Poll Longer seasons? (with compromises)

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

I believe that more Star Trek is always a good thing, but sometimes it comes with a trade-off.

As we've discussed the topic of seasonal arcs vs. stand-alone episodes, it's clear that most people like a bit of both, but it's also difficult to balance that within a 14-episode season. Compare that to the 26-episode seasons that were common to past ST series.

Would you rather have a longer season that might require cutbacks in things like CGI quality or axing some cast members - but would allow for more story-telling? Or would you rather keep the season length as it is, helping to keep things cost-effective for things like CGI and casting - but having less time to roll out a well-balanced season of arcs and 1-2 episode stories?

 

[CommanderRaytas]

These days, I think that shorter and more compact seasons are better than longer seasons with filler episodes. That doesn't mean I think less of earlier policies. It's just that the new format appeals to me more.

 

[BillJ]

Either way, with better writing.

 

[donners22]

I wouldn't mind stretching the season out by a few more episodes and using the extra time to fit in a few more character scenes in each episode.

 

[Cyrus]

I prefer shorter season but multiple series, which seems to be what we are going to get.

 

[gblews]

As much as I like DSC, I'm okay with the current number of episodes. The old days of 24-26 episode Star Trek seasons are a thing of the past.

 

[Awesome Possum]

Quality over quantity.

 

[Lord Garth]

I think the first season rushed to a conclusion and it looks like the second season also is. But there's also nothing I'd cut and things I'd like to see added. So I don't think it would hurt to give DSC 20-episode seasons.

I don't want 26 episodes. It looks like that was too much even back when it was the norm. Almost every season had a weak patch somewhere because they were stretching to fit the episode requirement.

Given the binary choice: I voted "same length of seasons with the same quality".

 

[Cyrus]

It seems like CBS considers Short Treks as part of Discovery. So this season we get 14 episodes and 6 mini episodes. And Kurtzman has said that Picard and Lower Decks will get their own Short Treks.

 

[The Habs Fan]

I think the season length should remain the same but it all should be released at the same time (like many other streaming shows). Reading through the episode discussion threads there are some people who are confused about the ongoing plot. Watching an episode a week, it’s easy to forget about important details that have been revealed. I feel Season 1 works very well when binge watched and I suspect Season 2 works even more when binged all at once.

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

Quality over quantity.

Always. But if more wiggle room allows for more in-depth story telling (and therefore higher quality), then I think it'd be worthwhile. In both seasons, it felt like they were trying to cram so much into a short number of episodes that needed some room to breathe. People assume it's bad writing when they feel there's not enough character development or enough plot development, but I think it should be common sense that you can do more development with 26 episodes than 14.

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

Quality over quantity.

Put another way, would you expect there to be more character depth in a season that has 26 episodes or one that has 14? I don't see why it's advantageous to have short seasons and yet expect the same level of plot development and character development. Giving each character ample attention, developing bonds between characters, developing effective seasonal arcs while also fitting in stand-alone episodes is not an easy feat under any circumstances, but expecting all of that out of 14 episodes vs. 26 does not make sense. I commend DSC for still making it an amazing season.

 

[The Wormhole]

A vast majority of shows these days get by just fine with 10-15 episode seasons. Even on the networks shows with 20+ episodes a season are becoming a minority, and most those that do are sitcoms. There's no reason why Star Trek should need 26 episodes a season.

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

A vast majority of shows these days get by just fine with 10-15 episode seasons. Even on the networks shows with 20+ episodes a season are becoming a minority, and most those that do are sitcoms. There's no reason why Star Trek should need 26 episodes a season.

"Need" is not the issue. It can do what it needs to do with 14. But in terms of expectations, people shouldn't complain if the writing doesn't cover as many bases, to the extent that we got to hear all about Data's cat in TNG. It'll get the job done, but people need to accept there won't be the same level of familiarity, at least until DSC perfects the approach as the seasons continue.

 

[Commander Richard]

Two seasons will give us 26 episodes. We can get our character-building there instead of having 26 rushed, lower quality episodes per year.

I like where Trek is now. I don't want to see a return to the 90s.

 

[Mage]

Honestly, if you're willing to sacrifce quality to get more of something, I'll never understand where you're coming from in terms of mindset. (The 'you' is not directed towards OP, just a general 'you'.)

 

[BillJ]

A vast majority of shows these days get by just fine with 10-15 episode seasons. Even on the networks shows with 20+ episodes a season are becoming a minority, and most those that do are sitcoms. There's no reason why Star Trek should need 26 episodes a season.

Discovery really does make me wonder about what goes on in the writer's room? I've seen plenty of other arc-based shows with limited season runs that do fine getting all the characters interesting arcs. Hell on Wheels is very clearly Anson Mount's show, but there is so much going on with all the characters have compelling arcs.

 

[The Wormhole]

Well, hopefully when Disco manages to hold onto a showrunner for a whole season we might see some improvements in the execution.

 

[Lord Garth]

With Season 1, they wedged the Mirror Universe Arc into the Klingon War Arc. That could've been two separate 13-episode seasons. Instead, we got nine episodes of one, four episodes of the other, and two that were sort of a hybrid.

I can't really say about Season 2 yet until I've seen the whole thing beyond it looks like the change in showrunners showed a bit more than I thought it would. I thought they'd stick to the same basic outline, but it looks like Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise wanted to do something else and had to fit it around what was already there. So they either must not have liked what Berg and Harberts wanted to do, or they changed it out of spite. "We're not going to do what you wanted to do after the way you treated everyone!" Perfectly normal, human reaction if Berg and Harberts were as horrible behind the scenes as it looks like. "We don't want to credit you for any of your ideas after you leave, so we won't use them!" That is STRICTLY speculation on my part.

I think the season works better with Spock and works better without focusing on religion. When you deal with religion, and you have a definitive answer, then you're going to offend a large portion of your viewership no matter what. Viewership that's subscribed to CBSAA and may pull those subscriptions if they felt strongly enough about it. Maybe not. But I don't think the people behind CBSAA want to find out.

 

[BillJ]

When you deal with religion, and you have a definitive answer...

I think one of the lost arts of TV is ambiguity. You don't always have to have a definitive answer to the questions you pose. You don't always have to show the crew getting together, or breaking apart. Sometimes in entertainment, ambiguity is every bit as satisfying as definitive answers.