Episodes Released Weekly: A New Television Revolution?

It's been a long time since I've watched TV released on a weekly schedule. Part of that is my own choice - since I typically watch older shows the schedule is no longer relevant. But part of it is because everything being released was formatted to 'binge' regardless of whether or not it was appropriate for the story. It seems that, like streaming shows reinventing cable packages (give it a few years), they are also reinventing the weekly release structure that helps a good TV show gain buzz and take off.

Every episode of The Pitt grew its audience exponentially, because it was an exciting show that garnered a lot of talk. I caught up on 9-1-1 because every new morsel of information I learned weekly through gifs seemed incredible. While every episode of either show could have been dropped at once, and I still would have seen the gifs, there wouldn't have been the same build up or anticipation. Either you've seen the entire show, or you haven't - there's no catching up and joining in for that first experience, you're already behind.

I also have a fair amount of anxiety from watching shows weekly. To keep on top of everything, I have to watch these new episodes in the week they release - when I have four shows that's four dedicated weeknight hours where I'm not allowed to drift off into Lewis or The Army Game. Right before Gallifrey One, "my" Doctor Who convention, I caught up on 8 of the 10 first season Ncuti Gatwa episodes. As his new season is now airing weekly, even though I finished the regular season, I still haven't watched the special, meaning that I'm currently three episodes behind and dragging.

For everyone sick of 12 season episodes dropping at midnight where nothing happens, I think the pendulum is about to swing in the other direction. Everything is going to become episodic - critics will rave about the return to format we all craved so much. Shows that should be released at once will be doled out and suffer for it. The crux of TV is that we (the executives) keep trying to find a cookie cutter format that will return profits exponentially. TV cannot be treated as film, or novels, or podcasts - it is a narrative tool on its own, with its own capabilities and pitfalls. Once streaming figures out that live TV does extremely well, we'll circle all the way around to the prestigious anthology plays of the early 50s and every single episode of 30 Rock will be restaged. My point here isn't anything particular or profound, but maybe a reiteration to myself - this will change, enjoy the nostalgia of it while you can, maybe make a new TV calendar.

Some Housekeeping: I'm attending the international DC film festival for the next two weekends, which I'm very excited about, and the new season of Doctor Who is airing. I'm thinking the best way to cover reviews here is this - you will not receive an email in your inbox but they will be posted and available on the site. I will link to any new reviews at the bottom of the newsletter as a roundup. Any special reviews available only to paid members will be sent as a newsletter on "off" days as a bonus.

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