Earlier 2000s TV shows often consisted of 20 to 24 episodes and ran anywhere from 22 minutes to an hour depending on the type of show. In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift toward eight-episode seasons, each episode usually running 45 minutes to an hour. TV shows were also released weekly because of broadcast schedules, but the introduction of streaming allowed productions to release shows all at once; there has been a noticeable shift back to weekly releases and other forms of gradual releases.
The weekly release has been implemented in shows including Heated Rivalry, The Summer I Turned Pretty, and The Pitt. The Summer I Turned Pretty season one was released all at once, but when it returned with season two for a weekly release, people on TikTok voiced their frustration because they wanted to binge season two, as they did with season one.
Many enjoy the weekly release because it feels reminiscent of early 2000s broadcast schedules, but when streaming switched back to gradual releases, audiences noticed it. Much of the discourse I’ve seen centers around spoilers and the task of having to navigate and shape your schedule around the episodes’ release. An upside I’ve seen with gradual releases is that online conversations are more prolonged, with debriefs after every episode.
Another form of prolonged release is when the season is split in two – the first and second halves of the season are released about a month apart. An example of this is Bridgerton. The first two seasons were released all at once, and the release schedule was integrated for seasons three and four. The consensus of the conversation I’ve seen online is that people don’t enjoy the two-part release. Different ways I’ve seen people go about viewing Bridgerton are: waiting for all the episodes to drop before they watch, losing interest in the show by the time the second half is released, or dealing with the format and watching the intended release schedule.
The most frustrating form of gradual release that I’ve experienced is season two of Rivals. On May 15th of this year, Disney+ and Hulu released the first three episodes of their second season, and then one episode weekly for the next three weeks until a total of six episodes were out. That is only the first half of season two. They decided to release the second half of the season in the same format starting November 11th. A season taking over six months to be completely released, I think, is just madness for a 12-episode season. But I will be watching anyway.
There will always be complaints and praise, no matter what happens, because people have different preferences. Despite the possibility of audience disappointment, I think audiences will continue to tune in because if we love a show, we will put up with whatever it takes to end the agonizing suspense.