Why don't TV shows make more episodes each season??

[bicker]

Okay, I understand that -- I just found the equating of "Nowadays" to "anything after 1970" a bit amusing!

 

[Free4Life11]

Survivor is as popular as it has ever been. And Amazing Race is experiencing a resurgence this season. Reality shows are a permanent fixture. The "bubble" was for BAD reality shows... those are hopefully on the decline.

I can't believe Survivor is still going. It's gotten a little old for me. My sister on the other hand has been hooked since the first episode!

Is NBC still sucking? Aside from The Apprentice last season, I can't remember a single show I watch on NBC.

ABC seems to be doing excellent these days with Lost, Desperate Housewives, and Gray's Anatomy. All good shows in my opinion!

 

[cardaway]

Combat may have been on before you were born but plenty of people are purchasing DVD's of classic series. Many of the older ones had 30-40 episodes per season.

Beyond "Combat" (which I have never heard of), like what?

I think it's safe to assume we were discussing primetime network shows, not the stuff that was syndicated and didn't have "seasons" like network primetime.

 

[bicker]

No, no. Before 1967, 40 episodes per year was pretty common. Gunsmoke had about 40 episodes per season for the first half of its run. However, around 1967 or 1968, it dropped down to 24-25 episodes per year, and that was the case for the rest of the run after 1970.

 

[cardaway]

Per year... Per season... 2 Different things

Basically I see people saying they should go back to showing things all year vs. the late Fall to Spring "season".

 

[bicker]

No, I mistyped above. Those were PER SEASON, not PER YEAR. Sorry, for the confusion.

 

[Free4Life11]

Who decided the season was going to go from September through May? That's too long for most shows.

I'd rather they just have a shorter season, then re-run the entire season during the summer so that if you missed an episode you can see it. I don't watch much TV during the summer as it is.

 

[bicker]

I think we decided that, based on our viewing habits.

 

[cardaway]

I looked up "Combat" for an example and it did indeed have more episodes during the typical Sept-May "season" time frame.

Given that I'll have agree with the idea that if they made more shows, they could make the same kind of profit. Getting the people to work on 12-18 more episodes a seaosn might be the biggest obstacle at that point.