If you’ve ever asked yourself whether Heroes would have been better off as a limited series, you’re definitely not alone. Some TV execs are starting to wonder if high-concept shows (especially sci-fi series that rely on complex mythology) should last for only one or two seasons. There’s some thought that NBC’s Day One, a postapocalyptic drama from Heroes‘ Jesse Alexander that’s in development for fall, is better suited as a limited-run series. And CBS’ upcoming adventure Harper’s Island (bowing April 9) unfolds and wraps in just 13 episodes, during which the overarching whodunit will be solved.
"It’s a fictionalized Survivor," explains CBS Paramount Network TV head David Stapf, who says that the show will change characters — and its title — if it ends up being picked up for more seasons. "If Survivor can work cycle in and cycle out with the same premise but different people, why can’t a fictionalized show?"
Drama scribes like Kevin Falls would certainly be open to the idea. Though his NBC show Journeyman never made it past its 13th episode last season, he got enough of a heads-up to craft an ending that he thinks made the show more appealing for the international and DVD marketplace.
Another perk of a short-run series? Says Falls, "It may deliver you a big-name actor…who doesn’t want to commit to TV for seven years."
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I would think that the failings of Crusoe would have warned them against this idea already…
I like the idea of a short-run series. They can call it a little series or a mini series…oh wait. In all seriousness, I think its a great idea. Some high-concept shows are good in the beginning and then lose momentum. They would be much greater if only intended for a limited run. Just because it is limited run, doesn’t mean it can’t be great – think Roots, North and South, From the Earth to the Moon, Lonesome Dove, etc.
It’s a great idea – except people tends to be wary of becoming emotionally vested in charecters for the short haul.
Duh? If you wanna tell a story, it’s a good idea to, you know, have an ending. Why do you think certain shows (especially those on cable) like LOST and Sopranos have been successful? They’re novels. Novels with endings.
I reiterate…duh.
Congratulations Hollywood, for realizing what Britain has known for 40 years. A story must have a beginning, middle and an end.
Best limited run series:
Season 1: 24
Babylon 5 (5 year arc)
Know what would have been the best series of all time if they had been limited to 3 seasons with a planned ending?
TWIN PEAKS
X-FILES
When their show lost its way, the writers on Lost were pleading for an end date! Now they have one, it has regained its mojo.
For series with a mystery or mythology, it just has to be limited.
People are more wary of becoming emotionally invested with characters on a show that can be cancelled without notice or story resolution. I like the idea of a short series, it could work very well.
i think all shows should be self contained season to season. writers should write the seasons as if they may not come back. leave a little bit of room for a new story just in-case they get renewed. then maybe Ugly Betty will finally get her make over…and much deserved long term BF.
Great idea…. If people know they will get to the end, they will stick around and watch. I wich that they had done that for The Nine. I still want to know that happened in that damn bank!
I love the idea. Obviously, some shows do well over years and years, but others lend themselves to short story lines, or their characters would really wear thin after too long. I loved Absolutely Fabulous, but I’m happy to have it end with me wanting more, rather than have it stretched out way past its peak, like something like X-Files. Imagine 7-10 years of 22 Young Ones episodes per year. I loved the show, but I’m very sure I’d be sick of it WAY before that.
If this article is implying Heroes should have been canceled after the first season than I totally agree lol
@Kaiulani: thanks for The Nine shout-out!! I loved that show. I didn’t know anyone else watched it. I’m still wondering what happened to them…
Heroes should love long ago pulled a Lost/Prison Break and set an end date. Lost became so good once they set the end date, because they could tell a full story. Heroes was good in season 1, okay in season 2 and now it sucks sucks sucks! Heroes needs an End Date. Badly!!! And yes, they have been doing it in other countries for years. Like with Extras, for example.
Actually, “Heroes” could have (still could?) work as a regular series, because its original concept was character-driven. Every season or half-season had a “plot”, but what was supposed to be interesting was the characters. Seems like that hasn’t worked out. Now, NBC’s “Kings” and other concept-heavy, plot-driven stories definitely should have a firm end date. They’re written as epics, and epics should have climaxes. A satisfying limited series is much more memorable and engrossing than a series that just drags on and on and on.
It is kind of like Skins except Skins isn’t sci-fi. They dropped the entire regular cast and only kept on a couple of small supporting players. Fantastic idea
Well duh.
Low ratings for Heroes further proves how STUPID the American public still is. Just because you are too stupid to follow a complex story line DOES not mean that a show is NOT good. please go back to inbreeding….
i could go on..but you probably can’t follow
you all fail at life..
I’ve been saying this forever. Heroes should have changed characters every season. The original actors could come back once in a while. It would be way more sustainable. And that way if they had a bad season it would be easy to forget.
Heroes would have been better if they put more effort in story and not character(cos they so screwed that one up) and made the volumes more comic-like so they could maybe have done a few volumes like “Volume: 5 Years Gone” so that they’d have an endgame and take more chances
Heroes is not Prison Break or LOST which has limited story to tell, it’s more like a live-action comic book, the potential is endless just like the Spider-Man or X-Men comics. As for other heavily serialized shows like the two shows i mentioned above they should have a end-date from day one. Prison Break got really stale after the second season, and should have been a 22 episode series.
grow a brain, What are you talking about? Heroes doesn’t require the viewers to follow a complex story line. Heroes requires it’s viewers to follow a stupid story line. The ratings are low because people are tired of having their intelligence insulted every time they watch an episode. If we wanted to watch something dumb we already have plenty of reality shows available.