was all to do with broadcast syndication.

If you made 100 shows, you used to be able to make lots of money on syndication. So often TV series would be 26 episodes and by the end of season 4 they could guarantee you can sell the TV series to other channels.

You did end up with lots of filler episodes though, which didn't really go anywhere and overarching plot lines were far less common. It was generally just a 'story of the week' with very little character development.

Game of Thrones was made by HBO, which was a Cable network. They didn't have to worry about syndication, though it was a big risk to make it before it became a ratings smash.

6 feet under was also HBO, and yes I remember those days with fillers…then again, even GoT has fillers, not so much episodes but filler scenes. It turned into part Eastenders at times, even in the last season when it was just 7 episodes there were many moments when I was screaming at the TV for them to move on…knowing they will rush it later on…which they did in the last 2 episodes.

 

[something daft already!!]

With severance, I found a YouTube video with summarised series 1 to remind me before I started series 2. Same with Silo. This made it easier for me to get back into and enjoy. I'm looking forward to series 5 of Slow horses as I blasted through the first four just before Christmas.

 

[MartinPrince]

With severance, I found a YouTube video with summarised series 1 to remind me before I started series 2. Same with Silo. This made it easier for me to get back into and enjoy. I'm looking forward to series 5 of Slow horses as I blasted through the first four just before Christmas.

Good idea, though watching Season 1 of Silo again sitting next to my missus increased my "cuddle credits"! Besides, it's a really enjoyable season and there were a few things that I missed the first time around - so not totally a waste of time.

I just did the same as you with Slow Horses and I'm looking forward to Season 5 but still couldn't escape the feeling that I wish I hadn't had it recommended to me until it all wrapped up.

 

[Rroff]

With severance, I found a YouTube video with summarised series 1 to remind me before I started series 2. Same with Silo. This made it easier for me to get back into and enjoy. I'm looking forward to series 5 of Slow horses as I blasted through the first four just before Christmas.

Recaps or summaries just don't regenerate the same interest for me.