Editorial: Do long breaks hurt shows like HBO’s Westworld?
Shows like HBO’s Westworld seem to have longer and longer gaps between seasons. Why is this the case and are there consequences for this approach?
Have you ever read a season premiere date and thought, “Oh yea, I watch that show but had forgotten about it”? I experienced this with season two of HBO’s Westworld.
Television shows are taking longer and longer breaks between seasons and floods of new content are filling in the gaps. These factors may result in some shows getting lost in the shuffle or even forgotten.
With the emergence of streaming platforms, it feels like there are more shows than ever, and the statistical evidence supports this. Per FX Networks Research, there were 182 scripted original television series in 2002. This increased to 266 by 2011, 389 by 2014, and a whopping 495 by 2018.
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What explains this trend? There is clearly money to be made in the television industry, which has led to the Netflix’s and Hulu’s of the world. More broadly speaking, the rise of the internet has enabled the birth of these “off cable” platforms.
I wasn’t able to find comprehensive data on gaps between seasons, but there seems to be a consensus that this is the reality. Some examples of huge breaks include Westworld (505 days), Atlanta (486 days), Stranger Things (575 days) and Game of Thrones (506 days).
What explains this trend? There are a few potential explanations.
1. As platforms strive for the next “Game of Thrones,” production is becoming more and more ambitious. “Movie-like” shows with several filming locations and plentiful special effects require more time to complete.
2. Television shows have always had to juggle the schedules of their actors, producers, writers, etc., but this makes it more difficult to get a season to the finish line. Nowadays, the increase in shows has meant more opportunities, which has likely made everyone’s schedules busier. Busier schedules make it harder to get people together to film a season, and this has surely contributed to the longer gaps.
Longer layoffs can theoretically be a good thing for a show, especially the “Game of Thrones” types that thrive off of their grand production scope. Additionally, the gaps can create a sense of prestige around the content as the anticipation for it builds. When there is less of something, it can become more valuable, right? #supply-demand
But in general, viewers obviously would prefer a show come sooner rather than later. Could this become an issue for shows with long gaps? Could it hurt viewership?
Take Westworld as an example. After it 505-day layoff between seasons one and two, it’s looking like there will be an even longer gap between seasons two and three. Season two ended June 24, 2018, and the third installment isn’t expected until sometime in 2020.
But does this really matter? On average, do long show gaps contribute to lower ratings? Or do viewers tend to return?
I couldn’t find any broad statistical evidence to help answer this question. Westworld’s season two had a bit of a ratings dip, but it’s tough to know what extent the gap contributed to this.
Networks can try to keep viewers interested with announcements and trailer releases in the off-season. Westworld’s season three trailer received some interest, but this understandably faded rather quickly. Maybe it was enough, however, as it at least kept the show vaguely on viewers’ radar.
Bottom line: If a show is high quality and is effectively promoted prior to a season, long gaps likely won’t have a negative impact on ratings.
Next. Succession: Ranking the members of the Roy Family. dark
But for shows that receive mixed reviews and aren’t able to capture significant attention with preseason promotion, these gaps surely can have a negative impact on viewership. They become in danger of fading from the public conversation, and newer and sometimes better shows may take their place in the meantime.
In general, do you think longer layoffs between seasons hurt ratings for shows? Or do they not really matter? Let us know in the poll below!