Too many shows are taking years between seasons.
I’m not a patient person.
I’ll be the first to admit it.
Luke Thompson on ‘Bridgerton’; Zendaya on ‘Euphoria’; Millie Bobby Brown on ‘Stranger Things’; Adam Scott on ‘Severance’.Netflix; HBO; Apple TV - Design: Alex Sandoval
And I could go on!
If they had made me wait years?!
I might’ve aged out of caring so much.
Jacob Elordi on ‘Euphoria’.HBO
(I wouldn’t have, but you get the point.)
So what is going on?
And why does it feel like it’s only getting worse?
Walton Goggins on ‘Justified’.FX
For the shows that are still weekly releases, there’s no excuse.
You just have to do better.
I’m not suggesting a return to the 22-episode model that a handful of shows still live by.
David Harbour on ‘Stranger Things’.Netflix
I remember when streaming first entered the game and creatives swooned at the idea of more freedom.
Their episodes could be as long as they want!
(Though I don’t know that this is always a good thing).
As far as I’m concerned, that only applies to binge drops.
(But that’s a rant for another essay.
)For those shows, why can’t we move up the timeline?
And if that means they have to be working on episodes 4-10 when episode 1 airs, guess what?
It’s been done before!
For one thing, you’re free to pivot if something is or isn’t working.
(I’m looking at you, #Klaroline fans!)
There’s beauty to the flexibility that a tighter timeline weaves into a story.
Can you imagine if all those scripts were finished before they shot a single episode?
We might not have Jesse Pinkman!
Or Boyd f–king Crowder!
And don’t even get me started on how much theStranger Thingskids have grown.
but those should be the exception.
I know I’m impatient, but that seems fair to me.
