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This is a really great, insightful write-up. vox.com/culture/2019/6… via @voxdotcom
American television was built on the long form episodic model, the most popular shows on streaming are old, episodic shows. Shorter serialized high concept shows are way easier for marketing, but not necessarily better TV.
I think they factor this essay is missing, however, is how streamers metrics distort television. They tend to measure new subscribers/growth so it's about how the new shiny gets people to sign up. A mature show doesn't do that.
Als, linear networks were motivated to let shows run longer/have more episodes per season because each episode had X value in the aftermarket, and could be watched out of sequence or sampled. The streamers ARE the aftermarket. And they're structured for binging. so, short seasons
Basically we're trading a metric that's flawed but at least comprehensible (ratings) for mysterious algorithms, hedge fund style obsession with growth, and playing to the weakness of your own particular marketing department. Which is ... not what a mature medium should be doing.
