# Why do British shows have such short seasons? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 29, 2015, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262 "2015-01-29T19:41:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/1 "2015-01-29T19:41:12Z")
Say that 10 times fast. I like British shows, stuff like Sherlock and Black Mirror are a bit longer than the average sitcom and certainly better produced, written and acted. I can even understand having a brief first season as a trial run to get word of mouth out and gather investors. But those two shows, and quite a few others, are past their first season and they still only put out 3 episodes a year. Are three episodes a year enough to move boxed sets off the shelves come Christmas Time? Is this a common practice in the rest of Europe? Is it a BBC funding issue? ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/2 "2015-01-29T19:50:15Z")
This should probably be in Cafe society (reported for forum change). ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/3 "2015-01-29T19:54:33Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Is it a BBC funding issue? No it’s common with all UK channels -Black Mirror is a Channel 4 production, for example. A possible reason is that UK TV doesn’t have “seasons” the way I understand US network TV does, so there’s no overiding need to produce shows to fit a 13 or 26 week slot. What tends to happen is that, say, Tuesday at 9pm is a channel’s “new drama” slot, and shows of varying numbers of episodes are broadcast then. Another reason I’ve heard is that most non-soap UK shows have only one or two writers, so the output is necessarily limited. (I know there are counter examples from the US like Aaron Sorkin, but he’s mad) ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/4 "2015-01-29T19:57:04Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Are three episodes a year enough to move boxed sets off the shelves come Christmas Time? Sherlock is the prime example of the “three episodes a year if you’re lucky” show, but consider that each episode is 90 minutes long - into movie territory really - and the stars, writers and producers have other demands on their time. The Sherlock box sets do very well, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/5 "2015-01-29T20:16:16Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > This should probably be in Cafe society (reported for forum change). Yep, thanks. I had multiple windows open and thought I was there. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/6 "2015-01-29T20:42:41Z")
A BBC series of for a sitcom which is roughly analogous to an American season was traditionally 6 half-an-hour (bearing in mind with no adverts, 30 minutes is 30 minutes) episodes long. I think there’s a variety of reasons for this: British sitcoms usually only had a one writer or a team of two writers, no prospect of mid-series cancellation, small casts and budgetary constraints. My recollection is that dramas were a bit more flexible, but in practice that usually meant longer episodes rather than longer seasons. It’s not that the concept of multiple writers churning out episode after episode is alien to British TV though. There is a well established tradition of soap operas, most of which usually last a lot longer than their American counterparts. For example the oldest English TV soap opera has been going continuously since 1960. However that model was not seen as conducive to producing quality programming. That said since the late 1990s American TV models have become much more influential on British TV, in part due to the success of shows such as Friends and Buffy and the quality of shows such as The Wire and The Sopranos. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/7 "2015-01-29T21:42:39Z")
> [@Asympotically\_fat](#): > > It’s not that the concept of multiple writers churning out episode after episode is alien to British TV though. There is a well established tradition of soap operas, most of which usually last a lot longer than their American counterparts. For example the oldest English TV soap opera has been going continuously since 1960. The longest running American soap opera started on radio in 1936, moved to television in the early 50’s and was only cancelled in 2009. Just sayin ---
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/8 "2015-01-29T22:54:56Z")
> [@Asympotically\_fat](#): > > That said since the late 1990s American TV models have become much more influential on British TV, in part due to the success of shows such as Friends and Buffy and the quality of shows such as The Wire and The Sopranos. _The Wire_ and _The Sopranos_ were both produced in a manner much more similar to the British model — fewer episodes per season, with the whole season written before production begins. Many (most?) of the high-quality shows on American cable channels do it that way. Coincidence? ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/9 "2015-01-29T22:59:41Z")
They have more writers though and 10-13 episodes are still a lot more than British dramas tend to have. It’s more of a middle ground between the two extremes than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/10 "2015-01-29T23:00:49Z")
Soaps with long seasons (or in some continuous for ever ones) have been common on British TV but they belong in a different category to sitcoms. Most sitcoms typically have one, or two writers and the mid-season hiatus is unknown here. There is also less tendency to flog a winning formula into the ground, on the other hand a show has to be really dire to get cancelled in mid-run - most things are allowed to limp to their conclusion. ---
**Author:** ![Kiyoshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kiyoshi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiyoshi)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/11 "2015-01-29T23:10:34Z")
I think working hours may be a factor too. I’ve heard a few British actors (Stephen Fry, for example) say that American actors and film crew work ridiculous hours, like 12 - 16 hours a day, 6 days a week. Whereas in the UK, they have healthier working hours, which results in less output. Also, because UK performers aren’t tied into 26 episodes of a single show, they can work on several different projects throughout the year. For example, Charlie Brooker will write a 3-episode season of Black Mirror, present a season of Screenwipe, make guest appearances on a few panel shows, and write a weekly column for the Guardian. David Mitchell will be team captain on a season of Would I Lie to You, host a season of his radio show The Unbelievable Truth, appear on many other panel shows, film a season of a sitcom or sketch show, write another column for the Guardian, and maybe write a book too. ---
**Author:** ![BOOM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@BOOM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BOOM)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/12 "2015-01-29T23:11:51Z")
They don’t, the US has long ones. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/13 "2015-01-29T23:17:26Z")
Most British series (especially comedy series) have a single writer (or writing team) – at least in their early seasons. Long-running shows will start to bring in new writers once the original ones grow tired. This has happened in the US, too ( **Babylon 5** ), but it’s a tremendous amount of work to do 22 shows a year. A shorter season allows for the ability to take the time to rewrite until they are at their best. You can also look at a script and discard it if you’re not happy with it, and push back the new season. Shows often have the same director, too. ---
**Author:** ![BOOM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@BOOM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BOOM)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/14 "2015-01-29T23:21:54Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Most British series (especially comedy series) have a single writer (or writing team) – at least in their early seasons. Long-running shows will start to bring in new writers once the original ones grow tired. > > This has happened in the US, too ( **Babylon 5** ), but it’s a tremendous amount of work to do 22 shows a year. A shorter season allows for the ability to take the time to rewrite until they are at their best. You can also look at a script and discard it if you’re not happy with it, and push back the new season. But that’s as much a symptom as the cause. ---
**Author:** ![BOOM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@BOOM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BOOM)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/15 "2015-01-29T23:25:57Z")
> [@Kiyoshi](#): > > Also, because UK performers aren’t tied into 26 episodes of a single show, they can work on several different projects throughout the year. For example, Charlie Brooker will write a 3-episode season of Black Mirror, present a season of Screenwipe, make guest appearances on a few panel shows, and write a weekly column for the Guardian. David Mitchell will be team captain on a season of Would I Lie to You, host a season of his radio show The Unbelievable Truth, appear on many other panel shows, film a season of a sitcom or sketch show, write another column for the Guardian, and maybe write a book too. Or basically the entire creative team on Sherlock. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/16 "2015-01-30T00:00:16Z")
> [@Cayuga](#): > > _The Wire_ and _The Sopranos_ were both produced in a manner much more similar to the British model — fewer episodes per season, with the whole season written before production begins. > > Many (most?) of the high-quality shows on American cable channels do it that way. Coincidence? Game of Thrones’ (a multinational production) showrunners (American) have said that they would love to do 13+ episodes a season, but the show is so intensive that 10 is their max per season. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/17 "2015-01-30T00:06:15Z")
The short seasons have grown on me. _Selfie_, a show that I’m sure the network once intended to go 26 weeks with annual renewals til doomsday, feels like it should have been self-contained in the 13 weeks of the original buy. It wasn’t, though. Maybe the producers would like it to be picked up by cable, but the story is very nearly complete. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/18 "2015-01-30T01:00:59Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > The longest running American soap opera started on radio in 1936, moved to television in the early 50’s and was only cancelled in 2009. Just sayin To be honest I didn’t know that, it seems that most of the US soaps that have crossed that Atlantic have been the ones that didn’t have long runs. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/19 "2015-01-30T01:07:48Z")
> [@Cayuga](#): > > _The Wire_ and _The Sopranos_ were both produced in a manner much more similar to the British model — fewer episodes per season, with the whole season written before production begins. > > Many (most?) of the high-quality shows on American cable channels do it that way. Coincidence? Again I suppose I’m more influenced as to my view as to what has made the successful leap onto British TV (though perversely The Wire when shown on British TV was put in a late slot and was barely noticed except by TV critics. It went on to become a big hit though on DVD). Still 13 episodes per season is much more than your average British series length. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262/20 "2015-01-30T01:33:27Z")
> [@Mk\_VII](#): > > Soaps with long seasons (or in some continuous for ever ones) have been common on British TV but they belong in a different category to sitcoms. Most sitcoms typically have one, or two writers and the mid-season hiatus is unknown here. There is also less tendency to flog a winning formula into the ground, on the other hand a show has to be really dire to get cancelled in mid-run - most things are allowed to limp to their conclusion. I can’t actually think of a single TV show that has been cancelled mid-series on British TV, except Noel Edmond’s _Late, Late Breakfast Show_ and that happened because a member of the public who was due to appear on the show was killed during rehearsals leading the BBC to be prosecuted by the HSE. Maybe there are other examples but it would be exceptionally rare. The attitude certainly used to be that once something was filmed, it would be shown. I remember in the late 1990s ITV went out of it’s comfort zone and produced a surreal comedy sketch show. The result was probably the worst TV show I have ever seen: it was surreal in a completely predictable sub-Monty Python way and totally unfunny. ITV still put it on TV- they put it on at about 3AM in the morning probably when they thought all the TV critics were fast asleep. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-british-shows-have-such-short-seasons/711262.md?page=2)