The original post: /r/television by /u/Masa67 on 2025-11-26 17:44:01+00:00.
Sorry if this doesnt fit. But I rly wanted to discuss this topic for a while now, and then i came across this QT interview some time ago (u can search for all of it on YT, i didnt want to give the specific podcast more clicks than necessary). I would love to hear some thoughts, but i primarily want to vent.
Now, i’m not a fan of QT’s personality, nor do i agree with the overall sentiment that movies are better than shows. In fact, I personally muchmuch prefer a high quality tv series, because it gives the material time to breathe and develop in a way 90mins of a movie just cannot.
HOWEVER, I have always maintained that the only actual quality tv series are the ones that intentionally have a max of 3-4 seasons AND a clear, well thought out story arc, that was planned in detail from the veryvery start (the vast majority are best left as a miniseries or at 3 seasons).*
And what i like about this QT interview is that he puts my thoughts into words so succintly - the issue i have with any series that goes on for longer than 4 seasons is that it becomes a soap opera.
That is why MOST tv shows out there have a strong start and fall off fast with a lousy finish. Most of the time it is very clear that the creators/writers had a premise, a pilot, but not much more. And even when they have more, when a show gets popular, they tend to drag it on. Which means having to come up with more and more material. Having to one-up themselves with every season finale! Having to come up with a suitable resolution for the confict they set up in ep1. Having to up the stakes, figure out a dramatic cliff hanger ending for the fifth time, twist and turn the storyline, break up and make up the main couple, come up with a new ‘big bad’ that needs to be defeted, write around actors leaving/getting pregnant/etc., inserting new characters, jump the shark, or whatever else it takes to keep the audience on their toes, to keep them coming back the next week/year for more and more. Which furthers and furthers the writers/creators from their initial idea and makes a satisfying ending almost impossible.
And i honestly feel like, if we are all 100% honest with ourselves, whenever they go on longer than 4seasons, even the best shows out there start suffering from ‘soap opera syndrome’ around S3. Even with the best shows u can see at least little details that signal jumping the shark (even the reddit darling BB did it with the juicebox and stolen cigarette, most notably). And the weekly scrambling for new ideas shows in quality decline, inconsistencies, weak resolutions, nonsensical ending that seems rushed and contrived despite taking 10years… because the same ending doesnt fit what the show has become (HIMYM, Ross&Rachel, etcetc).
And listen, nothing wrong with a soap opera. It’s fine if u still enjoy your favourite show after 6 seasons! It is called entertainment, after all! I just wish people would be more honest about it and when discussing show quality keep that quality decline in mind, and value shows that do not suffer from it all the more.
- Now, to be clear, I am talking about series with a stroy - i am excluding sth like IASIP which is ‘a show about nothing’ and has little continuity, although even those shows lose their charm after cca 10seasons.