SamT
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2010
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- Sam
I agree, but I think the studios see these as the equivalent to movies. No one would expect a follow-up film in a year, so most take at least two years (House of the Dragon, Rings of Power, Andor). I think Mandalorian would have been ready sooner (it was rumored for fall 2022) but the streamers don’t want to put it on at the same time another show is airing (Andor, Willow). But in the end, these aren’t films, even if they’re more than episodic television. We’re used to getting our fill of them at regular intervals. It’s frustrating.I hate that a nearly three year gap between seasons is considered normal and acceptable. This may be a minority point of view, but I think it’s disrespectful to the audience and takes them for granted when there doesn’t seem to be any consideration or appreciation for their enjoyment of the show. In a more sane environment, fans who make a show a hit would be rewarded by getting more of that show (that they’re paying premium fees to watch) in a timely fashion, rather than asking them to wait longer.
Speaking specifically of The Mandalorian, I give them a bit of a pass because The Book Of Boba Fett was, in all but the name, Season 2.5 of The Mandalorian so it'll be about 14(?) months between Boba Fett and S3 of The Mandalorian.I hate that a nearly three year gap between seasons is considered normal and acceptable.
I blame the Sopranos. HBO was high on its success and it’s “it’s not TV” slogan, and gave David Chase & co. an extra year here and there. Mad Men followed and did the same, and now all of these shows take their time. At the end of 2023, The Mandalorian will have about 24 episodes over 4 years (not including the Book of Boba Fett). Contrast that with something like Star Trek: The Next Generation which produced more than 100 episodes over 4 years. Add in DS9 and Voyager, which aired concurrently like Boba Fett and/or Ashoka, and that number doubles. That’s ok, though. I think a 25-episode season is a turn off at this point.To me, it feels like they think they're creating such a stunning work of art that their artistic genius simply requires years- YEARS- to make the work. I respect that people want to do things right but there's also something to be said for jumping in and getting a show done on a schedule.
None of those shows had the level of post-production needed for SFX that the current Disney streamers require. Not that that's all of it.Especially when people in the first 5 or 6 decades of the medium, were able to turn out double or triple the number of episodes made today on an annual schedule and some of those shows were equal or superior to today's.