The Great Debate: TV Shows That Deserve More Vs Those That Have Run Too Long
Top left to right stills from Fate: Winx Saga, Grey’s Anatomy, Cou
It’s the age-old argument. TV shows that need to end and shows that deserve more. Who gets to decide when it is not the audience? How is it that Grey’s Anatomy has 20 unnecessary seasons, but Shadowhunters and Country Comfort only have one or three seasons?
Too Many Seasons vs. Not Enough
We continuously see TV Shows canceled before they have a real chance to thrive, while other shows run longer than they should. Why is that? The answer is money. It is always about money. Money controls whether or not a show gets more seasons or not. Production companies are putting money over quality, but shouldn’t everything in life, even in the entertainment industry, put quality above everything? When is it time to say goodbye to a beloved TV Show? What can allow a TV show to continue after one season?
When is it Time to Say Goodbye?
What determines that a TV show has run its course? Many TV shows have had more seasons than needed. I have seen it happen in so many TV shows. Shows that have endless seasons run the risk of losing credibility because the trend is that the show’s quality decreases over time. Many shows have fallen victim to running for too long and losing decreased ratings.
According to Reddit, these are some examples of TV shows that lasted longer than they should:
- Riverdale
- Glee
- Smallville
- Hero’s
- Grey’s Anatomy
When is it Time to Say Goodbye to Grey’s Anatomy?
The medical drama Grey’s Anatomy has been with us for almost two decades, with 20 seasons, and shows no signs of stopping. The show has developed a loyal fanbase on the ABC Network in these two decades. Even with having a loyal fanbase, countless people watched the show to a certain point. I, for example, watch 11 of the 20 seasons. The show had too many changes with the casting compared to the original casting. I was done with the show after Patrick Dempsey’s character Derek, aka ‘McDreamy’, died.
Even the show’s star, Ellen Pompeo, said it was time for the show to end and that she was making moves to convince production to end it in 2021. An article from Business Insider details Pompeo’s comments and the reason she gives why ABC will not cancel the show.
I am not the only one who thinks it is time to say goodbye to this show.
Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
IMDb is a database for entertainment content, from movies and TV shows to video games and podcasts. It is also a place where people can post their reviews about the content. I looked closely at the reviews that commented on the new seasons.
It’s clear that loyalty, even to a beloved show like Grey’s Anatomy, has its limits. The sentiment is echoed in the reviews posted on IMDb in recent years. These reviews from long-time viewers who have been with the show since its premiere hold more weight than my opinion. The general consensus seems to be a stopping point around Season 15.
The entertainment industry relies on viewership. With viewership, there is an entertainment industry. These production companies need people watching their content to gain revenue. Grey’s Anatomy is continuously making new seasons, leading to a decrease in its audience.
So, in making new seasons to maintain their fanbase, they are actually losing them.
The irony is uncanny.
TV Shows Are Quickly Being Canceled
TV shows are being canceled too soon. Shows are being canceled at such a frequent rate that I am afraid to watch new shows, and I do not believe that I am the only one who feels the same way. The cancellation of shows has gotten so bad that it is rare for a show to last past season one or two.
In 2018, Freeform canceled Shadowhunters after three seasons. The show had such a loyal fanbase that they rallied together and raised money to renew it. Sadly, Shadowhunter’s was still canceled despite the efforts of the fanbase. This proves my earlier point that money is above everything, even above having the ratings and a loyal fanbase. To make matters worse, they’re canceling the shows on a cliffhanger and not giving viewers a sense of closure because now they won’t know how the story ends. The viewers have to live on without a sense of completion.
The list of shows that deserve more is endless. Buzzfeed and Thought Catalog have showcased a few shows that deserve more seasons.
Shining a Spotlight on the Cancelling Issue
Firstly, I don’t know the ends and outs of TV production and the reasons behind the actions of Hollywood. I have been a victim of this, as we all have.
It is outstanding that the entertainment business, which relies on having a fanbase of people watching and listening, is now ignoring its viewers. They are putting money over their viewers and fanbase.
Country Comfort
Netflix canceled Country Comfort after one season but won a PrimeTime Emmy Award. Country Comfort was only in the Top 10 for ten days. According to What’s on Netflix, a show must survive in a region for 30 days. Is it interesting that Country Comfort did not have the regional support but was able to earn a PrimeTime Emmy?
How come, in a time when TV is at its all-time high, we can barely get new successful shows? We have resorted to just watching reruns and binge-watching finished shows. Do not get me wrong, I love binge-watching as much as the next person, but I also like adding new shows to my binge circle.
Fate: A Winx Saga
Fate: The Winx Saga also suffered from being canceled too soon. In 2021, Netflix released a live-action version of Winx Club. Fate was in the Top 10 for five weeks. According to Variety, it was not enough, so what is? Fate had great promise. Fate added realistic teenage flare to a children’s cartoon.
To make matters worse, the show ended on a cliffhanger. Even though the creators said they would continue it as a comic book, it was unfair to cancel it on a cliffhanger. They are not giving viewers a sense of closure because now they won’t know how the story ends. The viewers have to live on without a sense of completion.
Again, I ask how come when a show’s success is not enough to continue a show? Despite their excellent ratings and public support, TV shows are still getting canceled too soon.
Earlier, I said they put money over quality. In Country Comfort’s case, they put ratings over accolades (which translates into money). Fate’s case is money over ratings. Which is it? What is the determinant?
Final Thoughts
Production companies either continue shows that need to end or do remakes (see Fairly Odd Parents Reboots and Remakes). Why are we looking to the old and what’s already made instead of looking for the new and to the future of TV shows?
I end with these questions…
What qualifies a TV show to last longer than a few seasons?
When is it time to say goodbye to a TV show?
Why is the entertainment industry putting money overviews when they depend on viewership?
