Less Television, More Rewards

I recently had to sever connections with one of my favorite shows ever, the American version of The Office. Even before Steve Carell left, I felt like the show was on its way out. There just wasn't much more you could do with the plot, and even though Season 7 did give me some entertainment at times, it wasn't on the same level as those past seasons that I love so dearly.

This brings me to another show I love dearly: The IT Crowd. A fairly brilliant Britcom that taps into the kind of humor that I find the most entertaining. Late last year, the creator announced that, after four seasons, the show would not be returning (except for a special or two to be announced at a later date). This was not a result of poor ratings or a lack of interest. In fact, both seem to be at their peak, with more and more people discovering the wonders of this show. So why stop now? Why put the brakes on something that could go on for season after season like The Office?

The reason was simple: he DIDN'T want it to go on forever and ever. He wanted it to end while it was still on top and while fans still treasured it instead of turning to it like a ritual. In short: he wanted to keep it special, which was something that I really respected. Too many shows get run into the ground due to their popularity and end up losing what made them special in the first place, which is sadly what happened with The Office.  By ending it now instead of Season 8 or 9, the show is now preserved as a whole rather than "those really good seasons" and "those really shitty seasons", and fans can go on loving the show, safe in the knowledge that it never sunk to the depths of TV hell.

It is here where I make my point. Television needs to start using the "less is more" mentality. Instead of forty episodes a season for however many seasons you can squeeze out, why not six episodes for four or five seasons? Obviously this wouldn't work for every show, but I can see how it would work for a lot of shows on TV right now. By making these shows a limited engagement, and by starting with an exit strategy in mind, you give people a reason to watch them. You give them the feeling that you're going to tell them a great story, and not an attempt to wring them dry for ratings. Viewers aren't stupid, and even if they flock to your show eight seasons in, in the back of their minds the wheels are turning, and they're starting to realize that you lost the story a long time ago.

End.