In the past, it was common for comedy, drama, and other genre series to have seasons with 20 or more episodes. A major reason for longer seasons was definitely syndication; TV series typically qualified for syndication after airing 100 episodes, which could be achieved after four or five seasons. Reruns were a lucrative business for TV production companies, so it made sense that shows had longer seasons to reach the syndication threshold.
The 2007 writers strike and its impact on TV seasons
The Writers Guild of America strike in 2007-2008 led many programs to shorten their seasons. This was done out of necessity; program production was halted due to the strike, and many shows couldn't complete full season orders. However, the 2007 writers strike proved that it's possible to maintain the quality of a series even with fewer episodes.
The rise of streaming and the trend toward shorter seasons
Due to the rise of
streaming platforms like
Netflix, shorter seasons have become more common. Series produced for these platforms typically have between 10 and 13 episodes per season, which makes it easier for viewers to consume quickly and doesn't require their attention for months on end. Additionally, streaming services don't need to worry about syndication, so the 100-episode rule became irrelevant for these shows.
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Less risk and better results with shorter seasons
Shorter seasons are less risky for networks, as they allow for better analysis of how a series performs with the audience. Additionally, shorter seasons generally lead to better quality series, since writers have less room to pad the story and are forced to be more concise in their narratives. This results in more engaging and focused storytelling.
TV production with higher quality and bigger budgets
In recent years, production values and TV series budgets have increased significantly. With the presence of major actors and increasingly sophisticated productions, costs have also risen, making it harder to produce 20 or more episodes in a season. Thus, shorter seasons end up being the solution to balance the high standard of quality with available resources.
In summary, shorter seasons are here to stay. While it's a change from the long seasons of the past, they've proven to be an efficient and effective choice for delivering quality entertainment in today's television landscape.
