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Retro wooden TV, VHS tapes and old stereos surrounding it
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MSU | Culture > Entertainment

Losing the Charm of Shows with 20 Episode Seasons

Mia Varricchione Student Contributor, Michigan State University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at MSU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

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The rise of six to 10 episode TV seasons on streaming services is not a coincidence. There are a few reasons why streaming platforms are doing this, and I have a personal beef with it. Personally, I prioritize watching TV shows with about 20 episode seasons, which of course tend to be slightly older shows. As I complete more shows as I get older, nothing will replace the charm of fully immersing myself in a story arc that spans across 20 episodes per season.

One reason often cited by streaming platforms for why they’ve decreased the average amount of episodes is because they are trying to reduce “filler episodes,” and aim for quality over quantity. Before, they ran the risk of only having to air a couple of episodes before knowing if an audience would like it. If they didn’t reach their engagement goals, they would perhaps have to cut their losses and cancel midway, or continue to air episodes that would most likely flop. With fewer episodes, streaming services argue they can respond better to fan’s demands.

This prioritization of fan service could be a problem in itself though. Yes, maybe the show wouldn’t be a smash hit, but many shows have become popular once again because there is almost certainly an audience for every show — even if it’s in a later generation. Hayao Miyazaki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli, once said in a conversation with the chief creative officer of Pixar, Pete Docter, that he never thinks of the audience when creating a story. He argues thinking of the audience could inhibit his creativity, which to this effect is probably why he’s produced some of the most beloved animated films of all time.

Part of this endeavor to produce more “quality over quantity” has been increasing the production costs of TV shows. TV shows now sometimes have the budgets, visual effects, and star-studded casts of movies. In this sense, it does make sense that with a higher budget, they would have to create less episodes. However, you have to think about how this is affecting the content of these shows. Less big studios are investing in mid-budget movies because they’re anticipating a bigger return on investment with high-cost movies. 

That’s why there’s a rising number of big blockbuster franchise movies, like from the Avengers and Stars Wars franchises. This has carried over to TV media, where almost too many shows to keep up with are repeatedly made from these franchises. Mid-budget films, and consequently TV shows, are a “leap of faith” according to cultural studies professor at the University of Minnesota, Maggie Hennefeld. Gone are intimate character studies and unconventional storylines to make room for more and more increasingly homogenous types of media. 

A trend that is contributing to the reduction of episodes in a TV season is “binging culture,” or the habit of quickly running through an entire series in a couple of sittings. This trend picked up over COVID-19 because of the obvious escalation in time people spent at home, and in which six-10 episodes is conducive for this strategy. On the streaming platform’s side, this wasn’t a big deal as they’re not constrained to the same syndication requirements as broadcast TV.

Syndication is the ability to air a TV or radio program to other networks and stations. In order to be syndicated however, a series had to produce 85-100 episodes. Networks had to make serious investments in shows and fill their yearly schedules with 20 episode seasons. In essence, they couldn’t abandon ship as easily for the next big thing. With the lack of a yearly schedule has come more time in between seasons, and more time for writers to lose the plot of shows or enable them to wing more things without direction — per Euphoria and Stranger Things.

One might mention how streaming platforms offer “no ad” options and, therefore, their episodes can be longer. This is in comparison to one-hour long time slots on broadcast where about a third of the time has to be dedicated to ads. So, in exchange for a shorter season you get longer episodes to balance out the amount of content being produced. Just knowing the end point when an entire season drops seems to be more of an incentive to jump on the streaming bandwagon.

However, just because a similar amount of content could be made doesn’t mean it’ll be good. The rise of “binging culture” can also be attributed to the surge in stimulus in general. Shorter seasons means more content is being pumped out than ever, and in the race to grabbing people’s attention, everything has to be eye-catching. Devoting yourself to an entire 20-episode season can appear almost as a waste of time. 

Yet, the constant access and instant gratification from the multitude of short seasons across TV now points to streaming platforms’ understanding of “second-screen shows.” These platforms know many people use another screen when watching TV in the modern age. About 83-88% of Americans say they use a phone or tablet respectively. One could argue this helps facilitate a decline in TV quality, and compliance in only greenlighting what is considered “safe,” as mentioned above.

All of this is to say, I would love it if TV show creators would bring back 20 episode seasons! In my opinion, there’s more time to flesh out side characters and fully immerse yourself in the world overall. Even if streaming platforms cry that shorter seasons mean better quality, I’ll continue to be sold on the narrative that they’re more concerned with throwing ideas at the wall until something sticks.

Mia Varricchione

MSU '27

East Lansing local Mia Varricchione joined Her Campus MSU during her first year and has decided to continue her membership with the club into her senior year. As a senior at Michigan State University double majoring in Professional & Public Writing and Public Policy, she believed Her Campus would give her the opportunity to advance her writing skills. She has since been promoted to an editor. She also works as an undergraduate learning assistant for classes varying on topics such as racial dynamics in the US, the policy process, and elections.

To bolster her writing portfolio, Mia accepted an internship with the Flint Disability Network in Flint, Michigan in her first summer at college, Senator Kevin S. Parker from Brooklyn, New York in her second, the Wayne County Treasurer’s Office in her third, and House candidate John Paul Torres’ campaign over the first half of 2026.

She has composed articles and explored intersectionality around disabilities for the non-profit for the Disability Network, an environmental bill for the New York State Senate, and a tax foreclosure auction policy brief for Wayne County. For Her Campus, she’s written articles ranging from political analyzes to social commentary. Mia aspires to work professionally at a clean energy initiative in the future.