Limited TV Shows Should Stay Limited

British television has a tendency to be short and sweet, I mean even the long running shows (not including soap operas) have an incredibly low episode count. I can see how this could be appealing to viewers, you don't have to dedicate as much time to them and the majority of the time the viewer does end up with some sense of closure when the show ends. Not always though *cough* The Fades *Cough*. To be honest I think it's quite incredible the impact these shows make, they run for no more than 8 episodes at a time and sometimes they aren't even on every year and rather than lose viewers they tend to gain them through word of mouth.

For a while I've thought that American television should do the same, having 18-24 episodes a season is a bit too much. There's only so much you can stretch a story line before it all gets repetitive and you start losing the audiences attention. Even I, a self confessed television addict, have lost the love of American television when once upon a time that was all I watched, I would get up early before school to watch episodes of Supernatural after they'd aired. Yes, I was that bad. The audiences getting tired of the show leads to problems for American networks as they rely on advertising and advertisers aren't going to pay big bucks for shows that it seems like no one watches so that inevitably leads to the shows cancellations. I was the type of that would get really invested in the shows, watch it every week and then be devastated when it was cancelled. I'm so happy we have the TV license fee here.

Well anyway, lets get down to what I've been doing the past year instead of writing for Spockfull. Limited TV shows. Networks have seen that the smaller episode count and shorter run shows are working, the most successful (both critically and commercially) American TV shows tend to be on cable which like the Brits have a shorter episode count. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think it's The Walking Dead that has the most episodes per season with 16 episodes but it takes such a huge break it feels like two separate seasons. So now network television shows are batting around the term 'Limited run' when advertising certain shows, and one would assume that that would mean that it's a self contained story that has a beginning, middle and end. I'd expect closure. Do I get that? No.

The revival of The X Files is a prime example of this type of false advertising. I was ecstatic about the revival, just as every other nerd/dork whatever you'd like to call us because Mulder and Scully were back! The 6 episode run also seemed like it would be condensed so it wouldn't be comprised of a load of filler episodes and I was largely correct. Sure, there was at times filler but in my opinion the best episode of the latest run was 'Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster' which featured Rhys Darby and was god darn hilarious. Actually, I take that back. It has to be one of my most favourite episode of the whole X-Files franchise. I thought it was that good. So it was doing well in my opinion, until that last episode aired and I was at the 35 minute mark and wondered how on Earth they would be resolving it within the next ten minutes. And they didn't. Cliff hanger. Limited series. Beginning. Middle. End. WHAT THE HECK! 

The same happened when Aquarius, another Duchovny offering, was advertised as a limited run but apparently there has always been a five year plan! Oh and who could forget the recent Heroes revival although I must admit I didn't care as much about it as I did The X Files, I watched that out of obligation rather than enjoyment. I started Heroes and I loved it at the beginning and I carried on watching in the hopes it would get back to the heights it was once at. I was wrong. I'm like the girlfriend of a hopeless guy, the first couple of years were good but it's been going downhill ever since but I always think one day he'll change. Or she. I'm all about equality. I could also be the boyfriend of a hopeless girl as well as, I'm not the type of feminist that thinks guys are crap because sometimes girls are crap too, I know I am a lot of the time. That's a discussion for another day really.

Anyway, back on point. LIMITED SERIES NEED TO BE LIMITED! If something is advertised as being a limited run show then it should end properly, I don't understand it getting renewed or ending it on a cliffhanger. To be honest it genuinely hurts me, I chose you because I thought you'd be short, sweet and provide me with closure but now I know you're going to leave me with unresolved issues or get so burnt out over the years that I won't care about you. How dare you be advertised as a limited run! It's shocking that advertising would lie! Ok, I'll admit I'm wrong sometimes, and when I say sometimes I mean the previous sentence. That's it. But seriously, I understand renewing TV shows like Fargo and True Detective as they are anthology series, each season is self contained and actually finishes the story lines. Sure, you don't have to like the outcome but at least it ends. The only other one I think could be forgiven for not completing their tale is Legends Of Tomorrow purely because we have The Flash and Arrow to tie up any loose ends left behind.

Basically what I am begging you is for you to do what it says on the tin. Don't leave me with a cliffhanger. Don't be renewed for a second season. Just tell me a story.

My rant is now over, I'll probably take another hiatus for a year and blab again.

Till then, Live Long and Blog!