Could some one ELi5 why series that are made by streaming platforms take so much longer to air than series on cable or Fox, NBC, ABC etc? It seems that every fall season new episodes on those tv stations come out and are aired weekly until perhaps May. But those that are exclusive to streaming providers can take years to air another season of a show.
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Netflix, Amazon etc shows are sort of a bridge between movies and TV shows. It might help to think of them as six or eight hour long movies rather than an episodic TV series.
One difference is the stars. There are still fairly significant differences in TV vs movie actors. Movie actors can take on multiple (large) projects and their time has to be scheduled fairly far in advance. TV stars (regulars) tend to be contracted by season or a couple of seasons.
Filming of TV shows typically are mostly on set and you’ll see repeated use of the same sets (could be a house, school, office or police station etc). This gives the show a visual continuity and allows the storywriters to focus on episodic storytelling. Although not easy, episodic stories are easier to write and a team might write 20-22 episodes a year. The use of sets also saves costs and production time. And each episode has a recurring cast with perhaps one or two guest characters.
Streaming shows tend to focus on a single large complicated multi character story. This is very difficult to write and explains the use of a lot of existing source material like popular books or games. It also reduces a bit of risk since the audience might already be familiar with the characters from the source material (Lord of the Rings, Witcher etc) These shows also have a lot more on location filming (expensive, time consuming) and CGI. It takes a LOT more time to edit and produce a single story to make it flow well over 6-8 hours.
Series that are made by streaming platforms often take longer to air than series on traditional TV networks for several reasons. One reason is that streaming platforms tend to produce fewer episodes per season than traditional networks. For example, a traditional network may produce 22-26 episodes of a TV show per season, while a streaming platform may only produce 10-12 episodes. As a result, it may take longer for a new season of a show to be produced and released on a streaming platform.
Another reason why series on streaming platforms may take longer to air is because they often go through longer periods of development and pre-production. Traditional networks typically have a set schedule for developing and producing new shows, and will often start production on a new season of a show soon after the previous season has aired. In contrast, streaming platforms may take more time to develop and produce new shows, and may not start production on a new season until several months or even years after the previous season has aired.
Finally, some series on streaming platforms may take longer to air because the platform wants to build anticipation and buzz for the show. For example, a streaming platform may release a new season of a show after a long hiatus in order to create excitement and attract new viewers. In contrast, traditional networks may air new episodes of a show on a regular basis in order to maintain a consistent audience and keep viewers engaged.
Overall, there are several reasons why series on streaming platforms may take longer to air than series on traditional TV networks. These reasons include the number of episodes produced per season, the length of time it takes to develop and produce new shows, and the platform’s marketing strategy.
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