How long will/should each "Discovery" ep run?

[Jayson1]

To me this is one of the questions that I don't think many or any people have put much time in wondering about? Since it won't be on the network but on it's All access thing then doesn't that mean they can write shows different by not having to worry about it fitting into a hour with commericals. Also will scripts be different since they won't need to write in artificial act break every 7 minutes or so?
I also know some people want stand alone ep's and I think this could even impact that question as well. with longer time to work with you can do stand alone stories and have extra time to put in arc stuff as well.

Jason

 

[Bones]

Well the All Access entry-level tier still has commercials. So the scripts will probably still have to work around that.

 

[Ronald Held]

42 minute episodes without commercials?

 

[Krandor]

It will probably be like the good fight which runs about 50 minutes. So more then network TV which is one advantage to it being on all access

 

[Tesophius]

I don't think they'll do it but I think indefinite episode length is the future. Why should every story be constrained by the same exact amount of time? Episodes should be as long or short as needed.

 

[Kemaiku]

53 minutes.

 

[Krandor]

I don't think they'll do it but I think indefinite episode length is the future. Why should every story be constrained by the same exact amount of time? Episodes should be as long or short as needed.

You've already seen that some with GoT. They have had shorter or longer episodes depending on what they need for the story that week.

 

[Tuskin38]

It is airing on TV in Canada, if it is longer then ~40 minutes I hope they don't cut anything out.

The channel it is airing on doesn't cut down Doctor Who episodes from full length, so they probably won't, I hope.

 

[donners22]

I can't find the quote, but I know Fuller said at some point that they had quite a bit of flexibility with each episode's length; something like up to 50-odd minutes.

 

[Blooded]

You've already seen that some with GoT. They have had shorter or longer episodes depending on what they need for the story that week.

Also, other streaming services don't put a cap on epispd length either. There's Netflix shows which run 60 minutes three episodes in a row, then put out a 40 minute one randomly, etc.

 

[Space Coast]

Since they're 'hour length' blocks, probably anywhere from 40 to 55 minutes depending on how much they need for the story.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Long enough to work up a good sweat.

 

[Ronald Held]

Do not understand how a variable length show deals with a fix block of time and fits in the block's worth of commercials.

 

[shapeshifter]

You've already seen that some with GoT. They have had shorter or longer episodes depending on what they need for the story that week.

It's not just on premium or streaming. A few network channels, (AMC, FX, A&E, BBCA, SYFY, to name a few) have been airing episodes longer than an hour. It wreaks havoc with my DVR, causing some programs to be clipped or missed unless I check weekly to figure out when and where that is going to occur and reschedule programs I'd other wise miss some or all of.

I must soon upgrade one of my DVR's to a model that records 6 programs at once just to address this issue.

 

[JasonJ]

I don't think they'll do it but I think indefinite episode length is the future. Why should every story be constrained by the same exact amount of time? Episodes should be as long or short as needed.

I like this.... I think they could shoot for a 45-50 minute run of actual content, but be flexible with where and how they end each episode... the conflict at hand and scenarios portrayed do not necessarily need to be resolved by episodes end. If the story and plot is engaging enough, we'll tune in (ha!, as if anyone "tunes" into frequencies for tv anymore!), next week just to see the next segment, even if that episode doesn't resolve it either.

As long as it facilitates telling a GOOD story with fully developed characters... CGI and production quality be damned, I want good, old fashioned human storytelling.. it's one of our species' greatest gifts, and so often misused.

 

[Balok's Decoy]

The same length my favorite professor in college told us our papers should be: As long or short as they need to be.

 

[Jedman67]

Each episode will be four hours and twenty two minutes long, according to sources.

 

[Balok's Decoy]

Each episode will be four hours and twenty two minutes long, according to sources.

You can always count on sources.

 

[Kor]

Well the All Access entry-level tier still has commercials. So the scripts will probably still have to work around that.

That stinks.

Kor

 

[Balok's Decoy]

That stinks.

Kor

Well it's not like full commercial breaks like on actual TV. It's like Hulu. Some people can't tolerate any commercials whatsoever. But if it's a couple 30 second ads I'm like