Is Straight to Series Shopping TV's Death Knell?

 

Is Straight to Series Shopping TV's Death Knell?

By Kristin Battestella

Who doesn't love it when they read the news about a new straight to series or shopped completed television order? Me. 

Unfortunately, like a movie that has a one and the same writer and director with no second eye to spot the flaws and what ifs instead of thats; numerous in the can shows have been chewed up and spit out by viewers and streamers alike with no opportunity to sculpt for maximum appeal and fulfilling storytelling.

There's No Chance to Retool... In the olden days if an unpopular but prominent storyline took up too much screen time, it could be written out as the season progressed. Today, however, a show that's released with all episodes completed as is can't change any problems – leading to viewer hate, tune outs, and cancellations usually after one or two short seasons. Think of all the past shows that were retooled in their debuts and went on to glory such as Star Trek: The Next Generation. Creators often don't have access to streaming numbers or feedback but have to face the social media flak because they can't get rid of what didn't work on their show.

...Or Maximize Characterizations. Recently, I was disappointed in the Netflix series The Innocents because the weaker teen plot should have been reduced in favor of the adult science fiction parables. Sadly, though like so many other lookalike shows were quantity was more important than quality, it was canceled with no chance to fix itself. So a character is getting on the audience's nerves? In Happy Days of yore, Chuck left for college and was never heard of again. How many shows today are saddled with Cousin Oliver kids? Ditching an ill-received character is one way to save a show, but potential breakout characters and more interesting players go underutilized as what could have beens.

Budget Cuts? The cost of a completed show is already an expense paid in full. That cha-ching can get an as is show canned if marketing expectations aren't met or shelved as a write off. With short, rushed 6, 8, or 10 episode series meant to binge all at once, there's no opportunity to make cost cutting measures in media res. No one likes cutbacks, and in some past cases it terribly shows like Highlander: The Series. However, now there's no chance to trim, fine tune, and creatively survive to another reduced season.

Cliffhangers! Wannabe shrewd showrunners think if they end a show with a cliffhanger, they won't get canceled, forgotten, lost in the streaming shuffle, or ditched by their platform. Well, the crowded litter of one season Netlfix Originals proves that wrong. Completed shows have to cross their fingers rather than seeing the declining numbers and the chance to wrap up a season with a decent resolution. Unexpected limited hits scramble for inferior second years. We're at both extremes – network series trudge along with bloated episode orders and streamers prefer cheap, short quantity. Either way, viewers aren't coming back for more.

Disposability over Longevity. In the can shows are treated as content not meant to last, built quick with glossed over flaws as viewers click on the next proffered series. There's no need for continued consistency and storytelling quality when streamers don't want a title to run 3, 5, or 7 years – they want 1 or 2 years of 7 shows that are algorithm alike. Trending for a day, bottom barrel platforms, or never receiving a physical media release does not a water cooler moment make. In the long term, aren't creators hurt by blink and you miss it, disappearing, erroneously ill-received programs? The return to weekly releasing with smaller episode batches allowing in production corrections can be the answer – if the platform is stable or willing to invest in due season.

Creator Opportunity? Certainly I don't wish for the days of studio interference and terrible forced changes. Catering to an audience – or the algorithm – however, is not the answer either. Why aren't we providing time and money to hone satisfactory stories and continued television success? It's important for creators to have a production pause and be able to apply feedback on what isn't working on their show. Serial programs deserve the chance to fine tune their storytelling rather than being sold as packaged commodities of mediocre quality.