A television executive, who was behind shows like The boys And The last of usRips in years-long gaps between TV series. Based on the Naughty Dog video game of the same name, The last of us Season 1 was released in early 2023. There is no release date of season 2 yet, but viewers can expect the show in early 2025, which is a two-year gap. The boys Has had four seasons so far, experiencing a two-year gap between seasons 3 and 4.
Speaking at the Mercato Internazionale Audiovisivo market (via The Times), Sony Pictures TV president Catherine Pope shares her thoughts on the long gaps between TV seasons. According to the executive, “Long delays“Between TV seasons are”Not fair to the fans“ and “So frustrating.” She expressed her personal pain over her legs, describing sitting at home and wondering “What happened last season.” Pope also described industry concerns related to the gaps, saying “We cannot afford to lose fans.” Check out Pope’s full quote below:
It is so frustrating. The long delays are just absolutely unacceptable and they are not fair to the fans.
I’ll be sitting with my husband and we’ll be like: ‘OK, what happened last season?’. The experience of watching eight episodes and two years later getting another eight is not good.
In such a saturated world, we cannot afford to lose fans. It’s hard enough to get them.
What Pope’s quote means for the state of television
The executive considers valid criticism
Pope’s quote comes at a time when a huge majority of non-network shows have extended gaps between seasons. This is a Problem in almost all major streaming platforms. Stranger things And WednesdayTwo of Netflix’s highest-performing shows, for example, both had more than two-year gaps between their final seasons. On the max side, one of the biggest offenders in House of the DragonThat spanned two years between seasons 1 and 2 and isn’t expected to release season 3 until 2026.
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Long gaps between seasons are not always the case in television, and has been a growing problem in recent years. Looking at major mid-2000s shows like Lost And Breaking badFor example, audiences often did not even have to wait a whole year for one season of a show to end and the next to begin. While months-long gaps left audiences in anticipation and waiting for more, the relatively quick turnaround time meant the show still grabbed viewers’ attention. As Pope worries, shows with gaps could lose their audience.
Our take on long gaps in between seasons
I am anxiously awaiting The Last of Us Season 2
I do not hesitate for a second to agree with Pope. While none of us would want our favorite shows to rush through a sloppy season, I find myself chomping at the bit to get the next chapter of The last of us. The high-budget, visually involved TV shows undoubtedly take a long time to create. To avoid constantly frustrating audiences – especially when cliffhangers like these House of the Dragon Season 2 Ending Fall – Major producers must figure out how to curb the trend and deliver their shows to audiences faster.
Source: The Times