Mid-Season break

[Milgod]

What do people think of mid-season breaks that some TV shows seem to have. We don't have them in the UK (well, very very rarely anyway). It seems that it can't really benefit the viewers of a show to have breaks like this and some good shows have suffered from them. Why do they even happen?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Shows usually have 18-24 episodes per season. With 52 weeks in a year, something has to give.

 

[abomb]

What do people think of mid-season breaks that some TV shows seem to have. We don't have them in the UK (well, very very rarely anyway). It seems that it can't really benefit the viewers of a show to have breaks like this and some good shows have suffered from them. Why do they even happen?

I didnt like the extendo breaks for Lost and Heroes. I think eventually the US network system is going to collapse due to outside pressure and its own inadequacies and we will see more networks operate on the HBO/UK model of shorter seasons (12-20 episodes) aired over a few months.

 

[Milgod]

Shows usually have 18-24 episodes per season. With 52 weeks in a year, something has to give.

I don't get it? Just show the 24 episodes in a row, nothing has to give then.

Or am I missing something?

 

[asudevil83]

i dont mind the breaks all that much......but it does take away from the hype that a show has mid season. and when that show returns from the break (ie Heroes) and becomes mediocre, it really does kill the momentum the show had.

 

[abomb]

I don't get it? Just show the 24 episodes in a row, nothing has to give then.

Or am I missing something?

Well, the typical television season starts in late September (used to be early September back in the day). You figure the typical show runs 2 eps in Sep, 4 in Oct, but only 3 in November (sweeps), due to Thanksgiving holiday. They'll run 2-3 in December, before a long break for Christmas and New Years.

You are right. Just show the shows. We will figure it out with DVRs if we arent home.

 

[Stout]

I don't get it? Just show the 24 episodes in a row, nothing has to give then.

Or am I missing something?

I think he's saying that with no breaks, you'd need 52 episodes a year.

I personally am having a great time without cable, because I am able to watch shows on DVD or online at my whim, without having to worry about losing momentum with a show, or huge extendo-breaks, or things like that. The full show is already out, so I watch it at my leisure.

 

[Milgod]

I think he's saying that with no breaks, you'd need 52 episodes a year.

I personally am having a great time without cable, because I am able to watch shows on DVD or online at my whim, without having to worry about losing momentum with a show, or huge extendo-breaks, or things like that. The full show is already out, so I watch it at my leisure.

That's not what I said though and not what I meant. Just show all the episodes in a row, maybe a week break here and ther for x-mas or thanksgiving, but that would take up half a year. Then you just wait half a year for the new season.

 

[Stout]

That's not what I said though and not what I meant. Just show all the episodes in a row, maybe a week break here and ther for x-mas or thanksgiving, but that would take up half a year. Then you just wait half a year for the new season.

I'm with you on it. That's how it should be, IMO.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I don't get it? Just show the 24 episodes in a row, nothing has to give then.

Or am I missing something?

sweeps.

 

[abomb]

sweeps.

You'd still have November and February sweeps, although in the fall you'd show one show and in spring, you'd air another.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

You'd still have November and February sweeps, although in the fall you'd show one show and in spring, you'd air another.

Well, you have the problem of trying to produce quality TV worth advertising dollars in a weeks time.

I can't think of many shows that could do that.

 

[Chaplin]

That's not the way the television audience works--that's why there are breaks--advertisers won't pay a lot for running ads in December/January, so in order to maximize profits, they don't show new episodes during those months.

 

[JasonKGME]

I guess I am a little different I wish they would have 2 seasons of all prime time shows run each year, with each season consisting of 15 weeks. Inbetween these seasons would be the reality fillers/replays of the regular season for people to play catchup of 11 weeks (these should be around Christmas and Summer where it is most difficult for most of us to be available for prime time anyways because we are traveling/vacationing/playing with the kids out of school.)

So the schedule would basically look something like this for 2008:

Monday December 3rd, 2007 Thru Sunday February 17th,2008 - Reality Winter Season

Monday February 18th,2008 Thru Sunday June 1st,2008 - Prime Time Spring Season

Monday June 2nd, 2008 Thru Sunday August 23th, 2008 - Reality Summer Season

Monday August 18th, 2008 Thru Sunday Sunday November 30th. 2008 - Prime Time Fall Season


With 15 weeks in a season it would be a little shorter then most regular seasons now, but you could tell quite a bit of a story in 15 weeks and then have a season final that is actually part of a season. And each of these mini seasons could have 1 filler show that they can use as a recap to the season (i.e. what happened during prior weeks). This means each year we would be able to get 28 brand new episodes of each show. Which is much better then the 18-24 we get currently. And I don't think 28 is a huge burden on a cast/crew/producers.

 

[asudevil83]

I guess I am a little different I wish they would have 2 seasons of all prime time shows run each year, with each season consisting of 15 weeks. Inbetween these seasons would be the reality fillers/replays of the regular season for people to play catchup of 11 weeks (these should be around Christmas and Summer where it is most difficult for most of us to be available for prime time anyways because we are traveling/vacationing/playing with the kids out of school.)

So the schedule would basically look something like this for 2008:

Monday December 3rd, 2007 Thru Sunday February 17th,2008 - Reality Winter Season

Monday February 18th,2008 Thru Sunday June 1st,2008 - Prime Time Spring Season

Monday June 2nd, 2008 Thru Sunday August 23th, 2008 - Reality Summer Season

Monday August 18th, 2008 Thru Sunday Sunday November 30th. 2008 - Prime Time Fall Season


With 15 weeks in a season it would be a little shorter then most regular seasons now, but you could tell quite a bit of a story in 15 weeks and then have a season final that is actually part of a season. And each of these mini seasons could have 1 filler show that they can use as a recap to the season (i.e. what happened during prior weeks). This means each year we would be able to get 28 brand new episodes of each show. Which is much better then the 18-24 we get currently. And I don't think 28 is a huge burden on a cast/crew/producers.

i think we are slowly seeing the migration into something like that. and its a good idea.