There's a reason you're seeing TV shows with shorter seasons on Netflix.
When Netflix seriously made the leap into original programming with "House of Cards" and "Orange Is the New Black" in 2013, the seasons were 13 episodes. But recently, Netflix's original TV shows have been getting slimmer. That's because the streaming giant has been trimming its live-action TV shows to make them more consumable for binge viewers, according to Deadline.
READ MORE: Netflix's 'One Day at a Time' viewership was on the rise, but not enough to save it from being canceled
Deadline reported that Netflix sees little value in seasons that exceed 10 episodes, or shows that surpass 30 episodes in total. After that, they often become too expensive to continue to invest in (unless it's a breakout hit that Netflix owns like "Stranger Things"). The shorter the season, the easier it is for new viewers to jump into a show for the first time.
TV shows also can become too costly after three seasons because of the way Netflix's deals are structured. Costs often increase significantly after a third season, according to Deadline.
Netflix did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This could explain why Netflix has been canceling shows that have only had a couple of seasons, like "American Vandal," which Netflix canceled last year after two seasons; and "One Day at a Time," which Netflix canceled last week after three seasons.
Netflix said "One Day at a Time" didn't get a big enough audience. Data provided to Business Insider by analytics company Jumpshot backed that up. The show's viewership was steadily rising, but never cracked 1 million viewers in the first week of release for a new season. (All three seasons were 13 episodes.)
READ MORE: Netflix canceled 'The Punisher' and 'Jessica Jones,' but the Marvel TV shows were doomed a long time ago
Netflix canceled all of its Marvel TV shows over the course of the last few months, including "Daredevil," "Luke Cage," "Iron Fist," "Jessica Jones," and "The Punisher." All but "Daredevil" and "Jessica Jones" were canceled after two seasons; "Daredevil" was canceled after its third, and the third (and finale) season of "Jessica Jones" will air this year.
Netflix floated the idea that the Marvel shows be cut down from 13-episode seasons to 10-episode ones, before deciding to cancel them, according to Deadline.
Audiences had also lost interest in the Marvel shows over time. Social-media data provided to Business Insider by Crimson Hexagon showed that the online conversation around the Marvel shows had dropped dramatically. And data from Jumpshot showed that viewership for "The Punisher" dropped 40% in its second season before it was canceled.
FAQs
That's because the streaming giant has been trimming its live-action TV shows to make them more consumable for binge viewers, according to Deadline. Deadline reported that Netflix sees little value in seasons that exceed 10 episodes, or shows that surpass 30 episodes in total.
Why do Netflix shows have 10 episodes? ›
While it isn't impossible to binge a 22-episode season, shorter seasons make for a quicker and easier binge. Another benefit to shorter seasons on streaming is the fact that streaming services don't have to worry about qualifying for syndication, so the old 100-episode rule was made irrelevant.
Why does Netflix take so long between seasons? ›
The delays in releasing new seasons can be attributed to various factors like production timelines, prioritization, and strikes, but it's unclear why some shows are taking longer than others.
Why doesn t Netflix have all seasons of shows? ›
If an entire season of a TV show isn't on Netflix, it's likely because of licensing rights availability.
Why does Netflix make so many originals? ›
Netflix's competitive advantage focuses on offering exclusive content that is not available on any other streaming platform. For this purpose, the company invests billions of dollars in creating its own shows and movies, allowing Netflix to differentiate itself from its competitors.
Why is Netflix removing a lot of shows? ›
Netflix licenses TV shows and movies from studios around the world. Though we strive to keep the titles you want to watch, some titles do leave Netflix because of licensing agreements.
How many episodes until Netflix turns off? ›
Netflix asks, "Are you still watching ...?" so you don't lose your place or use internet data when you're not actually watching a TV show or movie. The prompt appears: After watching 3 episodes of a TV show in a row without using any video player controls, or. After 90 minutes of uninterrupted watching.
Why is Netflix canceling all the good shows? ›
streaming, unlike broadcast television, is not more profitable when a show is seen by more people because it's subscription based,” Rice said. On top of that, outside sources including COVID and the SAG-AFTRA strikes slowed down production across the board. Neither one falls under the control of Netflix.
Why are so many shows being cancelled? ›
(Shows' budgets increase progressively as they age.) Still, broadcast series' average lifespan is longer than that of streaming shows, which are often canceled after two or three seasons when talent payments are slated to jump significantly, making the series far more expensive.
Why are TV shows getting shorter? ›
Audiences today seem to prefer tightly knit narratives, leading to a decline in the popularity of long-running seasons. Data shows a stark decline in the proportion of U.S. scripted shows releasing new seasons with more than 20 episodes, dropping from 19% in 2018 to just 4.5% in 2023.
What show has 8 seasons on Netflix? ›
'American Horror Story' has 8 seasons and 94 episodes on Netflix. While there are nine seasons and 103 episodes of Ryan Murphy's anthology show to date, Netflix, unfortunately, doesn't have the latest seasons, "1984."
Which series has the most seasons on Netflix? ›
Grace and Frankie currently remains Netflix's longest-running series to date, having concluded its run after seven successful seasons. However, there's another show poised to snatch this honor away. Grace and Frankie ranks among the best long-running shows, meaning those with at least four seasons.
Why is Netflix taking down The Originals? ›
Yes, Netflix did remove "The Originals" from their library after taking "Vampire Diaries" off earlier this year. This decision was likely due to licensing agreements and the expiration of the streaming rights for both shows.
What was Netflix originally called? ›
“Kibble.” Believe it or not, “Kibble” is exactly what Netflix co-founders Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings originally called their company before ultimately — and understandably — switching to “Netflix” a short while later.
Why do all Netflix originals look the same? ›
Jackson discovered this aesthetic monotony is in part due to the fact that Netflix requires the same “technical specifications from all its productions.” This is of course an economic choice: more consistency = less risk. They've also structured their budgets to favor pre-production costs like securing top talent.
What show has over 10,000 episodes? ›
Single show
| Program | Genre | Episode count |
|---|
| 100 Huntley Street | Daily talk | 10,300 |
| Sandmännchen | Animated | ~10,000 |
| The Price Is Right (1972 version) | Game show | 9,600 |
| Emmerdale | Soap opera | 9,587 |
64 more rows"Grey's Anatomy" has 342 episodes across 15 seasons, the longest show on Netflix.
Why is Netflix doing weekly episodes? ›
Releasing episodes on a weekly basis can make a show feel more like a “water cooler” event. People can discuss and debate the latest developments with each other on a regular basis. This can help generate buzz and interest in the show over time. Opportunities to upsell other shows.
Why does Netflix have limited series? ›
The term in fact means that the series' storyline is guaranteed to finish within the final episode of the series. A Netflix 'limited series' acts as a mini-series with usually around 4-10 episodes where the main story arc of the show will be full resolved within that time-frame.
