Why Losing The 22 Episode Season Is Bad For Television Shows

Television shows thrive off of having long amounts of time to tell their story and invest in the characters. However, in recent years, the twenty-two-episode season has been dwindling, and with Riverdale’s series finale in the rearview mirror, it may mean saying goodbye to a system that had benefitted shows and audiences for years.

Although it’s common that having long television seasons also means having to watch filler episodes that may not add much to the story’s narrative, those episodes are still valuable in helping viewers cultivate familiarity with the characters and seeing those relationships develop, even if it’s at a slower pace.

One of the biggest benefits of this format was how long seasons gave writers time to find the rhythm of a show and time to build up the story and character relationships while giving the audience time to settle into the series and learn more about the characters.

In shorter seasons with ten episodes, there is not enough time for long-running slow burns and build-ups. When it comes to relationships between characters, part of what allowed the audience to become so invested is that they had to wait for it.

Teen Wolf had fans waiting and wondering if Stiles and Lydia would ever get together from the show’s pilot episode and allowed that question to hang in the air before finally getting them together in season six. The Vampire Diaries thrived on the love triangle between Elena, Stefan, and Damon, finding a way to lengthen it for years.

All American created a will-they-won’t-they between the main characters Spencer and Olivia early on, before eventually going through with showcasing them in a relationship in season three. The amount of character growth in All American for Jordan and Layla respectively, allowed a slow-burn relationship between them to be introduced in season four and then move forward with a relationship in season five, and each season offered the time necessary to organically bring them together without it feeling rushed.

The Freeform (formerly known as ABC Family) teen mystery series Pretty Little Liars had a long multi-season run that was able to develop a mystery so intricate and convoluted that a ten-episode television season could never hope to create something that would require so much time to lay seeds for leading up to the big revelations. The CW’s Riverdale found a way to reinvent itself many times throughout seven seasons.

Shows without the ability to go on for that long can lack the excitement and character development that those allowed to continue longer had gained. They allow for more friendships and romances between various characters, along with lengthening mysteries, and giving audiences the time to become invested in what is occurring in the show.

Although various shows have gained acclaim and excitement with short seasons, such as Stranger Things, Only Murders In The Building, and Wednesday, not every shorter season series has proven that it can do a lot with a little.

Do you agree that the industry should bring back 22 episode-long television seasons? Keep up to date with Culturess for more television opinions and coverage.