Should the length of a season be cut?

ABSOLUTELY.

Most of the cable networks have much shorter seasons than the networks, and look at how greater and tighter they are as a result. Lots of episodes =/= quality. Plenty of series are overstuffed with filler that could definitely go.

It's a good idea, but we all know that the networks won't use the time to experiment--they'll fill it with crap.

I could see this working but for the ratings garbage the networks insist on. As has been seen before a show that comes on for 13 eps and then disappears for 3 months, suddenly loses it's audience, and the networks drop it. If they didn't relie on ratings to keep a show on then I could very well see this working out. Many are right, there would be more movie stars crossing over to TV and better actors to boot.

If they cut each series to 13 episodes a season, then they need twice as many series to fill the spots on TV. That will cost more money than having 1 longer season. There's a reason why most Australian shows that are produced by the network have 40 episode seasons (the shows produced by other companies and just shown on the network have standard length seasons) - it's so much cheaper to have a long season of a show than a short season of several shows.

One of the issues is that broadcast television networks (NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, et al) are still using the old playbook. 100-episode syndication and 22 (or more) show seasons are just two of the rules that the cable networks (HBO, Showtime, FX, AMC, USA, et al) have tossed out the window.

I have long been of the opinion that shorter seasons would yield better quality shows. Half of the story lines in some shows are just filler so they can make it through the full 22-24 episode season! British series are tight and well tuned - well, some of them. Some just plain suck but that is another upside - shows may find it easier to find their footing with shorter seasons. They don't have to stretch out their story lines and risk losing viewers with sub-plots that are far less interesting and only serve to water the wine, so to speak.

Unfortunately I don't think American viewers would go for such a plan. They lose interest in shows they don't see for months. Look at the freshmen shows that got hit by the writers strike. Most are gone for good. They came back for their sophomore season and no one watched most of them. Can you imagine a 6 or 13 episode season when the show is gone for 9 to 10 months before the next season starts? I wouldn't mind it but I think the strike showed us that it won't work here.

Excuse me but what kind of a ridiculous question is this?

Basically what's asked here is is this: producing shows is to expensive. What if we cut seasons short and fill the rest of the now free airtime with cheaply produced shit.

Oh wait. We already do that.

The question itself is insulting to anyone who has half a brain. The questions shouldn't be whether we will watch GOOD TV if we get LESS of it. The question is what will be put into the place that was formerly occupied by scripted shows. And I can tell you right now that I (!) won't watch the crap they will put there.

The question should be what can be cheaply produced that won't be cheap in quality. The answer is NOTHING - the only reasons why cable networks order 13 episode seasons is because they can re-run the episodes six times in the week of the original airing. That's how they fill their schedule. A regular tv network won't do that.

God this is so ridiculous. The advertisers don't have enough money - produce cheaper drama shows, lower the production value, film on lots or whatever or maybe just effing cut the costs of the people who work on these shows. As if Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse or Seth McFarlane need seven figure contracts!

And maybe fire some middle management and cut the salary of your CEO. We won't notice he's gone, we will only notice that our beloved shows are shorter or gone.

I detest the British model for a season, it's absolutely horrible and as such has no time for decent build in plotting. Between 8 and 12 for a 45+ show is the correct amount, 6 is ridiculous.

Some shows should see a reduction in episode count, how about dropping According to Jim to 0, American Idol could also use a drop to 0 too.

I cant believe that people that actually have watched TV wouldnt prefer shorter season

Few example or shorter season

FNL, Best season -> 13 episode
Lost, Best season -> 16 episode

The Office, Worst season -> Hour long episode

Prison Break, full of awful filler that completly killed what could have been an awesome 13 episode run tv show

Show like CSI, House dont need to cut back, they are fine how they are but arc-based shows SHOULD definitly be shorter, i dont say UK-short (altough life on mars is one of the best tv show ever and you really get attached to the character in 8 episode sont dont tell me you need 22 to get attached, if the writing is good it's good from the start, most cable series run 13 episode and it's not impacting on the relation with the character...) but short like lost, 16 seems to be a really good number and cable series that tried to do longer run usually crashed and burned (nip tuck is awful, BSG had really crappy moment)

Wich network tv series without a formula based concept (so no csi, life, house..., no sitcom either) can you say is really good and last 22 / 24 episode ? :)
All of them have filler that are pretty crappy in general

And to talk about the UK, the headwriter/showrunner has a much much bigger impact on the series than the showrunner in the US, The Office IS Ricky Gervais, it's his story it wasnt bounced around with different writer..., the only US tv show that i can think is almost like that is Deadwood wich is a really great show, you just have to look at how much of a big deal the fact that Dr Who is gonna change headwriter to see how much that job is important there (while, in the us, how many can tell the showrunner name?)

I dont say that less writer = better but less writer = more focused stories but a small group of writer cant possibly write 22 episode each year it's that simple

You can see how much Flight of the conchords had issue about writing a new series, the only way you can do a LOT of episode alone or almost alone is by having all your stories before you start the show (like Deadwood and like the UK are doing for a lot of drama)