Season vs. Series
- Thread starter RoJoHen
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In the UK - we use series to refer to the whole show and we use series to refer to a series of the series. I hope this clears this up for you.
In the UK - we use series to refer to the whole show and we use series to refer to a series of the series. I hope this clears this up for you.
Don't forget programme and show could also refer to a full series, or ust an episode too.
"Did you watch that programme on bbc one last night?"
"Red Dwarf was a popular programme."
More countries than just the US refer to a "year" of a tv show as a season though.
It's even becoming common place in the UK, to the point where it can get confusing reading a review or article, because they'll refer to "the new series", then say "pick up season 3 on dvd", then say "the new series starts friday."
I always understood the British usage to be "programme" for an overall show and "series" for a single year's installment thereof. But no doubt DVDs and the Internet are blurring British and American usages.
Also, I always kind of figured that the use of "series" for "season" had to do with the fact that a lot of British shows seemed to be made one season at a time, with each year's worth being treated as a complete entity. For instance, Blackadder. Each year was a separate show. So I figured maybe the pattern was that a British show would be conceived initially as a limited series with an expected run of only one year, and then if it did well, there might be another year commissioned, and then another, etc. So each year is a separate "series." I don't know if there's any truth to that, though.
Also, I always kind of figured that the use of "series" for "season" had to do with the fact that a lot of British shows seemed to be made one season at a time, with each year's worth being treated as a complete entity. For instance, Blackadder. Each year was a separate show. So I figured maybe the pattern was that a British show would be conceived initially as a limited series with an expected run of only one year, and then if it did well, there might be another year commissioned, and then another, etc. So each year is a separate "series." I don't know if there's any truth to that, though.
Well it's because in America most of the TV shows operate on a seasonal basis (ie starting in September/October time and ending around May)
Whereas in Blighty, when most shows series/season will only be around 6 episodes, they'll just get shown whenever in the year. So using the word "season" wouldn't make sense
Whereas in Blighty, when most shows series/season will only be around 6 episodes, they'll just get shown whenever in the year. So using the word "season" wouldn't make sense
Plus a "season" on British TV tends to be a collection of themed shows running over the course of a month or so. The Medieval season, the style season, the white season, etc.
Really? I've never heard of that usage. Could you elaborate?
Well here's some of the BBCs sites for their seasos of programming.
The Medieval Season
The White Season
Comics Britainnia Season
Basically they'll have shows on a certain theme, say "The White Working-Class", be it about racism in the community, lack of jobs in the community, or right wing political parties targeting them for recruitment and swing votes, nothing really connects the shows beyond the fact they're all about the white working class, and that's "The White Season".
Good grief... you could never get away with a "White Season" in the US. Well, maybe on Fox News...
Well the "white season" was really about how the white working class are adapting to multi-cultural Britain, and how racism is springing up in the working class areas because immigrants tend to be going in to the same jobs working class Britons would be going in to (or not as the case may be). Some of the shows were actually quite interesting, and not at all scare-mongering/racism disguised as current affairs documentary it sounds like it could be.
^^Well, that's good to hear. But in the US, even calling it that would bring down accusations of fearmongering racism. At the very least, it would need a different name.
Well, until I visit another country besides the US, I will have to play ignorant.
Yeah, I know, but there are shows that do have the seasonal format. Doctor Who is the first one that pops in my head, and the DVDs say "Series 1, Series 2, etc," which is fine. But when that box set comes out one day with the collection of every season/series, I was just wondering what it would be called.
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