Are the days of 100 episodes over for streaming shows? Alex Kurtzman weighs in

[a_files06]

#StarTrek fans have talked a lot about the amount of episodes in a season in the new series. I asked Alex Kurtzman if any Trek series will ever reach 100 episodes again and he broke down the complicated state of streaming for me: https://t.co/ARQKg3Pobn
- Mick Joest (@G33kyMick) April 10, 2024
-Alex Kurtzman who runs Star Trek recently weighed in on

Comments

[thesummersqueen]

I think that especially Bridgerton has a problem with this. There are so many characters that have their own plots that are important for their stories though (like the Featheringtons, e.g.) but with 8 episodes it's not enough time to focus on everything but you also can't not show some of the stuff.

[reciprokates]

Streaming mostly older shows with many seasons and episodes right now because I don't want to invest time to get to know characters and a world and then it's basically all over.

Also modern short run shows tend to be too exhausting, because if you don't concentrate all the time you'll miss something relevant - basically the limited runtime means, they cram it all full and this is not relaxing to watch.

[insomniachobs]

I was just thinking about this - it makes it so hard to really show character development over a season. Because like you say, you blink and you miss it

22 episodes, one a week, makes you as a viewer feel like time is passing. So if by the end of a season your character has massively morphed, you have time to actually adjust and feel like it's a progression. Not so much in 6 episodes you just binged where 2 episodes ago they were behaving like a different human being and you missed the two minutes in between where they had some time to hint at it

[bethmai]

I'm from the UK, where our shows always have a run between 6-10 episodes per season, so maybe it's just me but I prefer quality over quantity. I cannot imagine watching 22 episodes per season every again, except for comedies - so much filler.

[insomniachobs]

(Also a Brit, for context). I think your icon is a prime example of why 22 episode seasons can work so well and we're losing out by having so few of them now. Without 22 episodes you don't get Hush, you don't get The Zeppo, because you don't have the space to do anything that doesn't move the main plot line. Standalone episodes are often where some of the most creative stuff and best character work happens.

A really perfectly plotted and tight 6 episodes is just as great, but streaming's problem is it's not doing that a lot of the time; it's trying to be 22 in 10.

[violet_crumble9]

Im fine with long seasons if I like it and short if I don't.

What's more important is that the story is all told. I prefer Asian shows in that respect.

[asnindie]

Given the most successful shows on streaming are shows like Friends, Gilmore girls, Greys anatomy, Office, B99, BBT, Supernatural etc. shows proof that people will watch multiple seasons as long as they're available. So nah streamers are just idiots.