I'm beginning to dislike Netflix (re: Archive 81, 1899, Warrior Nun etc cancellations)

[Micah Sweet]

I would love to see more shows like Strange New Worlds that buck this trend.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Your point isn't lost on me, but plywood sets, foam boulders, and the Vasquez Rocks standing in for the surface of other planets was pretty much what you expected in the 1960s. For a television show made in the late 1960s, Star Trek's special effects were actually pretty good.

TV sets of the period were small, low res, and often black and white. Often you couldn't see well enough to notice the sets wobble.

 

[payn]

I would love to see more shows like Strange New Worlds that buck this trend.

I dont think its a trend. However, Paramount is your best bet. They seem to be the only one doing it.

 

[payn]

I think that's just the death of episodic television in general. The broader point is that we've gone from story arcs placed in the context of longer running shows to individual stories that span a season or sometimes an entire show.

I would argue that those story arcs only seemed longer told because there was more episodes. Often filler wheel spinning ones that didn't move the plot anywhere. Actually, most of them suspended the plot until something was called for like an actor leaving the show. Unless you can give me some examples?

 

[MGibster]

TV sets of the period were small, low res, and often black and white. Often you couldn't see well enough to notice the sets wobble.

Of the period? Heck, as far as I'm concerned, except for the black & white part, this was often the case throughout the entirety of the 90s. I had a 28 inch television which was complete adequate in 1997, but I just bought a television recently and I don't think I looked at anything under 40 inches. When they remastered the original Trek series for HDTV, they had to go in and digitally fix a lot of things like stains on some of the costumes.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Unpopular counterpoint-

Netflix understands something that we don't like to acknowledge. A lot of people just stop watching shows.

For every show that builds audiences, the majority of them lose them over time. And shows get more expensive (because you have to pay the cast more over time).

This cold and calculated decision means that we are probably losing a lot of good shows- for example, there wouldn't be a Breaking Bad on Netflix. But in terms of number and volume, they are probably right. New shows create buzz. If something is a hit, and continues to be a hit (Stranger Things), it will keep going. If it starts to lag, it gets the axe. And they will try to create the new hotness.

Which sucks.

 

[wicked cool]

It’s funny but I don remember dr who with Tom baker having filler episodes. Yes not great special effects but the story’s are still great . It was the writers and directors that made the show

The problem with walking dead was the farm just slowed the show down to a crawl and in later seasons it became less about zombies and more in house fighting drama with very little consequences. Sprinkling just enough good episodes to keep a decent audience . Throw in a second show called fear and you keep a network afloat
What I can’t understand is why they didn’t recast people like ricks son Carl. Kill off a character that well spoilers. I also would have recast Rick as now we have been waiting for an actor to raise kids? You couldn’t find another emotional actor to take his place.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I had a 28 inch television

28?! That's huge! I first saw Star Trek on a 14" B&W set.

 

[Ryujin]

Unpopular counterpoint-

Netflix understands something that we don't like to acknowledge. A lot of people just stop watching shows.

For every show that builds audiences, the majority of them lose them over time. And shows get more expensive (because you have to pay the cast more over time).

This cold and calculated decision means that we are probably losing a lot of good shows- for example, there wouldn't be a Breaking Bad on Netflix. But in terms of number and volume, they are probably right. New shows create buzz. If something is a hit, and continues to be a hit (Stranger Things), it will keep going. If it starts to lag, it gets the axe. And they will try to create the new hotness.

Which sucks.

And also results in the thinning out of content that will keep people coming back to your service. I look at shows people have enjoyed and consider watching them only to find that they were unceremoniously cancelled after one season, and just don't bother. "Great" gets you there for a month. "Good" keeps you there.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

It’s funny but I don remember dr who with Tom baker having filler episodes.

Filler? You try running up and down all those corridors with a dalek on your tail!